laminated bent shaft wood canoe paddle kits
March 14, 2021
Canoecopia just concluded. Two years now, that CC has been virtual. Next year, quietwater will have a booth at this three day event that ushers in spring and the start of paddling! Actually, it's the April snowstorm that ushers in the start of spring.
it's always good, 20xx
Sandbar camping is a fine thing - especially when powered by wood paddles!
The Lower Wisconsin River is a fine place on the planet. This sandbar is about a one hour
float downstream from Sauk City and is across from Ferry Bluff. My wife and I traded back and forth
paddling the supCAT boards paddleboard and our much loved
family truckster canoe. We took out at Arena, but there is also a landing at the base of Ferry Bluff,
just across from this wonderful sandbar. A near perfect Labor Day weekend.
The standard kit, is a great starting point for the first time paddle builder. In addition to the clear, vertical
grain western red cedar for the blade pieces, the kit contains everything else that you need
for TWO complete paddles - shaft strips, handles, fiberglass, epoxy, brushes, cups, and a form.
quietwater also has a wide range
of choices when it comes to wood types for the shaft and blade of your next paddle. Walnut and redwood are available if you want to upgrade a bit and add a different
look to your paddle(s). Handles are also available in a wide range of wood species, styles
and combinations.
A quietwater paddle kit will also work for a straight shaft paddle! Same shaft strips, blade
pieces and handle. The form and the way you put the paddle together are changed, but it is still a ‘hands only’
project. Just call if you want to order this option, so I can make sure to get you the best length of shaft strips.
Some solo canoers like an ottertail paddle. If you are one of those paddlers, a quietwater
kit can be modified to create a pair of otter tail paddles. It's not in the store yet, but we
are happy to send one your way! Just call or email and let us know you want otter tail blades.
If you're after a guide stick, a quietwater paddle kit will work for that too! This is a custom
kit, mostly involving wider (and more) shaft strips, which means a matching form base. Maybe
thicker blade pieces too, depending on just what the guide wants in their guide stick!
Custom paddles
We are big fans of DIY. It's a great feeling to get out on the water and use a paddle
you built yourself. At the same time, we also recognize that sometimes gifts are the idea
and not projects. So if a completed paddle is what you want, then a completed paddle is what
we can do. This is a custom step and takes a bit of email or phone calls. But the
end result is a long package with a completed paddle in it, instead of the raw pieces.
We also offer custom
pieces for paddle building. Different wood types for both shaft and blade, layered edge
strips, or shaped handles are some of the custom options we offer.
