: I thought I'd start with paddle making, and start simple. Does anybody have
: plans they've used and recommend? I'd like to build both Greenland and
: Euro paddles. I have Tom Yost's plan already downloaded.

Here ya go...
http://www.nessmuking.com/articles/building-a-kayak-paddle-a-la-volkskayak/

These plans are for a very simple, light cheap euro-style paddle. I've been building these for the past eight years, and using my first since 200 - it's still my favorite euro. Drop me an 'e' if you have any questions...

Recently borrowed a friend's GP, loved it, and 'admired' him out of it; my wife absconded with that one, so I've since done one for myself. Also very straightforward to do...googled up a pretty sketchy "carve greenland paddle" thing, and used that as a rough guide - paddle worked out just fine - next one will be a bit more refined and possibly better.

Start simple, and realize that these aren't hard to make and the materials are ridiculously inexpensive! The quality is whatever you make it - but anyone can make a strong, durable light paddle for less than the sales tax on commercial equivalents. You can make yourself a dozen paddles for the cost of one mid-range stick, and no one has yet convinced me that their $400 carbon/kevlar/foam-whatever paddle moves the boat 60 times as well as my $6.78 white cedar GP ;_>))