Boats & Paddles


 

 

 

 

 

 


Build a “Wee Lassie” Canoe

Larry Benjamin & Marc Ornstein

The original “Wee Lassie” was a lapstrake built open cedar canoe made in 1863 by J. Henry Rushton, of Canton, NY.  Rushton was one of the most famous canoe builders of his era.  George Washington Sears, who wrote of his adventures under his pen name of “Nessmuk”, as he recorded his paddling adventures throughout the Adirondacks, popularized his small, finely crafted canoes.

Sized similarly to the original Wee Lassie, in this class you will learn to build your own canoe using cedar strips which have been routed with bead and cove edges allowing for smooth hull construction, which is later Fiberglassed.  A typical Wee Lassie weighs about twenty pounds and is a delight to paddle.  They are easy for one person to carry and you sit comfortably and stable on the bottom, with a thwart as your backrest.  The Wee Lassie is most often paddled with a double-blade kayak style paddle, allowing you to enjoy nature in the tiny twisting streams of the Adirondacks. (See our class on building a kayak paddle & a caned seat for your Wee Lassie  too!)

Each student will make their own canoe!  Larry and Marc will guide you each step of the way as you learn all about the building process – using a canoe form, sanding, shaping and preparing your own canoe ready for Fiberglassing.  All aspects of strip canoe building will be covered.

  • June 28, 29 & 30, 2012 – Thursday, Friday, Saturday & July 12, 13 & 14 – Thursday, Friday, Saturday - CRN – 70033
  • Length of Class – 6 days
  • Hours – 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • Location – AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY
  • Tuition – $475
  • Materials – $350 – (includes all the Cedar strips, glue, inwales & outwales and thwarts & instructions for Fiberglassing)
  • Minimum 4 students  -Maximum 6

 

Canoe Paddle Making

Marc Ornstein

There is nothing like paddling a canoe using a paddle you made yourself.  You’ll love the feel of it knifing through the water.  Learn how to create a traditional Otter tail or Beaver tail paddle.  Here you will learn about selecting the wood, understanding how to work with the grain, sizing and shaping the handle, shaft and blade.  These Ash paddles will become one of your prized possessions.  Cherry paddles can also be made for an additional fee.  You will be working with traditional hand tools like the spoke shave, files and planes.  So enjoy this class as you sit in the sunshine crafting your paddle.

  • August 17 & 18, 2012 – Friday & Saturday – CRN –  70034
  • Length of Class – 2 days
  • Hours – 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • Location – AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY
  • Tuition – $150
  • Materials – $35 – Ash / $60 for Cherry
Build a Traditional Native Kayak Paddle

Caleb Davis

Make one of these beautiful traditional kayak paddles, which are made from a single piece of Cherry wood.  Shaped by drawknife and spoke shave, you will learn to create a paddle which is a joy to look at and use.  Perfect with the “Wee Lassie” canoe you can build too!

  • July  28, 2012 – Saturday - CRN – 70035
  • August 25, 2012 – Saturday – CRN – 70036
  • Length of Class – 1 days
  • Hours – 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Location – AFS, 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY
  • Tuition – $100
  • Materials – $50 (Cherry)
  • Minimum 4 students – Maximum 8


Build the Classic Wannigan

Jim Mandle & Dan Green



So what is a “Wannigan”?  The word Wannigan can be found in many native languages from Ojibwa “waanikaan” to Algonquian and Abenaki, meaning a “pit trap” or “container for sundries”. It is a box used to store food on canoe or sledding trips. Usually made of wood this storage box is used to carry supplies and provisions.  Early explorers and travelers in both the Adirondacks and other remote areas made Wannigans to carry their cooking gear and food supplies.  It resembles a cross section of a canoe in both construction and appearance with a flat lid.  Most likely they were made by early canoe builders.  Even today, it fits nicely into a canoe for camping trips and expositions.  Learn to make one and keep alive part of our history as well as having a beautiful addition for home or your next camping trip.  You can also use it as a coffee table or a storage box for your kindling wood.

This class will teach you all the basics used in the construction of a Wannigan, which are also the same skills used in building a canoe.  From planking, steam bending ribs, and assembly.  You will learn to use a wide range of hand tools and walk away with both a conversation piece and a bit of history.  Some woodworking experience is helpful.

  • May 18, 19 & 20, 2012- Friday, Saturday & Sunday – CRN- 70037
  • Length of Class – 2 1/2 days – Friday, May 18 – 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Saturday & Sunday – 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
  • Location – 51 Main Street, Lake Luzerne, NY
  • Tuition – $190
  • Materials – Est. $80