Commercially available super-light paddles such as Mitchel use a relatively thin core of lightweight wood in the blade which is then covered in Graphite. A hollow shaft can be a good way to lighten the paddle without too much loss in strength if constructed well.

> You have probably gone thru this already, but...

> Since fiberglass is structurally strong in tension as compared to
> compression, you may think about glassing only the power side. I am
> presently building a paddle as per Schades book. If weight is important to
> you, Schade suggests making a hollow shaft, or use a composite material
> like kevlar.