A Very Personal Canoe Paddle

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Allow the assembly to dry for a day, and use the time to transfer the blade and grip patterns shown here onto stiff paper, so you can begin the final shaping. Start by tracing the outline of the design onto the laminated wood, being careful to follow the pattern closely. Next, trim off the excess wood with a coping, saber, or band saw. Since it cuts a fast and smooth line, I prefer the band saw. A coping saw, however, will allow you to cut with more precision.

A power sander, spokeshave, rasp, or — if you're strong — a drawknife will handle the rough-shaping of the blade. To accomplish this, first cut the blade's tip down to about 1/2 an inch and then — starting at the throat and finishing at the bottom — evenly taper the wood thickness from 7/8-inch at the throat to at least 3/8-inch at the tip. With that done, taper the blade from its longitudinal centerline to its outer edges, which should end up being 1/4-inch thick. Be sure that you check the wood's depth frequently as you work, or you might carve away too much wood — which will cause the paddle to lack stiffness and perhaps, as a result, to break.

Once the blade is completed, move on to the shaft and grip. These areas can be shaped to your own personal taste and feel. Use a pocketknife to whittle the grip, and give both sides of the handle a slightly concave center to fit your fingers and palm. In addition, if you have large (or small) hands, add (or subtract) 1/4-inch to (or from) the standard 1 1/4-inch width of the shaft.

Bringing Out the Beauty

The final sanding will rid the wood of any high spots; begin with medium-grit paper and finish with fine-grit. For professional results, feel the paddle's surface often while you're sanding, and concentrate your efforts on any trouble areas. When the shape looks and feels right, give the wood one last going over with a very fine-grit sandpaper.

At this point, you'll probably be ready to give yourself a hearty pat on the back, but there's still one last step. The paddle will need a few coats of exterior polyurethane or marine-grade spar varnish to preserve its inherent beauty. I use a thinned varnish for a sealer coat and then apply two or three additional coats for extra protection, sanding lightly before each application.

Now your paddle is complete, and while you might be content for the moment just to sit there and admire your handiwork, the fun is really just beginning. You'll find that out the first time you glide across a lake or down a peaceful river with your own made-to-perfection paddle!

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