Ready for another project outside my expertise, I�m about to build a Wing paddle, but am asking advice before I start this time. (re: my first rudder fiasco.)

Since my workshop is our second parking stall and my tools consist mainly of a jigsaw, orbital sander, and hand tools, I�m somewhat limited in the method of fabrication. Having read the article on production Wings, there appears to be a problem keeping the flex/stiffness characteristics of the two blades uniform. With the shape and radii being asymmetric, two mold/patterns are necessary for the blades and making them identical as possible must be critical.

Watching an R/C model airplane crash at the local airfield reminded me these guys build close tolerance wings often. So, similar to them, (or �strippers�) I�m making stations on a silhouette blade form and �skinning� them to make the mold. By clamping two 1/4 inch sheets when cutting out the stations and blade silhouettes, I should have duplicates with any small irregularities being mirrored. I have some carbon cloth left over from a nifty �aero� handlebar I made, so I�ll use that and 2mm CoreMat for the layup.(Only 5 milliseconds faster, but picked up two places at the last time trial when riders who were passing me fell trying to see the �trick� handlebars.)

Given that this all works, can anyone advise me about the actual curvature of the wing? I�ve seen several aero model/shapes, but with speed, water density, and ?, being so different, is there a curvature that would work best for the paddle? Is stalling a factor, and what the heck is stalling, anyway?

thanks in advance for your thoughts,

Tom