Until this thread, I had been, for over 35+ years, completely satisfied with the performance of my stock wooden ping pong paddle being used as a one handed paddle.
I still have a couple of it's siblings around somewhere, even though the ping pong table has long been gone. It did not survive raising teenagers unfortunately.
If I can find one of them, modifications will be made. Feathering the edges to almost knife edge sounds imperative.
And then edge reenforcement with a light weight glass cloth epoxied on, using peel ply of course. Sanded and then varnish coated several times, matt finish of course, and only after removing any blush.
Or, do I just use it as a starting pattern for a custom balsa cored carbon fiber layup. Decisions decisions.
Or do I just use the original (which shall remain original), and hope that no one reports me to the technical paddle blade committee.
Not much need for worry though. Most of the technical paddle blade committee would most likely never get to the places that I hunt and fish. Guess I'm going to have to go rogue, and maybe be the last known canoeing fisherman to use a lowly ping pong paddle. But if I ever run into one of you high tech guys, I sure would like to try one of your new fangled carbon fiber one handed paddles. Sort of a bucket list kinda thing.
Carry on, while I reflect upon the errors of my ways. Dang it, I just know now, that I surely would catch more fish if I just had a more high tech paddle
And as a side note, if any of you are ever in North Louisiana at the Bass Pro Shop in Bossier City, LA, go into the fly fishing section and look up on the wall. There is a plague and a replica fish of my Louisiana State Fly Rod Record White Crappie, with my name on it. And yes, my wooden ping pong paddle was utilized.
And YES Mr. McCrea, there has been many a feather cut using the simple ping pong paddle for boat control, in both pirogues and canoes.