Almost 15 years ago, I started Gram Kayak as my hobby and my one-man business.

After many years with sailboats and dinghies, I wanted something more manageable on the water. Something that didn’t always require a lot of preparation or dependence on other people before I could get out on the water. The kayak lives up to these requirements.

However, I couldn’t find a kayak that was seaworthy, fast, pleasing to the eye and affordable. So I set about building a Kavat out of pine myself. It met all the criteria except one: It didn’t turn out as nice as I wanted it to.

This led to a few more kayaks and, fortunately, the opportunity to experiment with the strength and aesthetics of wood.

Now I just dream of a small play kayak, but so far it has only made it to the drawing board.

Although the company is called Gram Kajak, today I focus on my paddles. After building my first kayak, I quickly realized that regular paddles gave me problems with back and joint pain. Most were also far too mechanically unstable. In short, they didn’t give me a quality experience unless I wanted to pay between 2,000 and 3,000 kroner – and I didn’t.

So I had to start making my own paddle.

In my eagerness to create the right paddle, I quickly created several paddles, and a number of rowers asked curiously about the price. At first, however, I didn’t have the courage to sell them. But I chewed on it anyway, because who needs 50 paddles? Since then, many paddles have been made, and in 2007 Gram Kajak was made official with its own website.

A Gram Pagaj is for those who want to enjoy the tranquility of nature. It’s for those who want to row as effortlessly and silently as possible, who want to get the most out of their technical skills – also through play – and who want to spare their body from overload.

I think I’ve experimented my way to the optimal paddle today. However, that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped playing with the tree and experimenting with its many possibilities. I’m way too curious on that point.

If you have an idea for your very own paddle, feel free to call or write to me. I’d be happy to build it for you.

Sincerely yours

Lars Gram