: Awesome examples, thanks!

: The wood shop I'm using has an expert on site who helps people with their
: projects, and who coincidentally makes canoe paddles. he was surprised to
: see that the $2 wood was probably adequate to the task, particularly for a
: first paddle.

: Once I get sizing down I'll probably get some WRC. That's a little tough to
: come by in Chicago but I'm sure I'll manage.

: Thanks everybody, this was super helpful.

Surprisingly try Menards for WRC, the bigger yards have a huge selection of this stuff for cedar outdoor projects but usually it's outside (open warehouses) and takes some time to sort thru the piles of crap to find the few nice pieces.

Bill H.