BUILDER SPOTLIGHT: FROM ONTARIO, CANADA
A gift to a son that will last a lifetime.
Looking at this builder’s wooden paddle board, you can truly see a lot of love was poured into building it. It’s also because he’s fueled with so much passion and enjoyment of the DIY process that he was able to make this stunning board!
Read through and get to know this awe-inspiring Dad builder from Greely, Ontario.
Board Model:
For this hollow core DIY wood paddle board project he used our San Marcos 11'4" paddle board CNC plan.
Favorite part and most challenging part of the building process:
Believe it or not as this was a first for me, my favorite part was the assembling of the forms. They all fit just right which for wood is unusual as my experience with canoes was always adjusting to fit each piece, but the forms made off the CNC plans purchased from Jarvis Boards were precise!
As for the most challenging, it was definitely building out the sides. I wanted it to be one piece but in the end had to make a scarf joint mid way. I think next time I'd do it prior to adding the top skins which would allow it to be clamped more easily.
Lesson learned during the process:
Wood grain is everything. I matched each side of the board by ripping a 1x2 on its thickness then opening up each piece and adding them at the same point on opposite sides of the board, thus hoping to create a mirror image. In the end it kind of worked but with Douglas Fir which is what I made the skins out of I should have used a bit more neutral coloring when selecting my skins for the top of the board as it has a bit too much variation for my liking.
I also made a SUP paddle in Fir and Sapele to match the material used in the board.
Gary, your board is an absolute stunner! We’re certain your son loved it!
Are you working on your own paddle board project? We'd love to share your build and your story on our blog. Drop us a note at support@jarvisboards.com or message us on Facebook.
Ready to start your own paddle board build? There are a few ways to start. You can start with our digital or printed paddle board plans or with our pre-cut frame kits. Also, we've got Pre-milled Paulownia wood strips or planks for your board skins.
