I’ve been paddling and woodworking for most of my life. Each paddle project has added a bit of knowledge to the store, and that store turned into this book. Getting out on the water is one of my favorite things. Making the paddle that I use while I’m out on the water is one of the next best things. Using hand tools to turn a bunch of weak individual strips into an amazingly strong shaft and blade is a great feeling. I’m lucky enough to live in a flyover state that is blessed with abundant lakes and rivers. Getting out on the water with a paddleboard I made myself and a paddle I also made myself is hard to beat. The cedar strip canoe is in the planning stages and that remains my first love when it comes to small boats. Each of the paddles I have made has added a bit of knowledge to the store and that store has turned into this book. I hope you like it and use it to turn your own pile of wood into a paddle of your own!