Alan,

If your bandsaw wanders you will definately have trouble with a jigsaw. This cut needs to be done with your plane. I used a block plane held backwards and a pull stroke, actually I use a pull stroke quite often as I find it much more efficient that way. Cut out the flat (wide) prifile of your paddle, mark out the tapers and plane away. As you get close to the desired taper start to develope the foil shape. After the shape is roughed out you can cut the tips to whatever shape you like. I refined the loom and shoulders with a palm sander, and clamped my belt sander upside-down to my bench to work the blades. You get a very good feel for the shape with the paddle in your hands as you work it against the sanding belt, with the sander in your hands not so much. BTW, my paddle took about 4 hours from rough sawn plank to paddle. If you have a draw knife or spoke shave and are proficient with them you could probably do it quicker.

Tom