Paddle to the Sea

thingiverse

Paddle to the Sea is a 1966 film that tells the story of a wooden toy canoe accompanied by an Indian figurine. The movie begins with a Canadian boy carving, painting and placing the canoe on a snow-covered hill, where he hopes it will eventually flow into a creek, then a river, and ultimately reach the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence River. The boy names his handiwork Paddle to the Sea and inscribes a message on its bottom: "Please put me back in the water." The film follows Paddle's adventures as he travels hundreds of miles through various waterways. Available on YouTube, the half-hour long movie is remembered by many for its nostalgic value. I've decided to recreate Paddle to the Sea using CAD software. The resulting file is quite large but works flawlessly when loaded onto a 3D printer and set to print at high quality for an eight-hour run. After printing, I painted it, and although it differs slightly from the original due to shape duplication difficulties and limited paint options, I'm pleased with the result. To further enhance my replica, I plan to touch up its paint job, apply a clear coat, and then release it into the water just as the boy did. Who knows where Paddle will end up? Perhaps it will float down the Mississippi River.