> Who said my paddles were not the best? Money, quality does not necessarily
> make. I have seen some pretty ratty canoes that cost a lot more than mine
> did. i have also seen some pretty ratty kayaks that cost $800 to build.
> Ours looks a whole lot better and cost $250.

> Another point: I do invest my time, just not so much of my pocketbook.

> You could use your hands too. My point was not to rip on people who want
> to spend as much as they can on a paddle. You do not need to justify the
> reason you spent so much to me. I was just trying to balance things a
> little to a new paddle builder who seemed to be getting all kinds of
> responses leading him to believe building a paddle was going to be
> expensive when it does not have to be.

> Money does not make a craftsman, talent does.

I couldn't agree more. I didn't even build my paddles from scratch. I was restoring two paddles that were given to me by my father, along with an old Folbot super he built from a kit. All I was doing was refinishing the shafts and replacing the blades, and I spent around $100.00. While I certainly COULD have afforded to spend, at minimum, the $300.00 necessary to REPLACE these paddles, I chose not to. I may not have ended up with the best paddles, but I have several other things I gained from the experience.

1) I have paddles that are quite serviceable, that I take pride in.

2) I have gained some eperience in working with epoxy and glass cloth that will no doubt come in handy when I build a kayak this summer, and another set of paddles (from scratch this time).

3) I also still have at least some remnant (the shafts and ferrules) that were the same ones I held as a 14 year old when I used to go paddling this same boat with my father. While some may say "Yeah, that and a buck might get you a cup of coffee", to me there's a lot of value in maintaing that "link" to the past. Had I just pitched them and bought new paddles, that would be lost.

4) Oh, and I have enough left over plywood, epoxy and glass cloth to build one more paddle, all I have to do is buy that closet pole for the shaft, and invest my time. And since I have no other hobbies, the time is no big deal.

Chris