Guillemot Kayaks
Small Wooden Boats by Nick Schade
Guillemot Kayaks By Nick Schade
Fine Wood Kayaks High Performance Art
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rawing inspiration rom sources ranging rom the Inuit o Greenland
to 1920’s runabouts, Nick Schade has crated high art out o high perormance kayaks. Nick believes that perormance o the boat should not conict with its aesthetic elegance. The most elegant boat is one that looks like living room urniture while used in the harshest conditions. Nick’s designs and the boats he builds ulfll these requirements. Each design is careully refned or high perormance on the the water. Each vessel is individually hand-crated to meet the highest standards. Each boat built is a one-o-a-kind work o perormance art.
N
ick offers ne custom-made wooden boats or the discriminating
paddler or discerning collector collector.. He can create a custom design or use on a particular body o water or to ft a specifc display space. Nick Schade’s designs have achieved international acclaim or their beauty and perormance. ξ Awarded frst place at the Wash Washington ington Craft Show ξ A Guillemot kayak resides in the permanent collection o the Museum of
Modern Art . ξ Nick’s work has been eatured in ForbesLife, The Robb Report, Wired,
WoodenBoat and WoodenBoat and Outside Outside Magazines Photograph: Night Heron sea kayak in the permanent collection o the Museum o Modern Art. – photo by Richard Bergen
The Boats …
Night Heron T
his adaptation of a traditional Inuit kayak kayak form to modern
construction techniques has the on-the-water perormance to match its its looks. With long, graceul lines, lines, the Night Heron ows across the water smoothly and easily. The narrow waterline makes this boat very efcient, while maintaining enough stability to sit comortably in even the most mo st unruly water water..
The Inuit people o Greenland depended on kayaks to keep keep ood on the table. They developed a highly refned crat that would bring them to their oshore hunting grounds reliably and an d saely. The Night Heron draws on that tradition to provide a un and beautiul kayak at home paddling up a quiet estuary or playing in o-shore sur.
N
ick made a Night Heron or an exhibition at the American Craft Museum (now called the Museum o Arts and Design). That boat ended up in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art . This is a truly spectacular looking boat that begs you to go paddling.
Petrel E
arly sailors thought the Storm Petrel could walk on water .
Named ater Saint Peter, Peter, petrels eed at sea by uttering just above the swell with their eet tip-toeing across the water. Like Like its bird namesake, the Petrel kayak is at home at sea where w here it can dance among the waves. waves.
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esigned as a responsive, light-weight boat suitable or
day trips in rough water it is equally at home poking into sheltered estuaries or exploring the shore o isolated coves. This design will carry a large paddler through rough conditions, yet it is small enough to be easily handled by petit kayakers. kayakers.
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ith a form inspired by the Inuit inventor inventorss o kayaking, the
Petrel will appeal to devoted Greenland-style paddlers Petrel without being intimidating to novice sea kayakers. kayakers.
µBootlegger R
acing boats from the 1924 Gold Challenge Cup are not the usual inspiration
or a sea kayak, but a picture o the George Crouch designed Baby Bootlegger Bootlegger was an innovation in its time, introducing the got me thinking. Baby Bootlegger was “rolled sheer” where the deck blends smoothly into the side and the long streamlined stern. While this may be an unexpected starting point or a kayak, the graceul, efcient shape struck my ancy. The µBootlegger (micro The µBootlegger (micro Bootlegger) is a roomy, efcient tandem kayak or cruising a lake or exploring a bay. While more sedate than her namesake, she moves easily through the water and, should a wind blow in, will handle rough water with aplomb. The boat
… a roomy, efcient tandem kayak or cruising a lake or exploring a bay pictured is constructed o mahogany and maple and encapsulated in epoxy, fberglass and carbon fber. The kayak is lightweight and easy to carry. This boat may be customized with hatches, a rudder, spray-skirt and otation sponsons and can also be equipped or sailing. The design may be rigged or paddling solo or tandem.
Solo microBootlegger W
hile some like to paddle with a friend, others prefer going solo. The solo
version o the microBootlegg version microBootlegger er is intended or the more independent sort. Whether you preer to poke into solitary coves to cast a line in peace or drit down microBootlegger is a gorgeous vessel to take you where you a lazy river the Solo microBootlegger is want to go. µBootlegger (micro Bootlegger) is a spacious, easy to paddle recreational The Solo µBootlegger (micro kayak or exploring a lake or harbor. Wide enough to be comortably stable yet narrow enough to be easy to paddle, this design is a good boat or novice paddlers who enjoy leisurely excursions in calm water. The volume o the boat provides a secure ride should weather blow in while out on the water. The boat pictured is constructed o mahogany and maple and encapsulated in epoxy, fberglass and carbon fber. The kayak is lightweight and easy to carry.
Aleutesque T
he Aleut people lived in some o the most extreme conditions
in the world. The Aleutian Islands orm the border between the Northern Pacifc and the Bering Sea, where the winds never stop and the seas are deadly even with the best modern equipment. Out on this maelstrom the hunters sought seal, walrus and whale. They hunted rom a kayak. The Aleutesque steps o rom these unique boats to create a stunning, ast and un sea kayak. The Aleut boats were named “baidarkas” by the Russian traders who frst encountered the native kayakers. kayakers. The baidarka was unusual or it bow b ow and stern shapes. The bow was “biurcated” with a split between the high volume top and a slim wave cutting bottom. The stern was truncated into a skeg. The Aleutesque vamps on o n these orms to create a high perormance modern kayak suitable suitable or ftness training on lakes and the ocean.
