While I was building the Merganser, I was also working on the paddles below (left to right): Greenland style (first try, from pine; made last winter, just to see if it could really be done). Has warped and is heavy. Second paddle is a Greenland storm, blades made from double layer of lauan (about 4/10 inch thick), with rewood added to loom. Next is a euro or standard style, made from plans in "The Kayak Shop". Used single layer of lauan for blades, fir pole and redwood spacer for shaft. Blades have been fiberglassed. The far right paddle is from a single piece of redwood, but is too small for me (it's 7' by 3"). It is really light, but the wood is very soft!

Now for my questions: (1) I stepped on the redwood paddle yesterday and broke about 2 inches off one end (it seemed very brittle). If I epoxy a 2 or 3 inch piece of ash to each end (via butt joint), will it hold okay without 'glass over it? I don't really want to 'glass the blades, but will if necessary.

(2) Is it really necessary to have the thickness (or oval shape) in the blades of a Greenland paddle? Or are the flat blades (as in my storm paddle) okay?

Thanks in advance for your help. -- Greg