Drip barrier for watercraft paddle and associated methods

A drip barrier for a paddle comprising a shaft having first and second ends and at least one grip position therebetween for a user's hand, and a blade carried by the first end of the shaft, the drip barrier comprising:

• a base having an opening therein for receiving the shaft;
• a sidewall portion extending from said base toward the blade and curved inward toward the shaft to define a water collection reservoir therewith for collecting water drippage from the blade along the shaft;
• wherein the water collection reservoir has a bottom portion that is substantially perpendicular to said shaft;
• wherein the sidewall portion has an arclength spanning greater than ninety degrees;
• wherein the sidewall portion has an upper lip opposite the first section curving outwardly away from the shaft when the drip barrier is positioned thereon,
• wherein the curvature of said sidewall portion defines an apex portion on an outer surface thereof;
• and
• a water deflection ridge carried on the outer surface of said sidewall portion adjacent the apex portion and protruding outwardly from the outer surface away from the water collection reservoir.

A drip barrier system for a plurality of watercraft paddles each comprising a shaft having first and second ends and at least one grip position therebetween for a user's hand, and a blade carried by the first end of the shaft, each shaft having a portion with one of a plurality of different diameters between its grip position and blade, the system comprising:

• a plurality of bases each having an opening therethrough sized to fit a respective one of the plurality of different diameter shaft portions;
• a sidewall portion interchangeably connectable to each of said bases to define a water collection reservoir therewith, said sidewall portion extending from said base toward the blade and curved inward toward the shaft to define the water collection reservoir, the water collection reservoir having a bottom portion that is substantially perpendicular to the shaft;
• wherein the sidewall portion has an upper lip opposite the first section curving outwardly away from the shaft when the drip barrier is positioned thereon;
• wherein the curvature of said sidewall portion defines an apex portion on an outer surface thereof;
• and
• a water deflection ridge carried on the outer surface of said sidewall portion adjacent the apex portion and protruding outwardly from the outer surface away from the water collection reservoir.

A method for reducing water drippage along a shaft of a watercraft paddle from a blade at a first end of the shaft to a user's hands on a grip position on the shaft between the first and second ends of the shaft, the method comprising:

• positioning a drip barrier between the grip position and the blade, the drip barrier comprising a base surrounding the shaft, a concave sidewall portion extending from the base toward the blade and curved inward toward the shaft to define a water collection reservoir with the base for collecting water drippage from the blade along the shaft, the water collection reservoir having a bottom portion that is substantially perpendicular to the shaft, and the concave sidewall portion having an arclength spanning greater than ninety degrees;
• wherein the sidewall portion also has an upper lip opposite the first section and curves outwardly away from the shaft when the drip barrier is positioned thereon;
• wherein the curvature of the concave sidewall portion defines an apex portion on an outer surface thereof;
• and
• wherein the drip barrier further comprises a water deflection ridge carried on the outer surface of the concave sidewall portion adjacent the apex portion and protruding outwardly from the outer surface away from the water collection reservoir.