H e r e h o m e g r e e t i n g s ! i t i n e r a r yUpdated v i d e o b u i l d i n g Q a j a q f i t t i n g Q a j a q S O F W o r k s h o p s b i o s D V D s & H a t sNEW O f S p e c i a l N o t e C o o l K a y a k S t u f f

Interested in a Skin on Frame Kayak Workshop? Have you been fascinated by the historical roots of the kayak? Tired of rattling around in a kayak that is too big for you, or too much of a design compromise? Are you curious enough to want to build one yourself? Have you ever been tempted to build your own kayak, but you are baffled by the dark art of bending ribs, or you are intimidated by sewing and finishing a kayak skin? Now is your opportunity! Build a kayak that suits how and where you like to paddle. Whether you would like a rolling kayak, a flat water day kayak or a rough water kayak, Expressively and practically parsed by several different arctic cultures, skin on frame technology lends itself amicably to solving all of these design riddles and more. The Greenlandic qajaq is one of the most utilitarian and intimate of all boat traditions. All of these choices can be accommodated in these workshops. With an eye toward appropriate technology and design, I am a woodworker by trade, an architect by training, and kayaker by passion. I will mentor you through the myriad choices, materials, and steps involved in the crafting a traditional Greenlandic skin on frame qajaq. Begin to master the simple tools and skills required to continue to build other kayak, once you are well on your way. The workshops are not a stroll through, assembling a kit. For a minimum 10 days, at a minimum of 10 hours a day, one step at a time, this journey will reflect your present and your future, building a kayak that fits you in a way that you have only dreamt about, until know. One hundred hours. One kayak you will love. A short list of simple hand tools is required of each student. Simple woodworking skills are highly recommended. For a photographic example of process at one workshop, the first two weeks in August of 2006, I did a workshop near Sharkey Point on Seneca Lake, New York Area. Jennifer Pivovar and Brad Carmen worked incredibly hard, and their efforts rewarded them with two SOF, one sweet little rolling kayak for Jennifer, and Brad's kayak, based on his frame and some ideas taken from one of my SOF. Pictures are here. 2 0 1 1 Updated 15 November, 2010 UPCOMING January 21st through 30th, 2011 We're offering a SOF qajaq-building workshop, at the Complete Paddler Kayak Shop in the Toronto, Ontario area.. Please contact us for further information, and Kelly McDowell at the Complete Paddler to register. March 11th through 20th Fresh on the heels of a great workshop this past fortnight, we are pleased to announce the next Skin on Frame workshop at our new 'Qajaq House'... Beginning March 11th, we can host up to 5 builders for a week and a half of qajaq-building, and perhaps some backcountry x-c skiing at either the crack of dawn, or by moonlight, if you have any 'get up and go' left! Additional skin on frame workshops will be posted on our itinerary page. Please inquire if you are interested in taking part. We also offer other ways to build boats, over longer period of time, working side by side in the Barn. If you are more local to us, and more likely to be able to piece three four day weekends or four three-day weekends together, this sort of format may work a good deal better for you than trying to find 10-12 days off in a row. So yeah, plenty of choice at the Barn, and other locales, on the road, are 'in the works'! If you are looking for an extended vacation building and paddling, It looks like we'll be doing building workshops in Italy in late March/early April, and back in the Barn in Maine in early November. Still also working on doing one on the west coast this summer, too. If you would like to help host a workshop, I will send you some info on how this all works. Please do not hesitate to contact me! O n g o i n g I also build custom and replica qajaq for all manner of kayakers and their chosen kayaking challenges. For more on how a kayak can be built to suit follow this path. For more on my background as a builder and designer please try this link. All Photos by Turner Wilson © 2005-2010, unless otherwise noted. Comments? Questions? Send mail to: h2o@kayakways.net G o T o p !