I'm making a Greenland kayak paddle out of ash and think I'd like to add a bit of epoxy to the tips to add some protection/durability. I have some of that Gorilla epoxy that comes in the two part plunger. Can that be used, maybe applying it with a stiff brush? I only need to cover the bottom 3" or so.

I would test the gorilla epoxy on a piece of scrap material to see if it would work out for you first. My first thought is that it might not be clear enough to go over wood without adding a color of its own. If you warm your epoxy before you mix it it should flow better for you eliminating the need for the stiff brush. Adding a ring of tape that can be removed before the epoxy sets would give you a clean line where you want your epoxy to stop.

I have thought of building a Greenland style paddle myself and am curious how you like yours when you finish. Good luck

wingnut: "I would test the gorilla epoxy on a piece of scrap material to see if it would work out for you first. My first thought is that it might not be clear enough to go over wood without adding a color of its own. If you warm your epoxy before you mix it it should flow better for you eliminating the need for the stiff brush. Adding a ring of tape that can be removed before the epoxy sets would give you a clean line where you want your epoxy to stop.


I have thought of building a Greenland style paddle myself and am curious how you like yours when you finish. Good luck"

Thanks Wingnut. Makes sense!

In case you're interested, I'm making mine using the book "Making Greenland Paddles Step by Step". It's very good, especially for a newbie like me. Mine will be 100" in length. That's sort of midway between two paddles I've used in the past. I'm looking forward to giving it a try on the water.

I started looking at them when I finished my solo boat and thought it might be an Inexpensive way to try out a two bladed paddle. Some of the paddles people have made are really Impressive. I don't remember the site but it was a guide to DIY Greenland paddles, that had recommended lengths and blade widths. The blade tips were sized by the width of your hands. That's where I got thrown off. My hands are I think wider than most at 4" so when I came up with my dimensions, the paddle seemed too large. I'll try and get a copy of the book you recommend and look into it further. I'm sure it would be an Interesting read.

wingnut: " I started looking at them when I finished my solo boat and thought it might be an Inexpensive way to try out a two bladed paddle. Some of the paddles people have made are really Impressive. I don't remember the site but it was a guide to DIY Greenland paddles, that had recommended lengths and blade widths. The blade tips were sized by the width of your hands. That's where I got thrown off. My hands are I think wider than most at 4" so when I came up with my dimensions, the paddle seemed too large. I'll try and get a copy of the book you recommend and look into it further. I'm sure it would be an Interesting read."

Wingnut, you might also be interested in this...

Making a West Greenland Paddle

I'm sure I've read this. I think this is where I saw the method of using your hand to come up with the blade width. The article says traditional paddles have a 3" blade width. Turning my Index finger parallel with my thumb would give me a 3 3/4" blade width which doesn't seem overly wide for a two bladed paddle to me.