Shaw & Tenney

Shaw & Tenney Welcome to Shaw & Tenney... makers of the world's finest traditionally handcrafted wooden oars and paddles since 1858.

Since 1858, Shaw & Tenney has quietly made a name for itself as the leading maker of wooden oars, paddles, spars and boat hooks in the country. Never one to boast or brag, we’ve preferred to let our products speak for themselves — each meticulously designed to deliver years of enjoyment on the water, and equal admiration for their hand-crafted beauty when off. From our simple workshop on the banks

of the Penobscot River, our craftsmen still employ time-honored manufacturing traditions that may seem old-world by today’s standards, but are the only way to render a product worthy of our name, and your trust.

09/04/2026

Sam shows us how he hand-shapes the transition from shaft to blade in a canoe paddle. The fine shape of the paddle’s throat is one of the subtle details that sets our paddles apart. Also, how great is his mustache?!?

07/24/2026

The Penobscot Paddle has been our best seller for generations. Here are some of the reasons why.

06/24/2026

What do we do with our sawdust? We make cow zoomies Witter Farm, UMaine’s largest animal research farm. Thanks for sharing Patricia!

06/10/2026

Our fabled dip tank is in full swing this time of year, as we try to get our oars and paddles into your hands as quickly as possible. It’s the same process we’ve been using for generations, and we think it’s still the best finish available.

05/31/2026

Plenty of shops cut out their oars and paddles with a CNC machine. Not here though. We shape ours by hand and by eye, like it’s still 1858. Who made your paddle?

05/29/2026

Fridays are great if you can get ‘em!

05/23/2026

Good luck to our friends aboard as they push off on their first cruise of the season. We outfitted their peapod with a new pair of Shaw and Tenney flat blades. Here’s to a great season!

05/20/2026

The edges don’t lie. On a mass-produced product, they’re an afterthought. But the edges are where our craftsmen shine. Each one is eased by hand, sanded through the grits, and felt before it’s finished. We’ve been doing it this way since 1858.

04/29/2026

From the shop floor to the open water. Every stroke starts in the hands of our craftspeople, shaping oars the same way we’ve been doing since 1858.

04/16/2026

From our loud dusty shop to your quiet home waters. Our paddles have been hand made in Orono Maine since before Lincoln was President.

Address

20 Water Street
Orono, ME
04473

Telephone

(207) 866-4867

Website

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