I've been doing a bit more canoodling constructions this week.
Youngest grandson found full sized paddles heavy and cumbersome. I made one from GRP tube, GRP faced Nomex honeycomb and a molded plastic handle, but I was disappointed with the finish, so I found offcuts of ash & cedar...
This isn't how you re supposed to make paddles, but the cedar had been planed too thin for the traditional faired in method.
Blade cut from paper template to fit in to the shaft with a type of bridle joint.
I found some Iroko the right size, that felt light, so decided to make two so marked second blade
Decided to use contrasting timbers to thicken the ends for the handles
Lots of work with spokeshave and ages sanding with a hand held sander...
Sanding sealer and varnish always takes an age to dry.
I have tried to enhance the visible glue-line with gold painted line.
Yep, that's skware section to round by eye, spokeshave and sanding.
They are far from perfect, but they are not going to get huge amount of use.
With an ex-shop owner clearing out the last of his stock, I got NOS wooden paddles for myself & older grandson too, and an extra seat to add. No seat hangers, so I cut some sculpural ones from ash. Made a kneeling thwart too, so I can swap between yoke, kneeling thwart or third seat.
