: Thanks guys, that helps - Any tips on what wood to use for a Greenland Style
: Paddle ? I think Cedar covered with Lacquer would be the lighest - what do
: you guys think ??

Save a buck or two. Forget the lacquer. It is not very waterproof, and it is not needed anyhow.

Unfinished cedar is fine, or you can wipe it with some boiled linseed oil every once in a while, wipe off the excess and let it go. If you want a different finish, try a base coat of epoxy resin covered with varnish or polyurethane.

If instead of using a 2x4, and carving away most of the wood, you build up your paddle blank from leftover cedar strips, you can glue the assembly with epoxy resin and cover the blades with a layer of glass cloth, too. Scan the archives for the details and drawings of joinery for creating hollow paddle shafts from cedar strips.

If you are thinking of making a two part paddle with a hollow loom, you might be able to get away without a ferrule. Instead, build the hollow loom, and insert a dowel rod in the center to join the two paddle halves. In effect the hollow parts of the paddle are serving as the ferrule! I'd use a hardwood dowel, not cedar, for joining the parts. I think my local hardware store has 3/4 inch birch dowels at a reasonable cost. I'd probably work with that, or get a 1 inch dowel and whittle it to fit.

As previously mentioned, if you go with a ferrule, and cut your paddle at a 45 degree angle you can get a bit more strength when you jam the parts back into the ferrule. and they align nicely. with a Greenland style paddle this could be a good thing. On the other hand, if you make your cut at a 90 degree angle you can use the ferrule to allow you to rotate the blades for any feather angle you wish simply by drilling a new hole and inserting your locking pin in the appropriate place.

Ferrules (bought or home built) give you a lot of versatility.

hope this helps.

PGJ