C-Forum

I'm started to make traditional style c paddles (for flat water).
Theese are totally handcarved from a single piece of wood (in the picture you can see some ash models).
What do you thimk about it?
I use it in my touring oc2 and love it.
Now I want try to make laminated paddles too.
[img]http://www.playboatingitalia.com/paddles/pagaie01.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.playboatingitalia.com/paddle ... tail05.jpg[/img]

NICE WORK.

If you ever consider selling them, let me know...I'm still using my whitewater paddles for my flatwater boat...and I dont' really need the aluminum tip, to say the least

Hej Paolo,

those look really nice. Now the question is: How do they perform?
Nice catch and stuff like that?
I like bentshaft on flatwater but use my "shaw tenney" Racine a lot in deep flatwater, especially on meandering rivers.
Did you ever think of making some stuff form Tiger Maple or Birdseye maple?
I like that kind of wood because it has not to much flex and is very tough.

Jan

Very nice paddles!!! excellent job
Just curious, as being originally from Europe (Switzerland) myself, were abouts in Italy do go on flatwater trips? The river Po?

martin

Hi to all,

Adam, I'm considering to sell them, but I think you can find beautifull handcarved traditional style paddles in US or Canada at a ceeper price than shipping from Italy... anyway...

Jan, they perform great. Obviously they not perform like powerfull race paddles, and they are a little bit more havy than laminated paddles, but if you are looking for a gentle, smooth, all day long paddle, they are great. I expecially love it in all the manoeuvres and underwater recovery.
I have a bent shaft sawyer paddles and love it, but is just for forward strokes, don't work so well in the manouvres. Anyway I'm considering to try making bent shaft, but isn't so easy...
Is not easy to find the right wood, right olded and without imperfections... I can find good ash that is strong and medium stiff, but a gentle flex is not a bad think in this kind of paddles.
Now i want try to make laminated paddles with cedar, ash, walnut, pine and cherry.
Let you know...


Martin, the Po is the longest run round here, but there are a lot of other good flat water runs, in the north the Ticino is beautifull, the Oglio too, and the mincio near Mantova, than other more little river.
Of course if you're looking for a multi day trip, the Po is the right choice.
But if you just whant to have some nice paddling hours there's a lot of possibilities.
And if you go in France just don't forget to paddle the Sorgue near Avignon, is one of the most magical river i know...