Ray Kettlewell has been involved with canoeing and with wood most of his life. Prior to 1970, he worked in the hardwood lumber industry; logging and managing a sawmill and dry kiln in southwestern Ontario. Much of his spare time was spent paddling, on his own and guiding groups of adults and children on canoe trips. Ray earned a canoe instructor's certificate in l973 and 15 years of marathon canoe racing earned him a bushel basket full of trophies.      Ray began making paddles in 1970 to supply himself with the kind of paddles he wanted. After all, he had access to the best hardwoods and years of accumulated knowledge of woods. Since l977, making paddles has been Ray's full time occupation.