canoe maker

Kent Lund - Grand Rapids Paddle Co

Paddle Maker Kent Lund, whose marvelous creative art has frequently been featured on the blog, has sent me some pics of his latest works. Each features wonderful, customized grip designs which were inspired by some of the earlier postings on the site.


Cherry; Cherry + Curly Maple; Cherry




Kent's carved grips
The round "lollipop" grip on the left seens to be a common feature in many authentic Adirondack paddles according to expert, Gordon Fisher, who wrote a book on the topic entitled Guideboat Paddles: An Adirondack Treasure. Kent's version was inspired from the circa 1890's Adirondack paddled posted back in November, 2010.


Circa 1890 Adirondack Paddle
4.75" w, 66" h
$1,200


Kent's carved grip in Cherry
The other rounded grip features a diamond pattern at the base and is similar to the circa 1900 decorated paddle posted back in February, 2011.


Adirondack Guide Boat Paddle
Circa 1900
5" w, 58.5� h


Kent's version in Maple
Very glad that my site has been useful for folks researching and gathering ideas for their own paddle making pleasure. Kent will be taking this hobby to the next level and will be fully launching his canoe paddle business, Grand Rapids Paddle Company, very soon. His current site is underdevelopment but has his contact info if anyone wishes to get in touch with him. With his one-of-a-kind paddle designs and artistic talent, I'm sure he'll be highly sought after for his work.