Tucked away in the misty rainforest on Quadra Island, in a small, unassuming cedar shack, is Nimbus Paddles. This is where Robert Bender handcrafts his custom kayak paddles.
Although Bender is humble, Nimbus is one of the most recognized paddle brands on the West Coast and is quickly gaining acclaim around the world. Professional guides and instructors covet the lightweight carbon blades, fine-tuned to meet the varying conditions of the coast. Bender and his co-owner, Damon Stapinsky, are professional kayak guides with a fundamental understanding of putting blade to water.
“Being here keeps us close to the paddling community, which offers some of the most diverse and interesting paddling conditions in the world.”
Inside the Quadra Island workshop
The shop feels cozy with the warmth of the wood stove; the hard beat of rain resounds on the tin roof, synchronizing with the punk rock playing softly in the background. Bender stands in his resin-splattered apron, working resin through woven carbon cloth onto a mould in a process known as skinning, the first and most important step in making a blade.
As Bender works, he explains how Quadra Island is the ideal location for his small, independently owned business. “Being here keeps us close to the paddling community,” he says, “which offers some of the most diverse and interesting paddling conditions in the world.” Quadra is part of the Discovery Islands, an area of many scattered islands for day trips or remote expeditions.
Surge Narrows as a testing ground
The region also draws a growing subculture of sea kayakers seeking out turbulent conditions produced by tidal exchanges. “The heavy currents at Surge Narrows and Okisollo rapids are a great location to provide instructional courses for current dynamics as well as a playground for paddlers wanting to surf standing waves,” explains Bender, “and the perfect place to test our paddles.”
From kayak builders to paddle makers
In 2017, Bender and Stapinsky were building Nimbus kayaks for Steve Schleicher at Rainforest Designs Ltd. When Schleicher’s brother-in-law, Dave Bain, who owned Nimbus Paddles at the time, wanted to retire, Bender and Stapinsky seized the opportunity to continue his legacy. For six months, the pair worked closely with Bain. The learning curve was seamless—they were able to transfer the skill set they’d gained from building kayaks with composite materials to crafting paddles.
“We’ve since introduced a few new models, a line of paddles that are more durable, intentionally geared for whitewater and ocean play,” Bender says, adding, “I have also changed some of the reinforcing methods and played with the composition and materials to reduce the weight of our carbon-fibre touring paddles.”
Quadra Island kayak paddles for the West Coast
Currently, Nimbus offers 15 different models that can be custom-ordered in any length, in either a fibreglass variant or full carbon fibre. Each paddle can be customized to break down into either two or four pieces, a great option for travellers.
Bender’s newest invention is the INCOGNEATO, an invisible ferrule system to feather the angle of the blade while mid-stroke. It is a customizable set-and-forget system, also made in-house, that no other manufacturer makes.
Fifty years of Canadian ownership
Recently celebrating Nimbus’ 50th anniversary, Bender reflects on the previous owner’s desire to maintain Canadian ownership and manufacturing, resisting buyouts and outsourcing over the years. When Bender and Stapinsky took over, they were determined to uphold that value.
“Paddles for paddlers, not shareholders.”
“The benefits of that became clear during COVID. We were able to produce all parts in-house, which kept us insulated from extreme shipping bottlenecks that plagued most other companies during that time,” Bender muses.“When people were looking to get outside and keep active while social distancing, we were able to complete orders without delay.”
His hope for Nimbus in the next 50 years? Bender considers the question as he glides the red maple leaf logo onto a glossy black carbon paddle.
“We would like to put our small-town stamp on a big-industry sport, while keeping Nimbus Canadian-made,” he smiles. “Paddles for paddlers, not shareholders.”
