Grey Owl Voyageur

Grey Owl Voyageur Canoe Paddle

The Grey Owl Voyageur is a true all-rounder and one of the most popular wooden canoe paddles in the Grey Owl range. Combining an attractive multi-wood construction with a practical mid-sized blade, it offers an excellent balance of durability, handling and value for recreational paddling and longer canoe trips.

Its contrasting laminates use ash, basswood, black cherry and butternut to create a paddle that looks every bit as good as it performs. The 3-ply laminated ash and basswood shaft is paired with a pear-shaped laminated black cherry grip, while the 7-ply blade combines cherry, basswood and butternut.

A versatile blade for touring and general canoeing

The Voyageur has a shorter and wider blade than the Grey Owl River. Its 22-inch by 7-inch blade provides a useful middle ground between a long, narrow deep-water blade and a larger general-purpose paddle.

The shorter blade is easier to fully immerse where the water is less deep, making the Voyageur a practical option for mixed waterways and shallower sections. At the same time, its 120-square-inch blade area provides dependable purchase for touring, manoeuvring and everyday paddling.

A cambered blade cross-section helps the paddle move cleanly through the stroke and supports controlled correction, draw and steering strokes. This makes the Voyageur suitable for bow, stern or solo paddling, depending on the length selected and the paddler’s preferred technique.

Designed for longer trips

The Voyageur is an excellent all-round longer-trip paddle. Its manageable blade size suits paddlers who prefer a comfortable, repeatable stroke rather than an oversized blade with a particularly heavy catch.

The pear-shaped grip provides a familiar and versatile hand position for forward paddling and control strokes, while the oval shaft helps the paddler feel the blade’s orientation without needing to look at it.

Laminated wooden construction

Grey Owl combines several carefully selected woods throughout the Voyageur:

• 3-ply laminated black cherry pear-shaped grip
• 3-ply laminated ash and basswood oval shaft
• 7-ply laminated cherry, basswood and butternut blade
• Cambered blade cross-section
• Straight casting-epoxy tip
• High-gloss exterior polyurethane finish with UV block

The casting-epoxy tip reinforces the most vulnerable end of the blade and provides additional protection against normal contact in shallow water. As with any wooden canoe paddle, it should still be treated with care around rocks, gravel and hard riverbeds.

Who is the Grey Owl Voyageur for?

The Voyageur is a strong choice for paddlers looking for one wooden canoe paddle that can cover a broad range of uses. It is particularly well suited to:

• Recreational open canoeing
• Lake, broad and river touring
• Longer day trips and multi-day journeys
• Wilderness tripping
• Tandem bow or stern paddling
• Solo paddlers wanting a versatile mid-sized blade
• Paddlers who value traditional wooden construction without choosing a specialist deep-water blade

For predominantly deep-water touring and traditional underwater recovery strokes, a longer and narrower blade such as the Grey Owl Guide may be more appropriate. For mixed conditions and general-purpose use, however, the Voyageur remains one of the most versatile options in the range.

Specifications

Grip: 3-ply laminated black cherry, pear shaped

Shaft: 3-ply laminated ash and basswood, oval

Blade: 7-ply laminated cherry, basswood and butternut

Blade profile: Cambered

Blade length: 22"

Blade width: 7"

Blade area: 120 sq in

Tip: Straight casting-epoxy tip

Finish: High-gloss exterior polyurethane with UV block

Overall lengths: 52", 54", 56", 58", 60", 62", 64" and 66"

Average weight varies according to the overall paddle length. Wood is a natural material, so appearance and finished weight may also vary slightly between individual paddles.