: just trying to cut a tongue and groove(?) on the ends of my cedar board
: and ash tips so I can glue them together and actually start shaping my
: paddle. And not having any luck whatsoever, I might add. I am a complete
: woodworking novice and am finding how incredibly difficult it is to make
: precision cuts in straight lines and have the two pieces fit together
: snugly in a straight line without gaps without the proper tools. Sigh.
: Feeling very frustrated and on the verge of giving up.

Keep your head up buddy, we've all been there. It ain't always easy getting started. That tongue and groove joint is not inconsequential and might challenge the skills of any of us. I started out with a couple folding saw horses, a chisel and a plane in a one-bedroom apartment (but I was building a box not a boat ). You may also be able to come up with workarounds: could you use pegs on the ash tip? What's your geographic location? It's not that uncommon to borrow tools or visit another builder's shop in your area.