What MinÂneÂsoÂta-made dĂ©Âcor acÂcesÂsoÂry is beÂing sold in a Paris bouÂtique and toutÂed in pubÂliÂcaÂtions rangÂing from VanÂiÂty Fair to HarÂper's BaÂzaar as a handÂcrafted obÂject of deÂsire? It's a caÂnoe padÂdle.
WoodÂen paddles paintÂed with colÂorÂful, nosÂtalÂgic deÂsigns by Winona-based SanÂborn CaÂnoe Co. (sanborncanoe.com) have beÂcome a darÂling aÂmong decoÂraÂtors seekÂing a little Up North auÂthenÂticÂiÂty. They've beÂcome the bestselling prodÂuct for a comÂpany that startÂed out makÂing paddles meant to proÂpel a boat, not be an acÂcent piece for a counÂtry home.
SanÂborn CaÂnoe was startÂed by 30-someÂthing cousÂins Todd Randall and Zak Fellman, who were inÂspired by their grandÂfather's storÂies of buildÂing woodÂen caÂnoes. The cousÂins built their own cedar-strip caÂnoe in 2009 and used the exÂtra wood to make paddles. They liked them so much they beÂgan to make more, sellÂing them to local gear comÂpanies.
Their first paddles, hand-shaped out of lamiÂnated wood, were deÂsigned to be used on wilÂderÂness trips. But while on a trip to Voyageurs National Park, the cousÂins saw an image from a paintÂing deÂpictÂing 19th- cenÂtuÂry voyageurs using paddles with paintÂed blades. That inÂspired them to creÂate a line of "artisan paintÂed paddles" in 2012 that proved to be more popuÂlar than their perÂformÂance paddles.
FeaÂturÂing an old-fashÂioned shape and simÂple paintÂed patÂterns like arrows, crossÂes, triÂangles, stripes or a Paul BunÂyan-inÂspired plaid, the $200 paddles have been emÂbraced by outÂdoor-wannaÂbes and won menÂtions in House BeauÂtiÂful, GQ and Teen Vogue magÂaÂzine. "It does feel a little bit weird to be in Teen Vogue," Randall says.
Now aÂbout two-thirds of the 3,000 paddles that SanÂborn CaÂnoe makes each year are decoÂraÂtive, acÂcordÂing to Randall. If you're buyÂing one just to show it off, the comÂpany makes woodÂen and leathÂer brackÂets to hang your padÂdle.
"PadÂdlers like things that look good," Randall says. "We get out in the outÂdoors beÂcause it looks good." The paintÂed paddles don't have the carÂbon fiber-backed blades or bent shafts of SanÂborn's high-perÂformÂance modÂels; most of them probÂaÂbly won't see the great outÂdoors. But they're still funcÂtionÂal, Randall says. He hopes that some of the peoÂple who buy them as decoÂraÂtive pieces will be inÂspired to acÂtuÂalÂly get into a boat.
"It makes you dream a bit," he says. "They're a tool as much as a piece of art."