: I've used this Mahogany for building my hatch & cockpit laminations on a
: Panache. The wood is beautiful when wet-out with epoxyy. I've also used it
: in a paddle, but only as striping in a pattern on the blades. I too think
: it might be too heavy for paddle (that is unless you like the workout you
: get from using it).

"Reality often astonishes theory."

-Ray Magliozzi (Click and Clack, The Car-Talk Guys)

First of all, one should use a less dense wood for the handle and use the mahogany in the paddle faces.
Mahogany is actually more a state of being versus a specific specie. There are so many species in the genus and family, and the densities range all over the place. I like and use mahogany over WRC for several reasons (in fact, I use mahogany all the time):
1. in Southern California there seems to be a fence where WRC is not allowed in. What's around is EXPEN$IVE. Like sitka spruce...all must be from Neptune and shipped to So Cal on the back of a dead turtle.
2. there's no WRC in dumspters for me to salvage, though a couple weeks ago I did get some wenge and zebrano trims (it's amazing what's getting tossed so casually away, and equally amazing what a six-pack bribe can get you)
3. mahogany secies seems to be really strong and doesn't dent when whacked. Some Phillipine mahogany is truly light and with a predicatble silver and brown even grain.

Go to a hardwood store or better, look for the woodworking/furniture shops around the area and see what they have in the dumpsters. There's an amazing amount of great wood going to the landfill (gee, where did all the trees go?).

The paddles I've made and given away used mahogany, poplar, fir, and sugar pine. The 240 cm GP with mahogany that I gave to Sage was the same weight as the Werner fiberglass 230 cm paddle. The sugar pine handle had some flex to it which I take is good? Some people say it's good for long-term paddling without pain. In fact, everything I hear about GPs make them seem like the best paddle to paddle with. I'm too damn clumsy and inept to use them myself, but I like making them.

My little 2 cents worth in today's vibrant economy!