Everyone Can Learn How to Make a Canoe Paddle

An instructional video from Lee Valley Tools https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/discover/projects/woodworking/2020/march/canoe-paddle

Dooooood, I nearly bombed you out of existence as our latest canoeist. Which really would've been a shame, because this truly is the perfect quarantine project for our forum.

Margie

Margie I was thinking the same thing at first lol.  Adding to this was the "reader" status ( and "new reader" which I don't recall ever being a thing until recently)?

Someone needs to send this link to RFK's grand daugther's family....

Lord I love Lee Valley Tools.

Can almost never afford anything in there, but damn is it nice to window shop

I like this video too...

seems particularly appropriate in these times.

although, this site:
http://paddlemaking.blogspot.com/

is what really pushed me over the edge and making my first paddle last fall.  I've got to finish up a bed for sleepykid#2, and then I'm going to start in on my second paddle.

It would be easier to justify the expenditure of time on something like this if I didn't already own 6 paddles of varying condition and quality. 

mr2s2000elise said:

Someone needs to send this link to RFK's grand daugther's family....

Probably too soon... and from my reading of the news, possible they needed lessons more than a paddle.

Marjorie Suddard said:

mr2s2000elise said:

Someone needs to send this link to RFK's grand daugther's family....

Probably too soon... and from my reading of the news, possible they needed lessons more than a paddle.

I was shocked and saddened to hear of that tragedy.  Even more shocked to find that her son was only 8 years old.  No mention of PFD's in the account that I read.  So very hard to understand.  So sad.

1988RedT2 said:

Marjorie Suddard said:

mr2s2000elise said:

Someone needs to send this link to RFK's grand daugther's family....

Probably too soon... and from my reading of the news, possible they needed lessons more than a paddle.

I was shocked and saddened to hear of that tragedy.  Even more shocked to find that her son was only 8 years old.  No mention of PFD's in the account that I read.  So very hard to understand.  So sad.

As with any accident, it was a combination of multiple decisions that were reasonable in isolation, but fatal in quick succession.  Re: PFD's, the bigger issue was probably that they were dressed for the air temperature, and not the water temperature.  Pretty sure the bay's water temperature is still pretty cold this time of year (~55degF?).  And I think you've only got 30mins (?) at that temp?

http://www.coldwatersafety.org/nccwsRules3.html

I'm mainly pointing this out, because the link above is important for me... and can be tricky to find.

(edited)

In reply to sleepyhead the buffalo :

That's a very good point.  I'm guessing mom wasn't a seasoned paddler and most 8 y.o.. kids aren't going to be a lot of help.  I heard there were 30 mph winds and 2-3 foot waves, so just not a good day to put in.  Tragic.

Anyway, enough of that.  Back to paddle-making!

Every year somebody down here gets into trouble with the water temperature and dies. PFDs, dressing for the water, knowing your limitations, having a boat suited to the conditions- all of these factor into if you're going to live or die when you turtle your boat.

And you will turtle your boat or find yourself in the water, sooner or later.

Now, onto the good part:

Those paddle videos are great. I'm tempted to make one of my own, now.

Here's a couple more videos for consideration, from "Cape Falcon Kayaks"... about Greenland Kayak Paddles.  So, more Kayak paddle than Canoe paddle...

on the making:

and, on the use:
 

I happened across Cape Falcon back in 2011, while on 'Red Tape Leave' from work.  And checked back in periodically.  The 'using a Greenland paddle' above is effectively what lead me to making my own paddle last year.  The description of how you push from your upper hand while pivoting from your bottom (instead of using a 'brace' with the upper, and 'drawing' with the lower hand) really rang a bell for me, from paddling as a kid.

so, that lead me on a journey to wondering if there were canoe paddles that were shaped more like greenland kayak paddles.  And, that's what lead me to the 'Paddle Making' blogspot I linked above.  I specifically used this couple of posts:

http://paddlemaking.blogspot.com/2007/12/preparing-blank.html
http://paddlemaking.blogspot.com/2008/01/dressing-paddle-marking-out.html
http://paddlemaking.blogspot.com/2008/01/shaping-blade-part-1.html
http://paddlemaking.blogspot.com/2008/01/shaping-blade-part-2.html
http://paddlemaking.blogspot.com/2008/01/grip.html

to make my first one