How To Measure Canoe Paddle In Chair?

To size a canoe paddle, first sit up straight on a flat chair and measure the distance from the seat between your legs to your eyes. For bent shaft and straight shaft paddles, add the blade length to this measurement (found on each paddle’s product page). Sit in a chair and measure from the flat surface of the chair between your legs to your chin or nose, depending on whether you want your hand a little lower in front.

There are various ways to size a canoe paddle, such as sitting on a stool, placing your hand there, spreading your arms as wide as possible, or measuring the length of your torso while sitting on a flat chair. The ideal length is to have the handle grip rest between your nose and chin when standing.

For those who don’t have access to a canoe yet, local outfitters can help take a paddle measurement in-store or you can do it yourself by sitting on a solid chair or bench with a friend with a measuring tape. If you sit in low-slung canoe seats or usually carry a lot of gear in your boat, then sit up straight on a flat chair and measure the distance from the surface of the chair to your nose. That distance is your torso length.

To determine the approximate length, sit erect on a flat hard chair or the floor and measure the distance from the surface to your chin. Add 6 for the approximate distance the canoe seat would be from the waterline. For example, a person whose chin to chair measurement is 26 would add 6 to arrive at a 32 shaft length.

To size your paddles, sit upright in a chair looking straight forward, measure from the seat of the chair to your nose, and measure the distance from the chair seat to the bridge of your nose or eye level. Add the blade length to this measurement. The ideal length is to have the handle grip rest between your nose and chin when standing straight.