SUP Paddle Building 101

General Discussion
1

I wanted to illustrate the paddle building process and continue where my Balsa Skinned SUP thread ended. There were a lot of questions on paddle building and wanted to illustrate the process I used. I am not a professional paddle builder and I’ve only made three paddles. I think my paddles are getting better with each one I build. This is meant to be a primer to get the first time paddle builders started. This is by all means not definitive because there is always more than one way to skin a cat. (Sorry PETA!)

I picked CarveNalu’s brain on suggestions on paddle designs. The key points to keep it light, 10 – 14 degree blade angle, oval shaped shaft for hand comfort, make it float, and keep the length about 4-9 inches above your height. CaveNalu suggested that the shorter paddle can generate more power but not too short. A paddle too tall can burn out your shoulders and a paddle to short can cause back pains and make the paddling unstable.

I spent hours staring at all my outrigger paddles and getting ideas from each one. I love the feel of a good light wooden paddle but also like the durability of a carbon hybrid paddle. I bought a book from Amazon.com titled: Canoe Paddles: A Complete Guide to Making Your Own. I found two sources of Basswood in Honolulu and bought Balsa wood from EBAY. Manoa milled the basswood on his brand new thickness planer. That was fast and fun!

I milled the basswood shafts into pieces that were about 7’ x 1.5” x 1.5”. (My next milling will be 7’x1.5”x1”; less wood to shape.) The balsa blade pieces were 18”x4”x3/8”.

Cutting the shaft angle was best described by Lazymondo: “you can get the same results angling the blade by building the shaft long , cutting through it at the desired blade angle ,say 10 deg. then just flip the lower cut off piece and glue back on with the flat side facing the cut side, then glue your blade sides on.”

I’ll illustrate this and the following with photos of a paddle I am currently building.

I glued up the paddle with a Basswood shaft with a Balsa wood blade. I used a disc sander, planer, sanding blocks of 60 grit, soft pad 100 grit and my favorite most utilized tool was a Stringer Hand Plane (razor planer) I got from Clark Foam. (You guys still remember Clark Foam?)

I used the power tools to shape the wood as close to what I wanted and dared to go. Balsa and Basswood are pretty easy to shape. The razor planer did the rest of the shaping. The shaping of the shaft was more like whittling. It reminded me of some of the things I did to earn a Boy Scout merit badge. It was fun and I did manage to get that oval shaped shaft I was going for.

I glassed the blade with epoxy and the front face of the blade with 4 oz. S-glass and the back of the blade with 5.7oz carbon fiber and capped with 4 oz. S-glass. I coated the shaft with epoxy.

14 degree angle drawn on basswood shaft.

After cutting angle, section B is flipped and glued to section A.

Balsa wood blades glued to basswood shaft. Hint: glue one side at a time.

More pictures as the project continues…

Aloha,

D



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Each of my projects has a story and/or inspiration. When it comes to paddle building my hero is Owen Cenal. He was a master canoe and paddle builder. He was a great canoe coach and steersman. He owned a little canoe paddle shop called Pili Hawaiian Hoe. Everybody in the outrigger paddling community knew his paddles as “Pili Paddles”. I met Owen a few years back when I was looking for custom paddles for the family. His paddles were clean, strong light and all wood. He asked who the paddles were for and quoted me $60 for the kids’ paddles and $75 for mine. I asked him why so cheap (custom paddles were going for $135+ at the time) and he said it’s good to see families paddling together. He loved the ocean and the sport of outrigger canoe paddling. I would spend hours talking to him about canoes, surfing and the Hawaiian ocean lifestyle. I wished I also spent the time studying his paddle building techniques.

Last October during the Molokai Hoe (41 mile outrigger canoe race between Molokai to Oahu), Owen as the steersman for the Waikiki Beach Boys crew suffered a heart attach about 45 minutes into the race. He left us at the young age of 53 and he seemed very fit at the time. Like a lot of people in the Hawaiian paddling/ocean community I really missed Owen. He was one of the great ones that that gave so much but left us too early.

Owen Cenal: a master canoe paddle builder and a great person.

A great coach, teacher and steersman!

His great works lives on.

Owen mahalo for your contribution and wonderful work. Your life made a difference. We miss you.

Aloha,

D

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AWESOME UNCLE D!!! Owen made some great paddles and was a great man… His sister in law Nancy and brother Keith are my dog sitters when I travel… Very sad his passing with the love that family shares… Go get’um Uncle D… Owen would be proud!

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Awesome work!

Small world, I met Owen many moons ago through his father “Bernie” Cenal. Bernie is currently on Molokai, when he returns we can go visit and talk story. He spoke of Owen all the time!

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what a great way to help leave behind a legacy and a stoke for paddling, helping others to learn paddle construction. Im sooo amped right now about this thread, as Im to scrub out 4 next month for my girl and I. I hope to follow with earnest and throw in tidbits when I get a chance.

Way to go uncle D!!!

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Aloha Carve and Manoa:

Wow what a small world. It’s amazing how Owen and his family has touched so many of us. Thanks for sharing your connection to him and his family. It just goes to show that were are really connected to each other and in a sense we are all Ohana!

