How to Repair a Wooden Canoe Paddle
5-minute read
Our paddles have an extremely low breakage rate, but sometimes the unthinkable happens. Thankfully, wooden paddle blades can often be repaired at home with a few basic steps and supplies.
Jason Eke with one of his favorite (older) Bending Branches canoe paddles
Our friend and longtime Bending Branches paddle user, Jason Eke, produced a video several years ago about his process for repairing a wood paddle. While the video may be older, the process still applies.
One of his paddles was damaged when he loaned it to a friend to use during a wilderness canoe trip. His friend didn’t admit how it broke, but it’s possible someone stepped on it or threw a heavy pack on top of it. Jason taped the blade pieces together until he could get it home to repair it
The Step-by-Step Process
Repairing the blade of a wooden canoe paddle is quite a simple 6-step process. To complete it, you’ll need:
- Masking or painter tape
- Epoxy, clear hardener and wood flour
- Wooden stir stick that you’ll use to stir and apply the epoxy mixture
- 2 pipe clamps
- Marine varnish and paintbrush
- Palm sander
- A good, clean, flat working surface
Step 1 is to use masking tape to tape off the flat edges of each paddle piece at the break. This will make cleaning and sanding easier later on.
Step 2, you’ll mix epoxy with a clear hardener and wood flour until the consistency is like mayonnaise or creamy peanut butter. You want it thick enough to adhere to the stir stick but thin enough so it’s easy to work with.
In Step 3, you’ll generously apply the thickened epoxy to the edges of one side of the break with the stir stick.
Step 4 is to clamp the two pieces of the paddle together using two pipe clamps. Wipe off any excess epoxy and let it sit to dry for at least 24 hours.
Step 5—Once the epoxy mixture has fully dried, remove the paddle from the clamps, take off the masking tape, and sand both sides of the paddle blade completely with a palm sander (or sandpaper, although it’s a lot more work!). Wipe off all dust.
Step 6 is to apply at least two coats of high-quality marine varnish. Refer to the directions on the can for re-coating instructions.
That’s all there is to it. If you’re used to working with wood, this will be an easy process for you. If not, but you’re willing to learn, it can be a doable project for novices, especially if you have a woodworking friend who can loan you some of his or her tools.
Once you’re through with these repair steps, your wooden paddle will look good as new and be ready for many more canoeing adventures.
Watch the 5-minute video below to see Jason’s overall process:
See more of Jason Eke’s canoe content on his YouTube channel.
What If Your Paddle is Defective?
Bending Branches paddles are guaranteed against manufacturing defects for one year from your date of purchase.
If you believe your Branches paddle has a defect, here are the steps to take:
- Stop using it immediately. Continued use of a defective paddle may void our warranty.
- Fill out the Warranty Form to start your claim.
- One of our customer service team will review your case and get back to you soon.
You’ll find all the details on our Warranty and Repairs page.
How to Care for Your Wooden Canoe Paddles
We have an entire blog post on how to care for your Bending Branches paddles, but we’ll summarize our advice here for you:
- Storing your wooden paddles outside, especially in a damp environment (like inside a canoe or on the ground) may reduce their lifespan. It’s best to store them inside when possible, especially during the winter.
- If you need to store them outside, a clean plastic garbage bag offers protection as long as moisture isn’t trapped inside.
- Moisture, sunlight and extreme temperature and humidity differences are always hard on wood, including wooden paddles.
- Look over your wood paddles at the end of each season to check for worn varnish, deep scratches and other blemishes. After they’ve been inside and are thoroughly dry, you can repair and re-varnish.
- Keep your paddles away from heavy gear and situations where they might be stepped on. When storing or transporting them, place them at the top of your gear pile, not the bottom.
A paddle bag made specifically for canoe paddles is a great option for storing and transporting your paddles, especially if you have several of them. You can either buy a ready-made bag or make your own.
NOTE: If your Bending Branches wooden paddle needs repairing and you don’t want to attempt the repair yourself, get in touch with our team. Each paddle repair is unique, and our team will work with you to assess the condition and scope of the repair to get you back on the water as quickly as possible!
See our contact information below:
Do you have more questions? Contact our friendly, Wisconsin-based customer service team. They’re glad to help: 715-755-3405 or [email protected]
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