Traditional Kayak Workshop Fall 2014

This year's Traditional Kayak Building Workshop was another great experience for all involved. Once again we flew in master boat builder Brian Schulz of Cape Falcon Kayaks in Oregon to conduct this one-of-a-kind workshop.

A group of paddlers gather around the back of Savannah Canoe and Kayak, not really knowing what to expect. For the next six days students will be guided and steered under the expert tutelage and influence of Mr Schulz.

For this workshop, there are two SoF designs to choose from: A West Greenland hunting kayak and Brian Schulz’s own contemporary design, the F1.
In just 6 days students will peg, lash, stitch and carve a stack of Cedar, Oak, Fir, Ash and nylon into 6 stunning, one of a kind kayaks. The class is suitable for anyone, regardless of woodworking or paddling skill, and goes something like this...

Sunday, Day 1. Students have previously selected which kayak they want to build. The process

starts by adjusting some measurements to custom fit everybody's kayak to their particular size. No two boats are the same dimension.


By the end of Day 2, the boats are really taking shape. Oak ribs have been steamed, bent and lashed into place. Bow and stern plates have been pegged and lashed. The frame is just about ready for the skin. A traditional bonfire is prepared, and a kayak is made ready to burn in offering for the new boats that will soon be born.

Day 3 and the frames are prepped for skinning. Nylon skins are cut and draped over the boat, then sewn together. The skin is wetted down, steamed and made ready for dying. By the end of the day the kayaks are truly 'skins on frames'. Oysters are  prepared, and a keg from Southbound Brewery is tapped and put on ice.
Local muscisians take their place on the stage and the bonefire is lit.
'Up Helly Ya' shouts the crowd as the sacrificial boat sends flames and embers skyward.

Days 4 and 5 fly by in a whirlwind of dreams and mystical journeys as students, now emboldened by the fruition of their abilities, get busy on the finer details of  their spaceships. Everyone will soon be paddling their soul boat across sacred waters and into yonder horizon.

Day 6...the final day...the launch, the splash test...the moment of truth, the moment all have visualized since Day 2.
Across the blustery waters of Lake Mayer, 6 boats take flight, their translucent hulls baring the souls of those who created these free sprited craft.
Dreams have become realities. Brian Schulz's job is done and everyone scatters to the four winds.
And order is restored.

"A great and unique experience for sure; building boats with passionate group of paddlers with the help of an excellent instructor. Brian’s building process had such easy flow to it, encouraging us to be creative and build the exact boat we had envisioned. Each student left with a beautifully handcrafted, lightweight, durable kayak and traditional paddle along with great memories and experiences. "

On a sadder note.
Brian Schulz is a sick man. He has been suffering from an unkown condition for several years and is now to the point where he is unable to continue doing what he does. As with many of us in this business, he has little to none in the way of savings and health insurance.
Please see his most recent blog post here:
http://www.capefalconkayaks.com/blog/the-hardest-update-ive-ever-written

Skin On Frame Kayak Building Workshop

Session I - November 3-10th.
Session II - November 12-18th.

By Zac Smith

It is an amazing thing to paddle a high performance composite or high density molded plastic boat, however when you paddle your very own skin on frame kayak, that you built with your own two hands, it’s nearly transcendent.
From the time I first began sea kayaking about 10 years ago, I’ve been greatly intrigued by the idea of building my own boat. I knew that there were several types of kits available on the market for stitch and glue boats, and I’d even seen some extremely fine strip-cedar canoes and kayaks as well. Ultimately, however, the aesthetic beauty and the surprising strength and durability of a skin-boat, paired with such a diminished build-time and significant weight reduction, helped me to decide on building a skin-on-frame kayak instead.
The environmentally sustainable materials over plastics or composites was an advantage, and the relationship with a tradition that was developed by the earliest native Inuit paddlers was also of great appeal.

After much research on the traditional skin-on-frame style of kayak building, I discovered Brian Schultz and his boat-building school, Cape Falcon Kayak, (www.capefalconkayak.com).
Cape Falcon operates a small off-the-grid farm and homestead on the rugged coast of Oregon, where Brian tests his boats by fishing, surfing, and distance trekking in the frigid and extreme conditions of the Pacific Northwest. Brian’s utilitarian approach to paddling, and the practical use of his skills and his equipment were very appealing to me, and Brian has never been hesitant to put his boats up to the most rugged and rigorous tests of use and abuse, as you can see in the picture below:

I built my first traditional West Greenland replica seal-hunting kayak with Greenland paddle at Cape Falcon in 2007, see pictures at (http:/www.capefalconkayak.com/oslo.html.) From start to finish the build took us just under a week’s time. Having gained a new knowledge of woodworking and sewing during the class, I also gained a much greater respect for Brian’s expertise and attention to detail as an instructor, paddler, and craftsman.
The West Greenland boat I built is an amazingly elegant and beautiful boat. Weighing a mere 25lbs., it is super fast on the water, and it sits just above the water-line, so it is virtually unaffected by wind. It is a great option for someone wanting to practice rolling and even more of the traditional Greenland-style paddling techniques. Being such a slender boat at just over 20,” it will advance any paddler’s balance and edging skills tremendously.

Last summer in 2011, I returned to the Oregon coast to build a second kayak with Brian’s more modern F1 design. The F1 is a shorter and wider design, 14-1 3/4” x 23” , and with a bit more weight at 30lbs., it is still fast and performance oriented, and unlike the Greenland boat, I can put any of my novice-paddler friends in it and they will be comfortable and confident while out on the water. It is playful and fun in the surf, and it is also great for camping because it has extra volume and capacity for gear. Oh, and my 35lb. dog Maybelle rides beautifully on the back deck! Both boats have served me very well. They are extremely easy and pleasurable to paddle, and I continue to paddle them as my primary kayaks.

At Savannah Canoe and Kayak we want you to get the very best out of each and every paddling experience you have out on the water, and we know that Brian Schultz works very hard to design some of the best skin-on-frame kayaks you can buy or build anywhere, so we’re very glad to be able to offer this kayak-building class right here in Savannah at our new shop. The cost of the class includes all materials needed to build your own boat and Greenland-style paddle. Class will be held in the shop behind Savannah Canoe and Kayak starting Saturday Nov. 3rd-10th from 8:30am-5pm daily. Registration deadline is Aug. 31st!! Please call us with any questions you may have.

Skin On Frame Boat Building Workshop in Savannah, GA
November 3rd-10th, 2012
Sign Up Now!