Punt Poles
The debate as to whether an aluminum punt pole is superior to one made
from wood is really down to the individual using it. One thing for
certain is that the feel of a wooden pole in the hands cannot be
bettered. At 16' long, 1 7/8" round tapering over 3' to the end, we
manufacture out of Spruce, Douglas Fir or Hemlock, and all have their
merits in different ways. The shoes we fit are our own casting and can
be supplied as a separate item to replace lost ones.
Nick Truong ,
Aerospace engineer at Oxford University (formerly from Centre for
Hypersonics, UQ), discusses types of punt pole:
"As an engineer people often ask me which type of punt pole is superior, wooden or metal. I go for the wooden version every time as it has greater buoyancy. The wooden and aluminium poles are about equal in mass, but the wooden ones are thicker, so this makes them less dense, and in consequence, they are more buoyant. It really does help, when at the end of the stroke, the pole comes leaping up to the surface, minimising the effort of the punter. Try to get a new, freshly varnished pole as these are lighter than the older, waterlogged ones."