: As you can see in the picture, one of these paddles is ready for finishing.
: My question is do I have to coat it with epoxy first then sand that to a
: dull finish then varnish the paddle? That's how I did my kayak. Can I skip
: the epoxy and go right to the varnish and still get a great finish?
If the wood is cedar, or other rot resistant wood, go ahead and varnish. If not, I would seal it with a couple thin coats if epoxy, then lightly sand and varnish. given any thought to an oil finish? Looks great! I've never used it on a paddle, others have with good success. I just varnished the Euro paddle for my daughter. Used satin Helmsman, as I have on all my paddles.
Steve