Zap Paddles

[vzap]

Since I was brought in to the conversation about which wood shaft paddle to buy I thought it'd be a good idea to introduce Zap Paddles to CBoats.net

I've been a woodworker and a canoeist since age 16 or so. Zap Paddles combines the love of these two art forms. Zap Paddles has been been the works for 5 or so years with a far less than stellar beginning as a solution to storing a back-up paddle in an Ocoee. Didn't work out for nuttin' but I sure as heck got the paddle making bug. After slow progression trying first one approach and then another I've come up with a fine paddle that I think will stack up against any wood shaft paddle being made. A brief description follows.

The shafts are comprised of 11 laminates with the western red cedar inert tapered core being 6 of those and white ash being 5. The odd number of white ash laminates is due to the center of the core being ash to help protect against lateral load damage from impact. Each of the the two outer laminates on each side of the shaft have carbon fiber tape between it and their bundled neighbor. The outer ash laminate on the powerface of the scoop blade goes from tip to grip. On the straight blade paddles it goes tip to grip on each side of the blade. The wood core of the blade is covered with carbon fiber cloth starting with 3 layers at the tip then 2 layers then the final layer covering all of the blade. The first carbon fiber layer is 2 1/2" the nest 4" then the top layer covers all. To help reduce stress risers on the other side of the blade they are staggered likewise but the first laminate is 3 1/2 " then a 4" laminate is laid then the covering layer is put down. The aircraft grade aluminum tips are built in to the paddles using best methods I'd just as soon not disclose to the world. In addition to "Swiss-cheesing" the 1 1/2 " x 1/8" aircraft grade aluminum strips there are other precautions that help assure that I can say "I have never had one of these tips seperate from the carbon fiber." Edge protection is from 3/8" Dynel rope which runs from the aluminum tip continuous to the base of the shaft and is set into the paddle with G-Flex for extra abrasion resistance. The Dynel is compressed to approximately 5/32" to help assure a smooth submerged recovery. There is absolutely no flutter with a Zap Paddle. They have excellent balance and a generous shaft diameter. The power is excellent with just the right amount of shoulder saving flex in the shaft. Thanks for reading this post. Vince Zappia

[Riverken]

Can we see some pix? Do you have a web site?

I saw that somebody posted some pix earlier, but for some reason I couldn't view them.

[vzap]

While these are good looking paddles they aren't strikingly good looking. Sort of handsome in a rugged sort of way. Therefore pictures do them little justice. No web-site either. Sucks I know. Maybe I can get Try Cambern, a professional photographer, to photograph his and post them on here. I'd photograph one but have none around as they seem to sell as soon as I get one finished. Thanks for asking about them.

[vzap]

Just texted Trey. He'll be posting pictures in the near future. It'll be scratched up from the recent heavy use.

[KNeal]

Maybe I can get Try Cambern, a professional photographer, to photograph his and post them on here.

Trey Cambern? Isn't he one of the Xterra media dudes? If so, small world.

[vzap]

Probably not...at least I've never heard him mention it.

[KNeal]

Okay. That name is very familiar.

[vzap]

Trey is a big ol' (6'6" 250 or so lbs.) boy with a personality to match his size. He's an open boater who paddles a lot and posts on the GDI FB site. That might be where you know him from.

[KNeal]

Yup. That makes sense.