Hi Risto-

: Hmm... where these perhaps both extended paddle rolls, with the off hand
: holding the tip and the other about the middle of the loom?

That's the picture. Outboard hand on transition from blade to loom.

: I take it this
: was not a case of hitting the bottom or the side of the pool, but just
: gentle ol' water? In a sweep roll... the more I think of this, the more it
: puzzles me. Not the paddle with no glue, but the other - maybe it was not
: vertical grain?

The grain in the homemade was not perfectly vertical, a little runout but I made the paddle out of a 1x3 pc. of red cedar and it wasn't too strong. Rolled nicely though. Now I use 2x4's and they are stiffer and stronger.

I guess there is a lot of stress on that area of the paddle. I never had a problem getting into or out of the boat, when I use the paddle for a brace.
So I try to carry a spare when I'm in the real world.

Jack