Cape Falcon Kayak

Prepping the ribs for the new 14 foot solo canoe

March 2019September 2022Leave a comment

As soon as I got the 16 foot canoe skinned, I just knew I was gonna have to build a 14 foot solo canoe to fit inside it, so that’s what I’m doing this week. I’m pushing the rib length system into slightly new territory and crossing my fingers it all works out! I...

New build: Canoe # 17, a 14 foot solo

March 2019September 2022Leave a comment

At boat number 17 feel like I’m just starting to get a toehold into understanding this whole canoe thing. It’s definitely intimidating heading into a whole new branch of boat design, taking the time to understand what shaping choices result in what performance features. The important thing is to stay humble and not look...

Row/sail canoe for sale (SOLD)

March 2019September 2022Leave a comment

Row/sail canoe for sale (UPDATE: SOLD) I build a LOT of prototypes when I’m working out new designs, which means I can’t get sentimental about hanging onto things. This latest little row/sail canoe was an exploration in building something of roughly Adirondack guideboat proportions using my canoe building system and adding a little sail...

Man dyeing a skin on frame canoe orange using acid dye

Day 7, Skin-on-frame tandem canoe

March 2019September 2022Leave a comment

Day 7, Skin-on-frame tandem canoe. Build time: 4hrs. Skinned the boat today. After my struggle with the 1050 nylon on the last boat I’m back to the 840 and glad for it. It really is a near perfect skinboat fabric. It was nice and sunny out so I had the dry time to dye...

Skin-on-frame row/sail canoe version 2, impressions

March 2019September 2022Leave a comment

Skin-on-frame row/sail canoe version 2, impressions:. For those who haven’t been following along this project was an attempt to make a small row/sailboat using my super easy canoe building system. I was curious how far a free bent system would scale up and how the shaping formula would perform at larger scales. The boat...

Day 6, Skin-on-frame tandem canoe

March 2019September 2022Leave a comment

Day 6, Skin-on-frame tandem canoe. Build time: 6hrs. There is seldom a day in my life where I don’t pay some form of the ‘idiot tax’ fixing boneheaded mistakes that should have been obvious beforehand. After moving the center thwart reinforcement a very important 1.5 inches sideways, I added a carrying handle to ends...

Day 5, Skin-on-frame tandem canoe

March 2019September 2022Leave a comment

Day 5, Skin-on-frame tandem canoe. Build time: 7 hrs. Faired the stringers into the stems. I’m liking the new curved stem shape, it feels right on a full size canoe. I’m wondering if I could still nest a pair together? Wouldn’t make sense for a pack canoe where every inch counts, but for a...

Day 4, Skin-on-frame tandem canoe

March 2019September 2022Leave a comment

Day 4, Skin-on-frame tandem canoe. Build time: 6hrs. Tied the stringers on today, and then burned the rest of the day filming new and replacement videos for the building course. I’m getting ready to release a major update next weeks so we are scrambling to get all the pieces in place. One of the...

Day 3, Skin-on-frame tandem canoe

March 2019September 2022Leave a comment

Day 3, Skin-on-frame tandem canoe. Build time: 4hrs. A pretty easy and uneventful steam bend this morning. I had Liz fire up the camera to make a new bending video for the canoe course. I figure you can never have too many views of the process before you dive in. I will also post...

Day 2, Skin-on-frame tandem canoe

March 2019September 2022Leave a comment

Day 2, Skin-on-frame tandem canoe. Build time: 6 hrs. I sometimes think that the hardest part of working out a boat design is deciding on a stem shape. At some point you just have to commit because it’s impossible to get it right your first time. I’m working a bit of recurve into this...

Day 1, 16ft skin on frame tandem tripping canoe

March 2019September 2022Leave a comment

Day 1, 16ft tandem tripping canoe. Build time: 7hrs. While I’m deciding what I think of the row/sail canoe, I thought I’d take the week to build a straightforward Prospector-style tripping canoe. 16 feet long, 35 inches wide, 13.5 inches deep. 2 inch progressive rocker, 8 inch sheer, shallow arch hull shape, little bit...

Le Tonkinois impressions

March 2019September 2022Leave a comment

At the recommendation of someone on Instagram, I decided to try Le Tonkinois varnish on my last project and I wanted to take a moment to post my impressions. Cost: at 40 bucks a quart it costs about the same as any of the other medium grade varnishes. They sell a 2 1/2 quart...

Video: Capsize recovery in the sailing canoe

March 2019September 2022Leave a comment

The first thing I do with any new boat is work out a capsize recovery plan. Little sailers are always sketchy with all the strings involved and that’s a strong reason to have as few as possible. Stowed oars, a sprit rig, and a daggerboard would eliminate all the tangles but the sheet, although...

Introducing Shipshape Boatworks, our licensed UK builder

February 2019July 2023Leave a comment

I want to take a moment here to introduce Ant Mace of Shipshape Boatworks, our exclusive UK builder. An experienced wooden boat builder already, Ant first caught my attention by asking about my skin-on-frame guideboats. I get a lot of interest in these beautiful craft, but very little follow through. I sent Ant a...

Day 14: Row/sail canoe, version 2

February 2019September 2022Leave a comment

Day 14, Row/sail canoe, version 2. Build time: 5hrs. Woke up to beautiful light in the shop and started working out a flotation strategy. I want to have easy options from bare boat photoshoot/protected water rowing mode, to svelte grey pool noodle light air summer sailing mode, to big yellow repurposed inflatable fenders middle...