Last spring (2002) was a group from Malmö Canoe Club with some of the Helsingborg canoeists' trips. Björn Thomasson then paddled with his Greenland paddle (paddle). At first I was very skeptical, but Björn talked warmly about that type of paddle, which made me want to make one of my own.
A Greenland paddle is narrow, even very narrow, it doesn't look like it can provide either speed or power but it actually works very well. On Björn's website you can read more about the theory behind it, how to use it and how to make your own. On Björn's page, there is also a lot of other information about paddling, kayak building, navigation and more.
On this page, I thought I could briefly describe how I made my Greenland paddle / my Greenland paddles.
The starting material for my build can be seen in the picture above; 1 pc 22x95mm ordinary spruce board (outer panel), 2 pcs spruce strips (about 10x45mm) from 1 split batten 22x45mm (outer panel). I tried to get decent knot-free wood. In terms of tools, I used an angle grinder with a coarse grinding disc, I glued with ordinary wood glue, then I sanded a lot both with a finer disc on the angle grinder but also a lot by hand 🙂 Instead of grinding so much with the angle grinder, a jigsaw could have done a lot of the rough work.
I started by sanding the surfaces that I would later glue, went over them a little quickly with sandpaper. Then I glued the strips to the board and clamped them together with lots of clamps. the glue I used is regular construction glue for outdoor use.
When the glue dried I drew the paddle. The dimensions of the paddle are adapted to your own body measurements. In the angle grinder, I now put a coarse fiber sanding disc (24 grit) and started. With such a rough disc it slips away, you have to be careful. After 30 minutes I had produced a very rough paddle. Then it was just a matter of continuing and grinding, drawing and further grinding. In the end you have a paddle with the right shape, then I switched to a fiber board with finer grains and finally I sanded by hand to get a reasonable surface on the paddle.
When I was reasonably satisfied with the surface, I wet it with water so that the wood fibers would stand up, when it dried I sanded again. Then I put on boiled linseed oil which I sanded in with wet sandpaper until I judged the paddle to be well oiled and the surface felt good to hold.
After the first paddle trip, I wet sanded the paddle with linseed oil again.
Total cost for a Greenland paddle if you make it yourself ends up at around SEK 50-100 incl. wood, glue, sandpaper and linseed oil. And it's a very simple build that doesn't take many hours.
020727: So far I have only paddled a few miles with the paddle but it feels promising, will continue with it and try to learn how to use it correctly. Works fine to roll with and the smell of linseed oil is pleasant! Will also make a storm paddle.
020802: Now I've paddled a little over 100km with my Greenland paddle and it works better and better, I think I'm starting to learn the technique reasonably well. Have also made a storm paddle and a "roll stick". I've paddled a bit with the storm paddle and it's going decently, but there's still a lot to learn before I have a full grasp of paddling with a "sliding paddle stroke". I made the rolling pin to be able to roll with it and it works, but it's not quite that simple.
031020: After just over 2000 km with a Greenland paddle, it still feels good and it's getting better all the time. Have been out with them in varying seas; everything from flat water to breaking waves of 2-3 meters. I was a little skeptical about surfing with it in a slightly higher lake, but after side surfing (lying on a high support) in a 2,5 meter breaking wave for probably 100-200 meters I realized that the paddle works for most things 😉
081018: Now I haven't paddled that much Greenland paddle in a couple of years. However, I bought a Greenland paddle in carbon fiber and used it for a couple of years, clearly cool, and it was so very light. In recent years I have used regular paddlers most of the time…
Have paddled a little with an Alaskan paddle as well, but so far I'm more fond of the Greenland paddle. Alaskan paddles probably have the most advantages at slightly higher speeds, while I feel that the Greenland paddles have advantages in maneuvers and rolls because they are symmetrical; you never have to worry about which side you have front/back/up or down.
But I will try more with the Alaskan paddle eventually.
If you want to read more about Greenland paddles, I recommend it Björn Thomasson's website.