Build your own double-paddle canoe this fall in a historic Vermont barn and gorgeous bucolic setting.
An immersive boat-building experience with a master of the craft, boat-builder Bill Thomas. This 6 1/2 day workshop takes place at Scott Farm, a historic farmstead and apple orchard just outside of Brattleboro in Dummerston, Vermont. Participants will be building the Fox Canoe, a decked, double-paddle canoe designed for protected waters along the coast, for lakes, and for all those appealing backwaters and creeks you are always driving by and meaning to explore someday.
About the Fox Canoe. With an 80” long cockpit, Fox is a grand boat for hunting, fishing and tripping with a dog or young child seated forward of the paddler.
Fox boasts two accessible watertight compartments, which add flotation and dry gear storage. There’s ample room for a camping kit. A rotating seat back and caned seat insure all day paddling comfort. She is 14’7” long with a beam of 30″; the finished weight is just over 40 pounds.
>> Read more about the Fox’s design and construction
>> Watch a video of the Fox Canoe in action!
Learn. Students will construct their canoes using a stitch-and-glue technique. Once the plywood hull is complete, you’ll learn how to apply fiberglass cloth set in epoxy resin to create a strong and waterproof shell. You’ll also learn how to install seats, carlins, and other hardwood fittings to complete the canoe. Throughout the class, students will gain valuable woodworking skills and techniques while also developing an understanding of the principles of boatbuilding.
No previous boatbuilding or woodworking experience required.
Finish. While some woodworking tasks and epoxy coating will still be need to be done at home, by the end of this 6 1/2 day workshop each student will have a nearly completed boat and the skills to finish the work at home. Each student will also have access to a 23-part video on building the Fox.
What to expect: Most builders spend about 30 to 40 more hours over several months to finish their boats (sanding, painting, varnishing). The boat needs to be stored inside for the last bit or work (or covered), but the work can be done outside if the weather is nice.
Monday through Sunday, September 16-22 | 8:30am – 5:30pm (half day on Sunday) | Class will break for a 1/2 hour lunch each day.
==> Registration Deadline is Sunday, July 21. Please read our Special Cancellation Policy for this offering (below).
Cost: $1,105 members; $1,300 non-members | Pairs are encouraged! Work on a canoe together with a friend, for a single registration fee.
Addtl. Materials Fee: $1,875. Participants will be asked to supply their own respirators and pocket knives.
What to Bring: Bring a bag lunch, or you may purchase lunch at the Scott Farm general store.
For more information including accommodation suggestions, please contact education@hatchspace.org.
