Oars and Paddles

In my humble opinion Eskimo or Aluet style paddles are preferable to the conventional high tech river paddle for sea kayaking. To this end I decided to build my own.

This canoe paddle was first carved as a model from a section of a willow branch and then an actual full size paddle was created from a 2 inch by 6 inches redwood board. Choose a light weight wood as you want the finished paddle to be light in your hands (examples: spruce, pine, cedar, redwood as lumber or logs).

There are two paddles detailed in this pack single bladed and double bladed. It is usual to carry single bladed paddles on a canoe, but a double bladed paddle can be useful as an auxiliary when paddling by yourself or in calm conditions. There is information on sizing the paddles to the user - this is particularly important on long trips.

Traditional Greenland paddles can get fashioned cheaply from basic stock with a little wood working skill and a few simple tools.

If you would like to make a canoe paddle, just follow along as I show you how I did it.

Two versions of oar paddle plans to consider. A single page 24k PDF. Scroll to the bottom of this page to view this PDF.

The paddles themselves are excellent performers with easy construction.

Building and carving a paddle with patterns and instructions. ...

By Paul Butler - Rowing a boat takes more than just grabbing a pair of oars. Fitting oars of the proper size and weight to a boat means experimenting with blade area, weight and flexibility. Specific boats need specific oars. That is why this oar design is universal.

The Greenland paddle has become increasingly popular among sea kayakers in North America, Europe, and other parts of the world.