One of the most obvious problems with the paddles was a missing chunk of a handle. To replace this, I cut the rough shape of the missing piece using a jig saw, and drilled countersunk holes in it to secure it. I sanded the area it needed to attach to flat, and then screwed the new piece to the paddle. I next carved and sanded the handle to its final shape. Finally, I removed the handle and added some wood glue to help hold it in place.

The images I have included are somewhat out of order, as I actually had to make the replacement handle twice to get it right. Though your paddles may not be missing handles, you can use methods similar to my own to repair any missing portions you do encounter.