Sunday, February 26, 2006
I saved the stick of cedar I ruined making my first paddle. The grain orientation was all wrong but I just loved the color of this piece so I decided to use it to make my first storm paddle. With the help of the power planer, I made this paddle in aprox. 2 hours. I am looking forward to some constructive critisism of theses paddles by someone who really knows them. I would like someone who has used greenland paddles for years to hold mine and tell me how I can make them even better.
This has been a fun winter educating myself about greenland style boats and paddles. So, the next step, build a skin on frame. I have decided to do the Cunningham style, only because I liked the book and feel pretty confident I can do it. I had a great conversation with Tom Gotchy, a man working part time assisting George Dyson, about fabrics for these boats. George has sold thousands and thousands of feet of nylon and poly for skin on frame boats. THANK YOU TOM FOR ALL THE GREAT ADVICE. George is a historian and has moved on to other adventures but I hear he still likes to talk paddling! If you are building a skin on frame and need skinning material, here is the address:
Dyson, Baidarka & Company
435 West Holly St., Bellingham WA 98225
telephone: 360-734-9226 — fax: 360-671-9736
When is spring going to get here?!?!
