One of my passions is guiding rafts down whitewater rivers, and I have always wanted to create my own paddle. I had some gorgeous pieces of ash (from Hinkley boatyards Me) that after 10 years of being to chicken to touch I turned into a paddle. I ended up getting a little carried away with blade thickness and epoxy and ended up with a 6 pound paddle. (I was shooting for about 2-2.5 pounds….) Because I am relatively large with large arms, I want a strong paddle (I tend to destroy fiberglass ones) but I also want something I will be able to lift!
I am planning on trying again on another paddle and I am looking for new choices in woods! I may still use a smaller section of ash for the shaft, and the the blade tip, but I think I need something lighter tough and flexible for the body of the paddle. I do not know about how other species of wood compare to each other for weight durability and flexibility
I was thinking ipe. (kidding)
Jeff
Replies
When you try to achieve strong and light, if you are thinking of staying with one solid wood, I am not sure that you can get there, because a strong tough heavy wood will be so thin, that it will probably split, and the lighter woods probably don't have the toughness that you need.
I would suggest that you think in terms of laminating your stock. Use the strong tuff on the outside, but thin, with something light in weight on the inside. If you want to stick with the ash for the outside, maybe a light cedar core will get the thickness that you need without getting too heavy.
I definitely want to do a laminate. I did ash-cedar-ash-cedar-ash and although it is realllly strong, it ended up being too heavy.
The paddles I have use clear spruce for the handle and butternut for the blade. Spruce is pretty well-known for its high strength to weight ratio, while butternut is light but tougher.
There is fiberglass cloth reinforcement over the blade, with a double thickness at the very end.
I hope this helps.
Dan
JJ,
Try cypress. very resistant to water, and light as a feather. I have a cypress paddle a friend made for me about 8 years ago, and it's definitely in the 2.5-3.5 pound range. It's not a laminate, all one piece, from probably an eight inch board.And not too shabby looking either.
Lee
I agree with Keith. I'd use waterproof glue to laminate several thin layers. For maximum weight reduction, you might want to consider a torsion box for the handle.
-Jazzdogg-
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
Jeff ,
Another combination that is light and looks good as well would be Ash definitely on the outside edges and laminate Spruce , Fir and a or Redwood on the insides the color changes look great and although a bit soft in this application they can work out nicely.
from one river rat to another " keep your dry side up "
dusty
There was an article in the Missouri Department of Conservation's magazine about making paddles and the author favored sassafrass which is remarkably light yet pretty stiff, I think that would be a good choice. I'd tend to use solid wood and reinforce the blade with fiberglass adding a tip of epoxy or tough plastic. That is what most top commercial makers are doing on their high end paddles (except for the graphite ones). I'd think that you could rework your first attempts to remove quite a bit of wood (and WEIGHT). This might be well worth while as a practice/experimental project to prepare for more sophisticated paddle making in your next attempts from scratch. Hockey stick makers have similar issues with weight and strength and they mostly use similar solutions too (thin laminates with VERY thin blades that are fiberglass reinforced).
Jeff,
I build paddles for myself and friends, and have found that stiffness
and weight of the wood are the most important factors. My paddles weigh in at
20-24OZ, and have survived some class two and three white water.
I keep the paddle blade thin ( 1/4") and cover bothsides with 4oz fiberglass
layed up in a vacuum bag. I also will use on heavy use paddles use a
fiberglass "sock" on the shaft. The woods I use are mostly soft woods
salvaged for job sites and the shop. I edge the blade with fiberglass
rope or dynel rope, which gives the blade protection from dings and scapes
with rocks and such.
Sweet Composites is a good source of materials.
http://sweetcomposites.com/index.html
I will use hardwoods for accents and the handles.
Hope this helps.
canoedog
"All things considered, I'd rather be paddling."
While I have never used them in white water, I have two pair of white cedar paddles for lake canoe use, they are light, and very servicable. The maker, who also builds birchbark canoes in the traditional way, splits the cedar out and then carves the paddle with shaves.
I offer the attached with tongue planted firmly in cheek ; - )
-Jazzdogg-
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
jazz,
Their business has be good, 'cause nobody wants to be THERE without one of their products!
Ray
Don't know, but thought spruce is the choice.
jerseyjeff,
Strength to weight ratio is in favor of Sitka spruce.. it's what they make aircraft frames out of and available thru aircraft supply
However!
I wouldn't do that.. I'd make it out of carbon fiber
very simple process.
Take a paddle that you like the shape and size of.. coat it well with a release againt like wax I mean really wax it and buff the heck out of it.. Now lay down and make a heavy fiberglas mold off the top half an let it dry. (a few hours) flip the paddle over and make another mold of the other half.. (unless both 1/2's are exactly the same)
Carefully lay out the two halves and mold in carbon fiber.. (works just like a stiff fiberglass) use a hair dryer to get it to lay down properly assemble the two halves and wrap a second layer over the first one.. If you have access to an autoclave you can do that and bagging it will reduce the resin and make the whole thing a tiny bit lighter.. If not just air drying will work although take a bit longer to dry and wind up weighing a tiny bit more..
Now go out and abuse the heck out of it.. find where it breaks and beef it up.. (this finite analise stuff is fine but in the end you will just add more layers where it's weak..) practical no math way is to use and abuse and strengthen where needed..
If the finished carbon fiber paddle weighs more than a pound I'd be shocked.. Plus it's unbelievably stiff! stronger actually than a steel paddle.. if it's hollow it will float
I have a couple of carbon fiber sticks, and I do like them, but, carbon fiber and fiberglass fail EXPLOSIVELY and with little prior warning. Nothing like going for a big draw stroke in class V whitewater, hearing a large SNAP and looking down at two pieces of paddle...
There is also something really nice about a wood paddle. I may try spruce-ash-cedar in my next attempt.
jeff
Most anything works.
I make kayak paddles under 20oz.
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