I got home from work and hit the shop last night and started making a storm paddle. This one is made from a solid 1 1/2" Walnut blank and will have Ash tips and sides on the blades. I’ve got about 3 hours in it so far and have glued the tips on this morning. It will end up 68" with a two fist grip.
http://photobucket.com/albums/b315/Indy425/?action=view¤t=stormpaddleashends.jpg
http://photobucket.com/albums/b315/Indy425/?action=view¤t=stormpaddleclamped.jpg
I also found some video clips showing the two basic paddling styles for using this paddle if anyone is curious.
http://www.nashwaakpaddles.com/Greenland%20paddling%20technique%20and%20resources.htm
I’m going paddling but will do some more work on this paddle tonight after the glue set and I should be able to start the final shaping tomorrow. More pics to come.
Can’t afford all those tools
so got a Beale. In reality, I have no talent for crafts. I am very glad other people do. Nice looking paddles.
wish I did
have a talent for crafts. Be a whole lot cheaper! also wish I had room for a full size workbench…say about 20 feet so I can build a wooden boat…
sigh…
Paul
Dude…
you don’t need Beale. 
sing
Beautiful!
Nice work on the armored edges. I've carved a couple dozen GPs and I have yet to armor them. I think I'll give it try on my next paddle.
How's the weight? Would you use Walnut for a full paddle?
Last photos, varnish is on
and it really shows the beauty of the Walnut. To answer your question, the storm ended up just a little heaver than the full sized GP but it’s still not too bad and It’s a smaller and much more stout paddle so that compensates for the solid blank.
Yes I would make a full sized GP from all hardwood because you could thin the blade much more and still not have too much flex. but I think the laminated paddle feels just right and still weighs less than the storm. I’ll weigh them both when it’s done and let you know.
http://photobucket.com/albums/b315/Indy425/?action=view¤t=stormvarnish.jpg
http://photobucket.com/albums/b315/Indy425/?action=view¤t=stormgp.jpg
No Question…
hard wood is hard to beat for looks. My fear with a solid hard wood GP is that it would be heavy and feel like a club. I have seen paddles where the edges are trimmed with an armor of hard wood. Quite nice.
I wish I have your patience. My tendency with building and repairs is to focus on quick and utilitarian. I am the quick and dirty type.
sing
I’m the same way Sing
That’s why I do things in steps or stages. If I looked at the project as a whole I’d short cut it into a piece of junk. Each step in GP paddle carving only takes minutes, I’ll do one step then leave it for a while and then go do another step, and so on. It’s done before you know it as just a series of quick little jobs.
I’m not that patient
I started it Friday night and it’s done save for some more varnish… Sunday morning, and I went paddling yesterday while the glue set. And I’m thinking of heading for the lake now and letting the varnish dry. And I hate sawdust!
Beautiful
Walnut is THE hardwood in my book.
I don’t have the wallspace.
I also love finished wood, esp. walnut.
As always,
beautiful craftmanship. I’ve got aspirations of whittling a few GPs for myself and daughter, but I doubt they’ll ever be anything as fine as these.
Jim
“thin blades” for full-size GP
Yes, you could make a hardwood paddle thinner, but this would not be an advantage IMO. You generally don’t want a GP blade to be too flat and thin. A typical GP is a flattened ellipse or diamond-shaped in cross-section. This makes them stiff, buoyant, and effective for easily generating lift (for rolling, sculling, etc).
Also, IMO, a flatter blade simply does not fit the hand very well since a large gap forms between the blade and your palm. A blade with some “meat” along the center-line nicely fits the hollow of your palm very well. This adds comfort.
But I agree that hardwood paddles are beautiful. I prefer hardwood canoe paddles, but use only softwoods for a GP (except for tips and edging).
Greg Stamer
Stupid question
What’s a storm paddle? From sailing I know a storm jib has less sail area than a working jib, but what characteristics does a paddle need to be a storm paddle?
Storm Paddle
Im not the authority or techy in the grennland paddle department but its a shorter version of a regular greenland paddle.
Regular in the range of 84 inches and Storm I guess as mention 64 inches.
The Storm used in storm or rough windy conditions or as back up and is paddled with a sliding stroke or imagine canoe paddle style if prevailing winds, waves or currents made it necessary.
Brian
SoFlo
I was sort of cornered into making
a greenland style paddle last week. I mentioned my tuktu paddle to my Dad last week and he said lets go see his wood crafter friend about making the initial cuts to lighten up the amount of widdling to be done. Unfortunelty I didn’t have a lot of say concerning the piece of wood being used so after practicing some cuts on a plank of red ceder, the final expirement was a salvaged chunk of cypress from an old house up in north Florida.
Knots and nail holes to boot, I kinda like the character of the many many nail holes, now plugged and I think I’ll be okay with the placement of the knots.
All in all its looking pretty good as far as shape and balance, a few more thousand strokes with 36 grade sandpaper on a block and I’ll be ready to start stepping down the sandpaper grade.
I do highly reccommend 36 grade for shaping after the plain. Make for very quick and yet accurate cutting.
She’s not as pretty as a Beale but what else would I have done with those countless hours.
Brian
SoFlo
You all put me to shame!
The only thing I’ve been building lately is my waistline!
cypress
I can get. Apparently a woodworking friend of mine found a couple of really smooth pieces with hardly any knots.
I am going to try and make a storm paddle first and then a full sized one. you all have also shamed me into at least trying.
don’t get me wrong. the Beale is absolutely everything I wanted it to be, but I can’t afford a Beale storm too.
Besides if I get a good one, I will convince myself that I need a wood boat!
Paul
Beautiful!!
Hope you are bringing it to Raystown. I want to give it a spin.
See you in a week.
Randy