Christmas is coming and paddlers are getting fat, well not all paddlers. These guys in the photos below came to Beavertooth wood shop to made their own paddles with lots of sweat, hard work and fun. There is nothing better that paddling your canoe with a wooden paddle, except when it's a paddle you made yourself. This weekend, Alan, Geoff, Deirdre and Jim took up the challenge to turn a plank of wood into their new paddle. The group learned about wood choice and structure, design, working out the right length, carving and how to finish their creations. Each paddle was made from home grown ash. Each person picked the design and created their own templates for the blade shape. They chose to make an Algonquin, Otter tail and a Voyageur style paddles. Day 1 was a long day getting the basic shape but day 2 was mostly about bringing the paddles to a elegant finish with smooth lines that will transfer into smooth enjoyable time on the water.
I no longer run workshops.
