Best Way to Ship a Paddle?

[refthimos]

So I am looking to ship a paddle from SoCal to Oregon and inputting weight and dimensions into USPS, UPS and Fedex for shipping quotes and getting really high rates... What is everyone using to ship their paddles and what are you paying?

I would be shipping an 82" Werner Spanker one piece paddle in the box my Ke Nalu paddle came in, so nothing out of the ordinary here.

[jdmotes]

 Don't see how you could use the box your Ke Nalu came in to ship the Spanker as Ke Nalu's ship with the blade detached from the shaft along with the handle detached. That's why their shipping rates are pretty good as they keep the length down that way. Whiskeyjacks ship in a much taller box and their rates are much higher too.
 If you could detach the shaft and the handle of the Spanker you'd be able to save a lot on shipping...    Paddle on,     JD

[K-541`]

Its the oversize box that really jacks up the price.i shipped a spanker 60 miles with UPS and they dinged me for $26 ouch!

[PonoBill]

yup, not going to work unless you take a saw to it. We don't do it to get a better rate--we get less breakage that way.

[ObviousSup]

Try Grayhound. They can be pretty quick but their areas of service in Oregon have dropped a lot over the years.
http://www.shipgreyhound.com/scripts/quotes/gpxStep2.asp

[Dwight (DW)]

I take an ordinary cardboard box (type sold by Lowes for moving) and cut open. Laying the cardboard on the garage floor, it's about 7 or 8 feet long.

I wrap the paddle this cardboard. Rolling it up around the paddle.  It's a little bit of a challenge to roll the cardboard, but it can be done.

I have a FedEx account. Nothing more than giving them your credit card to keep on file and you have an account. The FedEx air account can be used for ground shipping too. Now you can print your own FedEx GROUND shipping labels and drop off at the FedEx counter.

I've shipped probably 6 paddles this way. I've never been charged for "oversize" dimensional weight. The paddles ship way cheaper than the $35 KeNalu charges. I avoid UPS and USPS. FedEx Ground is the deal.

[refthimos]

I take an ordinary cardboard box (type sold by Lowes for moving) and cut open. Laying the cardboard on the garage floor, it's about 7 or 8 feet long.

I wrap the paddle this cardboard. Rolling it up around the paddle.  It's a little bit of a challenge to roll the cardboard, but it can be done.

I have a FedEx account. Nothing more than giving them your credit card to keep on file and you have an account. The FedEx air account can be used for ground shipping too. Now you can print your own FedEx GROUND shipping labels and drop off at the FedEx counter.

I've shipped probably 6 paddles this way. I've never been charged for "oversize" dimensional weight. The paddles ship way cheaper than the $35 KeNalu charges. I avoid UPS and USPS. FedEx Ground is the deal.

Thanks, I might just try that. I saw on the Ke Nalu box that it measures 83x8x5 and figured the 82" Spanker could just squeeze in there but it's just a little too long. I think an 80" paddle MIGHT fit (though the blade wouldn't be padded all that well) and a 78" or shorter paddle would be no problem.

My local Fedex location is pretty strict on shipping items (they once made me re-pack a set of bike wheels because they didn't like the outside appearance of the box), but I suppose I could try the "print the label and quickly ditch it with the clerk" approach and see if it makes it through.