: Does anyone know what kind of foam is used inside of foam-cored paddle
: blades? I built a couple of them with some polystyrene that I got from a
: surfboard shaper, but I'm not convinced it's the best type of foam to use
: for paddles. I also have some polyisocyanurate. It's stiffer than the
: polystyrene, but I'm not sure how well it'll bond with glue or epoxy.

: Thanks in advance for any insight.

: Pedro Almeida

I don't know for sure but suspect it's either a urethane or PVC foam. Not much else is available in thicknesses thin enough for a paddle. Construction foams suffer from very poor impact strength in a composite, not exactly the ideal for a paddle.

I'd recommend Aircraft Spruce as a supplier, they sell in small quantities at a decent price (most places want to sell you a box, which is generally a couple hundred sq. ft) and have always have excellent customer service.

Bill H.