Gram Kayak in Denmark is a one man company run for fun. It has existed in different shapes and forms for some years, but at the beginning of 2007 it was launched to the public officially with its own website – www.gramkajak.dk
People have asked why I decided to make paddles and kayaks. After many years of sailing yachts and dinghies, I wanted something more manageable on the water. Something you could use without a lot of preparation, and without having to rely on other people and their availability. The answer was obvious, I needed to get into kayaking!
Initially I couldn’t really find a kayak with the right mix of speed, seaworthiness and affordability, so I built a kayak out of pine. It met all my criteria (well almost, it was not quite as pretty as I wanted!). Since then I’ve tried a few different kayaks and finally have settled on one that nearly meets all my needs. In the back of my mind though there is another small play kayak developing as well, but it’s going to take some more thinking before I’m ready to start on that one – watch this space!
Although the firm is called Gram KAYAK, I primarily build Greenland paddles. I quickly discovered that the normal paddles gave me all sorts of painful wrist and shoulder problems, limiting both the time I could spend on the water and the quality of the paddling experience. The only possible solution was to spend 300-500USD on a high end custom paddle, something I wasn’t prepared to do.
Instead I started to build the paddles myself. I made many paddles, and paddlers I met who saw them loved their quality and asked if they could buy one. Admittedly in the beginning I didn’t have the heart to sell them, but realistically who can use 50 paddles? It was officially time to share them with others!
Over the years I’ve made many different styles of paddles, experimenting to create the optimal paddle I make and sell today. This does not mean I have stopped experimenting though, and if you have an idea for your own paddle, I would be happy to build it for you.
Med venlig hilsen!
Lars Gram
Gram Kajak
Præstekravevej 28
DK-8541 Skødstrup
Denmark
gram@gramkajak.dk
www.gramkajak.dk
Beautiful work!
Yes, very beautiful paddles Lars. I started my own paddle building operation here in Canada in very much the same way. Just a few minutes ago in fact I started a custom, mini Greenland Paddle for a 4 year old baby (I taught both parents to roll a few years ago and got the Mom hooked on GPs as well. Now she wants one for the little guy for show).
Cheers…Joe
Thanks for the kind words.
I had a look at your site Joe yesterday. They are beatifull as well.
I think I can beat the mine paddle in size. A husband to a GP paddler found her to be so happy with her GP, that he ordered one made in 14 carat gold with safires for her birthday. I gave the dimension to the goldsmith. He had to make the handle a bit larger to get the right proportions.
Wonder what I’ll get for Christmas from my wife?
Cheers Lars