Building

There is a whole community of people out in cyberspace who are into kayaks and other small boats, either building them or using them or even just admiring them. Below are some links to a few places where you can get to know some of these people.

Plans Now Available

I was talking to John Harris at Chesapeake Light Craft last fall. As the conversation wandered around various boats and projects we were working on, it became apparent that we each had some issues that we might be able help each other with. I had some designs that I had not had the time to develop usable plans and instructions for, and he had a demand for some boats that he didn't have time to develop designs for.

My S&G Night Heron Class at the WoodenBoat School in September still has spaces available. This is a fun class in a great location. Everyone seems to enjoy it and you go home with your own nearly-completed kayak.

If you strap a wooden boat to your roof and drive to a put in for a paddle, you will need to learn to deal with the inevitable delays that occur when people gather around your car to ask about your boat. "Where did you get it?", "How much did it cost?", "You didn't build that.", and on and on. This is the Parking Lot Syndrome or PLS. It is the burden you will take on when you have a wooden boat on your car.

You will need to plan on leaving a little earlier for the launch so you have time to deal with the admiration. If you pull in on a beach for lunch, be prepared to be interrupted while eating your sandwich. When you paddle with unfamiliar paddlers, don't be surprised if one of them moves in beside you as you paddle to ask a few questions.

I've decided to make the plans for my Stitch & Glue Guillemot available to internet users as "share ware".

This page started out as a collection of information about building boats. It has since evolved to have an emphasis on building wooden kayaks. If you are interested in how to build a kayak, this is the place to bookmark. There is information here about all different methods of making sea kayaks including: strip-built (or wood strip, cedar strip, etc.); stitch-and-glue (or tack-and-tape); traditional (or skin-on-frame, wood and canvas); and some others. I hope you find what you need. I'm always looking for more information to add. If you are building a boat, keep a journal.