Cheapest (best) way to package and

ship a full length wood kayak paddle across the country?

Florida to California
WRC one had ends wrapped with bubble wrap, then entire thing plastic wrapped. No marks, perfect condition.

The big brown truck…

– Last Updated: Nov-18-12 1:37 PM EST –

Don't use them!

They can LOSE a 15 1/2 foot canoe on one of their loading docks!

They can also break in half, an antique Old Town beavertail paddle.
Said paddle was wrapped in 2 layers of (large bubble)wrap & taped, 1 layer of (small bubble) wrap & taped, 1 layer of cardboard & taped, and then put inside a cardboard box, and taped shut.

Arrived in torn box, one end open, box showing signs of being badly mishandled. Actually looked like it had been driven over by some sort of vehicle. Had what look like tire tracks on it.
They had the gall to say it wasn't properly packaged...........until I showed the packing material I'd saved, and told them I'd opened it in front of their driver.

BOB

PVC Pipe
to prevent breakage of damage

Greyhound PackageXpress
http://www.shipgreyhound.com/

2nd PVC Pipe
My gp was shipped in a white pvc plumbing type tube.

Be careful
PVC pipe gets very brittle in the cold (like in the cargo hold of an airplane). It is also round and rolls around (like off of a conveyer belt and on to the cement tarmac). I had the latter happen with a fishing rod in a PVC pipe case. I would never trust my GPs to a PVC container.

NY to Australia
I wrapped a fiberglass paddle in an excessive amount of bubble-wrap and then in a garbage bag for shipping by UPS to Australia. UPS gave me a tracking # and everything arrived safe and intact.

2 X 1" X 2"s screwed together per side
add another one if paddle feathered over 60 degrees … Cut them one inch larger than paddle is long.



Then use cheapest luan plywood for top and bottom and end caps. Width does not matter too much, 1/4" per side safe enuf.



Simple, stiff and light.



Since you will be charged for “dimensionally” by UPS anyway, the weight of the crate does not bump price up too much. UPS Ground least expensive and reliable.



If faster delivery wanted, the go to USPS but make sure crate fits under guidlines.

well …all but 1
IF there is a place that sells canoes and kayaks near you, go and buy or get on of their boxes already made and reuse to.

Otherwise…make your own…either heavy cardboard box within a box and or a wooden box crate which would be much cheaper.

Or post message here on pnet about people driving across county…

even craigs list…people do craigslist as a full time job. I know 3 people who have had boats delivered by craiglist person.

norm

For a one piece paddle …
Stick with the wood if you want it there still in one piece.

One custom paddle supplier uses
cardboard boxes with triangular cross section. That shape is less susceptible to crushing or collapse than square or rectangular cross section boxes. A cardboard box that is long enough can sometimes be made triangular by removing or folding over one side.



I did have a paddle arrive damaged from NRS, and it was shipped in a long cardboard box with square cross section. The damage was a small patch of surface fiber delamination on the back of one blade. it was easier for me to fix myself than to box up the paddle and get an exchange.

cardboard sonotube concrete forms?
http://sonotube.com/products/sonotubeconcreteforms/round/sizechart.aspx



http://sonotube.com/UserFiles/sonotube/Documents/21109_Sonovoid_Round.pdf

Mark Orenstein(?) does the same…

– Last Updated: Nov-19-12 5:41 PM EST –

or did, I bought a paddle from him and it was shipped pretty much the same way. I think he charged 25 bucks to make the "crate"

Good suggestions.

Kevlar ww paddle
They mangled it and tried to duck responsibility with the packaging dodge.