BUILD YOUR OWN WEE LASSIE CANOE
The joy of building your own featherweight canoe.
- CRAIG ADDIS — JUNE 22–JULY 5
Some of the finest wooden canoe designs ever created were those of the legendary J. Henry Rushton of Canton, New York. The canoes that Rushton may best be remembered for were the double-paddle canoes of incredibly small size and light weight that were made for George Washington Sears who wrote for Field & Stream magazine under the pen-name of Nessmuk. In his first letter published by Field & Stream in 1880, he wrote of one of the canoes: “She’s all my fancy painted her, she’s lovely, she is light. She waltzes on the waves by day and rests with me at night.”
While the original canoes were flush-lapstrake construction with elm ribs, Henry “Mac” McCarthy has reinterpreted the hull design of the Wee Lassie for cedar-strip construction. Mac’s design is 11'6" long and about 28" in beam with a V-shaped, asymmetrical hull for better tracking and performance in shallow water. The finished boat weighs about 25 lbs. Make no mistake that light weight means a fragile boat, however; the fiberglass cloth and epoxy reinforcement make for a strong and durable canoe.
During this busy and rewarding two-week course, Craig will guide students through the assembly of their building forms, strip-planking, fairing, and fiberglassing the hull. Each canoe will be finished with beautiful hardwood trim and caned or taped seats, paying strict attention to detail. A full two weeks, yes, but nothing beats the excitement and satisfaction of building a beautiful, lightweight canoe with your very own hands!
Your Wee Lassie will quickly become a favorite. Her light weight makes her easily transported and handled at launching or hauling out. Many feel that when it comes to canoes or any other cartoppable boats, the lighter the boats, the more you use them. The proud new owners of these Wee Lassies will certainly agree.
Tuition: $1100 two-week course (partner: $550)
Materials: $950
Note: Prior experience with woodworking practices and tools is helpful, but not required. Depending on students’ height, weight, and intended use, they may wish to build the slightly larger Wee Lassie II. The materials fee for the Wee Lassie II is $1,150. Please consult with the school office when registering for the course.