Greg -- Thanks for the info. I have John's plans and used them on the redwood paddle. What wodd would you suggest for a solid paddle? -- Greg
: Greg,

: I was advised early on to avoid using redwood for solid (non laminated)
: paddles due to its brittle nature. Cedar is as brittle a wood as I care to
: use.

: Many traditional paddles used around ice have bone tips secured to the blades
: with a mortise/tenon and two pins. I haven't bothered to add tips to my
: blades but have seen paddles with plastic or ash tips used to good effect.
: If you want to add traditional blade tips, John Heath's full-sized
: Greenland paddle plans, orginally published in SeaKayaker, illustrate the
: blades/tips and joinery very well (see the URL below).

: Although I used a "flat" bladed storm paddle for quite some time, I
: agree with Ross that the traditional cross-section performs better for
: generating lift for sculling, sweeping and rolling. You will also find
: that the elliptical (or diamond) blade cross-section fills the hollow of
: your hand and permits a lighter grip, more comfort and enables you to
: easily control the blade angle (degree of forward tilt).

: Greg Stamer