: 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?

We use Watco, good stuff don't use on stuff that sits in the weather for long periods.I have seen people us it on teak trim and turn black with years of age. The thing we have not done is measured the weight before and after paddling to see if we are getting a gain in #. Love the feel of the wood when wet.
Don