BUILD YOUR OWN CHESAPEAKE 17LT SEA KAYAK
Constructing a 17' stitch-and-glue touring sea kayak. Chesapeake Light Craft Shop, Annapolis, MD
- JOHN HARRIS — MAY 19–24
In this six-day course, each student will build a Chesapeake 17LT sea kayak. This beautiful and capable 17-footer can carry enough gear for a week of camp-cruising. Lightweight yet sturdy, the Chesapeake 17LT is easy to cartop, carry, and store. Even so, the Chesapeake is ideal for coastal and inland waters as well. The kayaker travels in a low, quiet boat which floats in only a few inches of water. A kayak is a great choice for birdwatching, exercising, or just watching the marsh grass bend in the wind while camping in remote places. If you want to travel along rocky coasts and in exposed waters, this stable, fast, and seaworthy craft is the perfect boat.
Chesapeake Light Craft has been manufacturing stitch-and-glue kayak kits since 1993. CLC’s many designs emphasize easy construction combined with good looks and uncompromised performance. Using the stitch-and-glue method, each student will build a kayak without the complication of frames, molds, or a strongback. The resulting hard-chined Chesapeake kayak is very stable, maneuverable, and suited to both beginning paddlers and experienced kayakers.
First, the class will study the plans. Next, the precut panels are connected with copper wire stitches and the hull assembled with epoxy and fiberglass tape. Next come the curved, laminated deckbeam, cambered plywood deck, and laminated cockpit coaming.
The instructor will discuss outfitting the kayak with seat, hatches, backrest, and footbraces. Participants will learn the proper way to sand and paint or varnish the kayak. If a student is interested in special features on his or her boat (typically a compass, a bilge pump, a rudder, or retractable skeg), the instructor will provide tips and techniques so the work can be completed at home.
At the end of the course you will take home a kayak plus a cargo of self-confidence which comes from having completed your wooden boat. In addition, you’ll have gained experience with wood-epoxy construction, reading plans, and kayak design fundamentals.
The course is aimed at the first-time builder, and students have ranged from teenagers to seniors. The building process is easy but fast-paced, and you’ll be spending plenty of time in the shop.
Tuition: $700
Materials: $849
Note: This six-day course ends Saturday afternoon. Also, depending on each individual’s height and weight, students have the option to build other CLC kayak designs, after consulting with the instructor (in advance of the course).