Cindy Dillenschneider (pictured at left), professor of outdoor education at Northland College, recently received a patent for a special canoe paddle designed for use with one arm.The paddle, which she originally developed during a sabbatical in 2005-06, features two primary components: a shoulder attachment point for the paddle and the paddle itself.

The shoulder attachment is comprised of a molded plastic cap that fits over the shoulder of the user and has straps that run under the user’s arms. This assembly is designed to be used on either the left or right shoulder and is padded for comfort. It can be worn with a PFD and has a quick release function. The paddle has a bend in the shaft and attaches to the harness in a way that allows full range of motion in all directions and planes.

Since the beginning of this project Dillenschneider has intended this adaptive-use paddle to be built and distributed by an outdoor equipment manufacturer rather than by a medical supply company in an effort to keep the cost of the paddle lower.

“If this paddle is distributed through a medical supplier, it will be far too expensive for the average user to purchase,” says Dillenschneider. “But if it’s produced as a consumer product, by a well-known paddle company, it will be much more accessible to the people and organizations that can benefit from it most.”

In addition to price, Dillenschneider considered a number of other criteria during the development of the paddle that shaped the way in which it was designed. To meet the goals of the project, the paddle not only had to be reasonably priced, but also had to allow the user to reach the highest level of paddling skill. The design also had to allow a paddler to perform all the strokes used with a conventional paddle, draw power from the user’s torso muscles, have a quick release mechanism for safety and be adjustable for users of differing height and reach.

After developing the design during a year-long sabbatical, Dillenschneider has spent nearly two years securing the patent for the concept. She has now built and perfected a prototype and on December 25, 2007, she received patent number 7-311-573 B1 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for her idea. Dillenschneider is working to secure funds to bring the paddle from the prototype stage to the production ready phase, at which point the design can be produced in large numbers and put on the market.

For more information about Dillenshcneider and her one arm use paddle, go to http://www.ncstaff.net/oed/CanoePaddleForOneArmUsePage.htm Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the link to view a video of the paddle in use.

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