Hi - I would like to make a wooden greenland style paddle.
This will be a spare paddle that I anticipate having along with me in case of problems.
As it will be on the top of the deck I am keen to make something functional AND good looking.
I figured that a cheap nasty paddle will cost me the same as some wood and some time - plus I love making things 
I have made spearguns from wood.
This is with teak cut and laminated with West System slow cure epoxy then shaped then four coats of epoxy scraped with a cabinet scraper between coats and finally three coats of polyurethane yacht varnish with UV inhibitors.
The basic principles might be the same but I was wondering how people have made their paddles ?
What construction techniques work well ?
What woods work well ?
Also I have no idea on dimensions - if someone could give me the dimensions that they have used and how tall they are and what their primary paddle / kayak set up is maybe I can get an idea…
Thanks if you can help.
PS I am using a Cobra Expedition (pink one… dont ask) with a Lendal Kinetic touring paddle on the sea. I’m 6’2" and have the paddle at about 215cm I think…
Bet lots of practice!
If you are planning on using this as a paddle when things go wrong then you better get good with it!
Another GL Paddle Building Site!
http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/Building/GreenlandPaddle.html
Stay safe on the water,
All good info above
Most standard GPs are in the range of 84"-96" in length. You will see how to size them in the other posts. 84" is faily long. Will than length fit comfortably on the fore or aft deck of the Expedition? If not, you would likely want what we in the States refer to as a ‘storm’ paddle, essentially a short version of the standard GP which requires the use of a much different paddling stroke called the sliding stroke. Greg Stamer demonstrates this stroke briefly on the Nigel Foster Forward Stroke video. With luck he will weigh in on this post. The other option is to make a two piece GP. The only one of these I have seen (made by a friend) broke at the carbon ferrule after only a few uses, so making a two piece using a stock ferrule might not be structurally as sound.
The few paddles I have made are from a one piece 2x4 or 2x5. I have used clear northern white cedar and western red cedar, but lots of other woods are good as well. Many people make paddles from laminates of several woods. Check out Don Beales website: http://www.bealepaddles.com/
The best one piece woods would be quartersawn and free of knots. These are almost impossible to find where I live, so laminating may be in my future. I spent a couple hours culling through the ‘high quality’ cedar at a couple of lumber yards last weekend and found nothing suitable.
BTW, as a complete novice, my first paddle took about 10 hours to complete and cost me $10 plus tax. My others have cost about $20.
~wetzool