Sea kayaking is the sport of taking a small boat out on to the big ocean. You could buy an ordinary plastic kayak, or you could build your own which will be lighter, faster, better looking and more fun than any you can buy. This fast-paced class will take students through the major phases of building a “Night Heron” sea kayak. Using the “Stitch-and-glue” construction method, each student will go home with his or her own kayak. Some finish work will be required when they get home. Students will learn some basic woodworking skill as well as how to work with fiberglass and epoxy.

A hand made wooden kayak is not truly finished until you have put your first scratch in it. The New England Rough Water Symposium is a chance to see to it that your boat is well and fully complete along with few scratches to prove it. While "rough water" may sound scary, this is a good event for a wide range of paddlers from the novice through experienced paddlers. It will give you a chance to learn from top paddler how to use your boat to full effect.

"Ganymede" is a brand new design by Nick Schade: An easy-to-handle recreational kayak, fun to paddle and fast and easy to build.

I am privileged to take over the reins for this class from Ted Moores who had taught at the WoodenBoat School for 17 years. Ted is a godfather to all those who now build small boats using the strip-planked, fiberglass and epoxy method. He started this class at the WoodenBoat School building two canoes.

Once again I will be leading students through the building of the Stitch and Glue Night Heron from a pile of plywood pieces through a fully assembled sea kayak at the WoodenBoat School in Brooklin, Maine.

This fast-pace class is suitable for anyone from novice woodworkers who want an introduction to boatbuilding, through experienced boat builders who want to learn about stitch and glue kayak building and fiberglass work.

Sea kayaking is the sport of taking a small boat out on to the big ocean. You could buy an ordinary plastic kayak, or you could build your own which will be lighter, faster, better looking and more fun than any you can buy. This fast-paced class will take students through the major phases of building a “Night Heron” sea kayak. Using the “Stitch-and-glue” construction method, each student will go home with his or her own kayak. Some finish work will be required when they get home. Students will learn some basic woodworking skill as well as how to work with fiberglass and epoxy.

Go home with your own beautiful wooden kayak paddle. This class will occur over 4 consecutive Thursday evenings. You will make a modern wide-blade laminated wooden kayak paddle.

This class will be held at the Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking and they will handle the registration.

New Class

"Ganymede" is a new design intended to be a small, easy to handle recreational kayak, that is fun to paddle and easy to build. I will be teaching this class at IYRS in Newport, RI.