BUILDING THE KINGFISHER
Traditional wood-and-canvas construction of a classic square-sterned fishing canoe.
- ROLLIN THURLOW — JULY 6–12
Rollin Thurlow, regarded as one of Maine’s finest craftsmen, has spent much of his life paddling, building, or restoring wooden canoes. In 1975 he and Jerry Stelmok became partners in the Island Falls Canoe Company building canoes off the original E.M. White forms in addition to a wide variety of other wooden boat construction and restoration projects. In 1982, Rollin established the Northwoods Canoe Company for the purpose of wooden canoe construction and restoration of his own canoe designs.
In this six-day course students will have the unique opportunity to work alongside Rollin who has developed numerous wooden canoe building techniques and designs that have been used around the world. The design he has chosen for this course, the Kingfisher, is a gorgeous 15'3" square-sterned fishing canoe that needs only a 3- or 4-hp outboard to get fishermen or pleasure boaters where they want to go. Its smooth-riding, stable, efficient hull is strong enough to safely handle a choppy lake or a full load of passengers and can certainly take a larger motor if desired.
The course will focus on traditional construction methods and materials. Each student will learn how to fit the steam-bent white-cedar ribs and planking onto the form Rollin will provide. Fashioning the ash stem, thwarts, seats, decks and mahogany transom will present participants with fun and challenging joinerwork practices using only hand tools. Near the end of the week Rollin will guide folks through the process of covering the completed hull with U.S. Grade #10 canvas and filling it with his own special compound. Installation of spruce rails, outside stem, and the keel will bring the project to fruition.
Come Saturday, the final touches will be applied, and we’ll hold a raffle to see which lucky student gets to take the Kingfisher home. And everyone will have learned a great deal about canoes this week and what is involved in constructing a wood-and-canvas boat unsurpassed in quality and attention to detail.
Tuition: $700
Note: This is a six-day course ending Saturday afternoon.