Learn how to make masts and other spars at the Sparmaking Workshop at Chase Small Craft’s shop in Saco, Maine. Bring the family: with a water park across the street and so close to Old Orchard Beach, there is plenty for the family to do while you learn the ropes. You will learn the birdsmouth technique as well as tips on how to make your spars smooth, straight, and sturdy. This is a 5-day workshop, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tag: how-to
Amazing Resource: Nick Schade’s How-To Videos
Nick Schade—Guillemot KayaksNick’s got some great titles for his videos in these series.
Nick Schade has been documenting, on a day-to-day basis, his process for building Guillemot Kayaks‘ designs. The latest is a build of the microBootlegger Sport, a beautiful and sleek double paddle kayak. Here’s the whole playlist on YouTube, which will play the next episode automatically when you finish one.
If you’re building one of Nick’s boats in particular, then this is obvious gold, but there is a lot to glean here for anybody wanting to know more about strip-built or skin-on-frame boats. In an average of 20 minutes per episode, Nick gives a level of detail that both seasoned and beginner boatbuilders will appreciate, as he shares his own personal take on all sorts of aspects of the build, through the entire process, from buying the lumber to doing the finish work.
Not only do you get to see a professional in action, but you get to see Nick screw up, then tell you what happened, and how he fixed it. One episode, “Ruining Expensive Lumber,” certainly got us to click and watch, and he gracefully and openly admits to having accidentally ripped some strips in the wrong direction, yielding some undesirable grain orientation. This is the real deal.
Nick Schade—Guillemot KayaksNick launches the skin-on-frame kayak he built in another series of videos.
These are beautifully produced videos that are helpful and chockablock full of information. Be sure to check out these other playlists and builds: A skin-on-frame microBootlegger Sport and a Petrel Play.
Have a look at our review of Guillemot’s Noank, a sliding seat pulling boat.