Build a Canoe
If you can tie your shoelaces (thread a plastic cable tie), ice a cake (spread some glue), and hold a cordless drill, then you can build this canoe.
The 3.6m long by 750mm wide marine plywood canoe we are building can be carried by one adult, fits on a standard car roof rack, is easy to paddle, and is very stable. No sawing of plywood or special woodworking skills are required. No experience is needed!
The canoe makes an excellent parent/child/grandparent project. All have had their canoes ready for the water on the last day.
If looked after, this canoe will provide years of boating fun for the whole family.
YES! YOU CAN BUILD A CANOE AS A GROUP
Your team members MUST be aged 12+, for safety reasons
You only need to purchase 1 ticket per team. The ticket must be for the oldest person in the team eg. if the oldest person is aged 14-17 you need a teen ticket. If the oldest person is 18+ you need an adult ticket.
At checkout you must advise the full names of your extra team members
AGE: Suitable for ages 12 to adult - you must be aged 14+ to attempt this build without an adult with you.
SKILL LEVEL: Everyone - Suitable for a range of experience and skill. Tutors understand that there will be varying skill levels and will adapt to the needs and interests of all students.
SCHEDULE: Full Days - Monday 13 to Friday 17 January 2025 - 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
VENUE: St Mary’s Primary School
STATUS: Places available
If you can tie your shoelaces (thread a plastic cable tie), ice a cake (spread some glue), and hold a cordless drill, then you can build this canoe.
The 3.6m long by 750mm wide marine plywood canoe we are building can be carried by one adult, fits on a standard car roof rack, is easy to paddle, and is very stable. No sawing of plywood or special woodworking skills are required. No experience is needed!
The canoe makes an excellent parent/child/grandparent project. All have had their canoes ready for the water on the last day.
If looked after, this canoe will provide years of boating fun for the whole family.
YES! YOU CAN BUILD A CANOE AS A GROUP
Your team members MUST be aged 12+, for safety reasons
You only need to purchase 1 ticket per team. The ticket must be for the oldest person in the team eg. if the oldest person is aged 14-17 you need a teen ticket. If the oldest person is 18+ you need an adult ticket.
At checkout you must advise the full names of your extra team members
AGE: Suitable for ages 12 to adult - you must be aged 14+ to attempt this build without an adult with you.
SKILL LEVEL: Everyone - Suitable for a range of experience and skill. Tutors understand that there will be varying skill levels and will adapt to the needs and interests of all students.
SCHEDULE: Full Days - Monday 13 to Friday 17 January 2025 - 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
VENUE: St Mary’s Primary School
STATUS: Places available
If you can tie your shoelaces (thread a plastic cable tie), ice a cake (spread some glue), and hold a cordless drill, then you can build this canoe.
The 3.6m long by 750mm wide marine plywood canoe we are building can be carried by one adult, fits on a standard car roof rack, is easy to paddle, and is very stable. No sawing of plywood or special woodworking skills are required. No experience is needed!
The canoe makes an excellent parent/child/grandparent project. All have had their canoes ready for the water on the last day.
If looked after, this canoe will provide years of boating fun for the whole family.
YES! YOU CAN BUILD A CANOE AS A GROUP
Your team members MUST be aged 12+, for safety reasons
You only need to purchase 1 ticket per team. The ticket must be for the oldest person in the team eg. if the oldest person is aged 14-17 you need a teen ticket. If the oldest person is 18+ you need an adult ticket.
At checkout you must advise the full names of your extra team members
AGE: Suitable for ages 12 to adult - you must be aged 14+ to attempt this build without an adult with you.
SKILL LEVEL: Everyone - Suitable for a range of experience and skill. Tutors understand that there will be varying skill levels and will adapt to the needs and interests of all students.
SCHEDULE: Full Days - Monday 13 to Friday 17 January 2025 - 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
VENUE: St Mary’s Primary School
STATUS: Places available
course info
Please read all course information below before purchasing tickets for this event.
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The canoe comes as a complete kit with all marine plywood parts cut out ready to assemble - no sawing needed.
