Wood A wide range of woods have been used to make paddles. Some of the most popular and widely available woods are ash, basswood, cherry, maple and spruce. Choose a tough hardwood for moving water, but a lighter construction is suitable for stillwater touring. There is no of shortage opinions concerning the optimal length for a canoe paddle. However, many factors such as style of paddling and dimensions of your canoe may favour deviations from this rule.
Thick edges are less pleasant to use, but stronger.
You have to reach a compromise based on the type of canoeing that you intend to do. Flexibility An alert spring in the paddle makes it feel alive and helps to protect the arms from shock. A paddle that is too flexible is likely to be less than efficient Balance A good paddle should balance at the paddler's lower grip region. Balance can be achieved by judicious carving, or by laminating in woods of different densities. The blade tip can take a lot of punishment in low water conditions.