For all you purists out there, look away. But for those who want a paddling experience that doesn’t involve lots of fancy boat-handling or rough water, there is a solution to the incessant water drips in your lap. Drip Rings.
As a photographer who relies on getting photographs from a kayak, constant drips down my Greenland paddle can be an issue. Saltwater drips are best kept away from cameras and lenses — the less exposure the better!
Drip rings are pretty simple. After using countless other solutions, including carved rings, elastic bands like hair ties (these work reasonably well), I had a student who bought plastic drip rings meant for spoon-bladed paddles and install them on her Greenland paddle. They work really well. Despite our modified Greenland paddles, I had no trouble getting these to slide over the ends with a little stretching:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ML0ZATS?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
The next best reasonably inexpensive option that should fit appears to be:
They do a great job with keeping a significant amount of water off your lap, and placement near your hands means that you can continue to use a Greenland the way it was meant. I also found i had no trouble shifting hand position for extended strokes or braces or sculling strokes.
Here’s where I put them, although you will of course move them around to find a perfect position for your stroke.
I tie on 1/4 inch black elastic rope/cord. Loop it twice, tie and let about 2 – 3 inches of the end dangle. easy.