I grew up on the Kitsap peninsula in Poulsbo Washington. Growing up my parents had been river guides and taken up sea kayaking when me and my brother were born, because getting on the Sea was quicker and easier than driving out to a remote river. My parents took me kayaking in their laps and as I grew older kayaking was always a huge sport that our family did. I hold great memories driving up to Pender Island as a kid camping and kayaking everyday, playing bocce, exploring Seal Rock, fishing, and walking on the beach looking for sea glass.

In the outdoor recreation field I’ve worked on the water as a sea kayak guide, raft guide, ski instructor, bike technician, ski technician and a few others. Out of College I wanted to be part of the community and culture that recreated in the outdoors and working those jobs, seemed like a great way to join that community. I received a degree in mechanical engineering, which gave me a passion for design. It wasn’t until covid-19 that I decided to make a paddle making business. When I had nothing to do and was beginning to go stir crazy, I wanted something to work on that made me feel like I was progressing. The business combined my love of the outdoors and mechanical design passions into one.

When my father took a class and learned to make Greenland paddles, he taught my brother and I. It was great over the years learning to make paddles and take my creations out into a sport I’ve cared about so much. Going to breweries after paddles on the water, we would discuss how we could make our paddles better. I worked on my design and set goals like making a paddle in a day, to making a paddle in 3 hours. It took me two years of incremental work to develop my own style of Greenland and raft paddles but in the spring of 2023 Wyrd Paddles began. As I continue to develop my business You can often find me somewhere in the pacific northwest working in the Outdoors, enjoying the outdoors or head burrowed in the garage on a project.