We plane a bevel and drill 4mm holes along the edges of the sheets, glue pairs of panels together, and then sew them all together with plastic cable ties.
When we have the shape correct we glue and fit the gunwales (strips of timber along the tops of the sides), glue the chines (joins) together with epoxy glue, then plane and sand everything smooth when the glue has cured.
Sounds too easy? For a few days you will be kept very busy - we start at 8.00 am after the first day.
And after all that effort … success is guaranteed! -
Please bring the following on your first day of class:
ESSENTIAL
Cordless drill with 4mm drill bit and Phillips head driver. Don’t forget the charger!
Pair of pliers for tightening cable ties
Several grades of sandpaper for smoothing timber
Pair of saw horses or folding work benches
Old clothes and closed-in shoes- no thongs or sandals
Plastic gloves to avoid glue on hands
HELPFUL
Wood plane
Hand saw
Hammer
Chisel
Woodworking clamps
Any general woodworking tools
Countersink drill bit
CANOE SEAT
Plastic chair minus legs.
Council clean-ups are good. Check out ‘simple canoe/kayak seats’ on Google Images for ideas or try eBay for around $50. Patio chairs with armrests are usually too big.
We may be able to fit your seat if you bring it to Camp Creative, but seats are not needed if you want to launch your canoe in the river - just sit on the bottom.
PADDLE
If you wish to bring your own 1.8m x 30mm Tassie oak dowel (about $20 from Bunnings) or 1.5m long broom handle from your local hardware store (even cheaper!) to the course, we will provide the ply paddle blades and glue for you to make your own paddle.
This class has an extra materials cost of $300, which is payable directly to the tutor.
Once you book your ticket, the tutor will be in touch to arrange payment.
Cost of $300 includes:All materials pre-cut and ready to make your canoe (does not include a seat, paint or a paddle)
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No experience required.
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The 3.6m canoe will easily handle an 85 kg adult and a very exuberant 25 kg dog - I speak from experience!
The canoe is also available as a 4.2m (14ft) model for those wanting something larger.
As this is not the standard size, anyone wanting a 4.2m version will need to let Brian know a month before Camp Creative. -
Many of our students choose to give their completed craft a trial run on the Bellinger River on the last day.
The canoe can be safely launched without painting, but will need painting or varnishing before being put into general use.
As Ratty said to Mole in Kenneth Grahame’s ‘The Wind in the Willows’“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing… as messing about in boats.”
BUY TICKETS
“My husband took a week off work to attend this course, his first Camp Creative. He completed the most amazing canoe that he is super proud of!”
YOUR COURSE TUTORS
Brian Jones
Brian is a retired primary school and TAFE teacher who is passionate about building boats and getting out on the water, be it sailing, steaming or paddling.
He has built dinghies, canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards with men’s groups, youth at risk and TAFE, and primary and high school students.
He has seen the tremendous sense of pride and self-worth that building their own craft brings- for many students, it has been their first success at school. He has built stitch and glue canoes with students in high schools, TAFE, the National Maritime Museum in Sydney, the Wooden Boat Festivals in Hobart, Rhyll (Phillip Island), and Maleny in QLD.
More than 100 of these have been at Camp Creative, bringing the total number of these canoes afloat to over 300. He also builds boats for himself, including canoes and kayaks, sailing dinghies, a seven metre steamboat, and a 1920s design speedboat. His aim is to show as many people as possible how easy it is to get afloat in a craft they have built themselves.
Paul Fisher
Paul met Brian around 10 years ago when he and his oldest son attended the Build a Canoe course.
Two years later he was at it again with his second son. A firm friendship developed which resulted in Paul joining Brian (as humble assistant) to co-manage the course.
Paul’s interests include working with wood, working with people and general problem solving. These interests stem from a life-long association with farming and farmers. While Paul enjoys boats and boating, his real focus is on the people who attend the course and the way they interact over the progression of the Camp Creative week. When he is not building canoes, Paul runs cattle and an orchard at Gleniffer.