ACheateaux: Oh yes, please contribute, I am no subject matter expert and I am always looking for tidbits and help. I really enjoy the synergy here! It’s great to communicate with people who share the same passion.

It’s time to get back to the paddle project.

Mahalo,

D

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Tonight’s activities:

Start removing excess material from the shaft in the blade area.

Another view to see the angle of the blade.

Plane down the the shaft on the backside of the blade. Draw out template. Mark areas for removal and start removing additional material from the shaft.

The saga will continue.

Good Night,

D



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Aloha Uncle D – I love the images! The ones of Owen Cenal are especially great and tell a lot. Those photos of craftsman in their shops tell a tale. I like to look around at the things on the shelves and on the walls to try to fine out more of what is important in his world. Mr. Cenal looks a little like my friend Eddie Piper. I’ve watch him coach the young Hawaiians when they come over to surf in the longboard contests. The intensity in the one on the sail boat is similar.

Thanks to you I now want to make canoe paddles. There was a SUP guy out riding the windswell at Rincon yesterday. They’re everywhere!

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Wow Owen and Eddy do look alike. Same built and similar features. Perhaps they might be related. (Us Hawaii locals are always looking for a connection or family tie.) It’s very windy today and I need to decide on working on the paddle, fishing board, go surfing or my wife’s honey do list. I’ll fake an effort on the honey do list and put a few hours on the fishing board.

So many projects; so little time!

D

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So many projects … So little time. I got early this morning and waxed my car starting at 7 AM. I tried to walk pass the paddle project and work on the fishing board but the paddle was too hard to resist.

Here are today’s activites:

Cut out the template; removed the excess material on the width or the shaft getting ready to remove the material on the height of the shaft. I like to get the shaft to 1 3/8" h x 1" w prior to whittling.

Here the whittling on the shaft has begun. It takes about 20-30 minutes to do with the razor planer. Remember to shape the shaft in an oval shape. I am constantly testing the feel of the shaft to see how it fits in my hands.



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The saga continues:

The whittling is finished. What a mess! Now to blend the shaft into the blade and start completing the rough shape.

The rough shape is complete. The blade was foiled mostly with the disk sander. Here are all the tools used on the project thus far.


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It’s T-Handle time:

Hint: round the end of the shaft that will be inserted into the T-handle. It makes drilling the hole easier.

Here is my T-handle shaping rig. I don’t have a stand up belt sander. Flip over the disk sander, turn it on and start shaping. I use the left over basswood shaft material. I usually drill the shaft hole first so I know where and how to shape. Make sure the handle fits well in your hand. An easier way is to use a round wooden dowl.

Here is the t-handle glued up to the shaft. I tape off areas exposed to the PU glue to reduce sanding. Here is my secret, I counter sink in a 3" screw to also hold the handle in place. The paddle maker purist might disagree with this practice but I lost a t-handle in the middle of a very long paddling session. My hands were in pain and I had to alter my stroke and screwed up the crew. This is how I repaired my broken paddle and continue to install handles in this manner. Sorry purist!

Tomorrow it’s time to finish sand and start the glassing.



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BTW, what were the measurements on your paddle blade?

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15.75" x 9.25"

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Eddy Piper is a great guy, surf with him here on the Big Island, big heart, plenty Aloha. Always ready to share. Gotta love that Hawaiian. Not to mention, he rips, switch foot whatever, big small.

Piper Goes—

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Let the epoxy glassing begin:

2 layers 4 oz. on the front of the blade. I trim the glass to the edge with no overlap.

5.7 oz. Carbon fiber on the bottom.

Carbon trimmed after glassing.



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Continue glassing:

I only glass the blades and put a heavy coat of epoxy on the shaft. I glass the back of the blade with carbon fiber because I foil my blades thin. The blade thickness is 3/8" to 1/4" and thinner on the edges.

Here is the carbon fiber trimmed and sanded to the edge.

He is the 4 oz. layer of s-glass that will cap the carbon fiber and free-overlap to the front of the blade.

Show here is the freelap. Next it’s fill coats and sanding. (Tomorrow perhaps?)

Good Night,

D



18

uncle: what a beautiful thread. i am very inspired. thanks for sharing.

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yeah , another great idea for the non-existent [so far] swaylocks video …

thankd uncleD …I LOVE photo threads . And it would be great to one day? see video of the boards and paddles being put through their paces ?

cheers

ben

man , I wish in the days that I actually HAD a video camera , that I could have been around filming these sorts of creative activities …There must be “some” sort of varied surfing footage like this out there SOMEWHERE , surely ??? If not , WHY not ??? (…‘Oldy’ , are you due for a trip to hawaii any time soon ?? )

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Hey Chip:

I am doing this one by myself. I wish I could could have someone shoot more pictures or do video when I am doing the work. Sometimes I get so carried away with the process, I forget to stop and take pictures. Other times my hands are too dirty with epoxy to handle the camera. The neat part about recording the process is that I get to stop and realize all the steps it takes to make a paddle. However, what is missing is all my bloopers and mistakes, and my swearing when I screw up. Believe me I still make a ton of them but that is part of the challenge of making stuff that is still new to me.

Yes come to Hawaii and help us record this stuff.

Aloha,

D