Making a push pole foot

[rabbit]

After getting back from Murrells Inlet, SC, enjoying great times and hospitality (I went touring with an old salt) I needed to get a foot made for the paint roller extension handle I got.
Picked out some scrap 5/4 walnut and 3/8 BC ply, routered the "sole cove", cut tapers and rabbets with the saw then 1/4 round the top edge.:

Good strong clevis in a lathe:

Gives you:

I'll cut off where the "sole" runs wild, soak it in epoxy, first coat cut up to 20% then a coat of green.
Will get back with pix when it's finished.
When you get to Murrells make sure to check out Prosser's BBQ. Juicy. Pretty close to the best I've ever had.

 

[Country Dave]

Pretty cool. 8)

 

[rabbit]

Here it is:

Will it work?
Pole is a bit flexible but it's also lite and only 16 bucks.
I never polled a boat so it should be interesting.

 

[fender66]

Very cool.

One question......Will it float? :wink:

 

[rabbit]

That's a good question. It's possible it just might but I won't be able to find out for a bit.

 

[rabbit]

I cut the width of the foot down to 10". It was too wide. I let it float when it was extended for about 10 seconds. Didn't seem to take on any water.
Took a bit to figure out how to do it and I was poling somewhat in calm water but it takes practice I think.

 

[Jonboat Jerry]

Another source is your local High school athletic department who might be replacing their old PoleVaults.
They are very light but I don't know if they will float.

 

[harleydoc]

I have a huge piece of Bamboo I use for my push poll I add a foot about like you made but it was all flat. The bamboo is solid with not much flex. That stuff grows all over the place here.

 

[rabbit]

Thanks guys. Not many resources here on the mountain. I'm gonna keep working with what I got. It's collapsible and I can push on it pretty hard. I'll be giving the foot another test soon. Even thought it was fairly light, that weight on the end of 16' of pole adds up. The width was getting in the way. It should still work good in the mud just smaller and lighter. I think the pole is good.
What I should do is let someone who knows how to pole try it and see what they think cause I've never seen anyone pole a boat. Learning from scratch.
See some boats down south with a poling platforms and wonder what difference they make.
Cheers