Nymph I
n the 1880’s J. Henry Rushton
developed a line o small, ultralightweight canoes designed to be propelled with a double-ended paddle like a kayak. The most amous o these is the boat, Sairy Gamp he designed and built or George Washington Sears, a writer or Forest and Stream magazine, who used the pen-name “Nessmuk”. Nessmuk used his little canoe to travel the lakes and rivers o the Adirondacks. An example o this “Nessmuk Model” canoe by Rushton was given the name “Wee Lassie” by William West Durant.
At about 15 pounds Nymph is easy to carry down to the water.
Based on the ideas o J. H. Rushton, I developed the Nymph using modern building techniques. This boat uses the strip-built method and the latest materials to create a un and easy to handle little crat. At about 15 pounds Nymph is easy to carry down to the water. water. The tumble-home below b elow the gunwales makes the paddle stroke easier while keeping good stability. At 10 eet long it can easily poke into hidden coves.
To make a long-lasting, low maintenance vessel, all the wood on Nymph is sealed under a layer o fberglass or carbon-Kevlar cloth and epoxy. epoxy. While designed or paddlers padd lers under 150 pounds, it is strong enough to carry a 200 pound paddler.
Skin-on-Frame Petrel T
he rst kayaks were made in the arctic by the Aleut and Inuit
“Eskimos” using nothing but dritwood and seal skin. The results were extremely seaworthy vessels that were lightweight and resilient. It is no longer considered “PC” to kill seals to make a boat, but the same basic techniques still make amazing and beautiul boats Combining the traditional building techniques with the needs o modern paddlers, this kayak is based on my proven strip-built Petrel Petr el design. The rame is made ma de o Alaskan yellow cedar with white oak ribs. The skin is tough polyester abric sealed with a 2-part urethane.
Night Heron Stitch and Glue
B
etween Fishers Island and Long Island
ows some o the roughest water on the east coast – the vast tidal rip known as “The Race”. The Night Heron is designed to be at home in these conditions. cond itions. It is a capable, seaworthy kayak kayak styled on the seal-skin covered cover ed boats o the Greenland Inuit.
a capable, seaworthy kayak styled on the seal-skin covered cov ered boats o the Greenland Inuit.
This boat is a plywood version o my design at the Museum o Modern Art. Since plywood generally generally comes in 8 t lengths, the material or an 18 t boat must be spliced into longer sections. Standard practice is a long tapered “scar” joint. This leaves a distracting line between the dierent pieces o wood. Instead o attempting to hide the joint join t the Night Heron uses the required joint as a decorative design element.
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he puzzle joint is as strong as a scar joint and adds a whimsical touch to a high perormance sea kayak. The plywood construction is rugged and light weight. This boat may be customized with a seat, oot braces and an additional hatch.
Coot Dinghy N
ot just another white dinghy. The Coot is an able little
vessel to get you out to your yacht and back. It rows along easily with room or a couple passengers and their gear. The design could be rigged or sailing and can take a small outboard. This design can be built as a rugged little knock-about boat at about 65 lbs or as a little more delicate lightweight crat or easy stowing on a yacht cabin top.
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he construction is cedar strip completely encapsulated in 6 ounce fberglass cloth, doubled up on the outside bottom. The bottom is then coated with a graphite powder epoxy mix or durability du rability sliding up a beach. The seats and transoms are 1/2 okume marine plywood that is also ully encapsulated in 4 ounce fberglass cloth. The result is a very rugged boat that will be protected rom weathering and rot or a very long time.
Mystery L
ittle is as exhilarating as planting your paddle the shoulders o
a beey swell and eeling your kayak shoot orward as it starts surfng. Mystery is a high perormance racing kayak that is stable enough or serious amateurs yet ast enough to be competitive in open water races. Cedar strips combined with carbon fber and lightweight S-glass cloth allows the construction o a very sti and ultra lightweight racing kayak. Mystery Mystery is race optimized using the latest la test computer perormance modeling sotware. sotware. This same sotware was used by
the top sur-ski manuacture man uacture to develop develop their various numbered versions o perormance racing skis. The super-efcient hull shape moves eortlessly through the water with almost no visible wake. Mystery is not or everyone, everyone, but i you want to eel the ow while linking together downwind sur runs, this is the boat or you. Nick can optimize this design or your weight, strength and racing style as desired.
Built for Use...
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hile these boats may make look like fragile works of art , they are built with the highest
quality materials that allow them to be used. Wood is a natural composite material that is more rugged and atigue resistant than the best high tech synthetics. This wonderul, beautiul material is then protected under a completely transparent layer o fberglass abric and sealed with epoxy resin. The result is a durable, rot resistant, lightweight vessel that is worthy o hanging on the wall, but capable o crossing an ocean.
Creating a Kayak Form Strip-planked boats are built over a orm that defnes the shape. Narrow strips o wood are shaped to ft tightly tig htly together.
Fit Each o about 100 strips are careully shaped one at a time by hand to create strong, tight joints between each piece o wood.
Fair Ater the orms are covered with the strip planks, the wood needs to be sculpted and smoothed to create a air shape.
Fiberglass The outside is reinorced w ith cloth. Fabric woven rom fne strands o glass is exible and strong. This cloth starts out white as the thin threads o glass catch and reect the light. It is hard to believe that this silk-like cloth is created rom glass.
Seal The white fberglass abric becomes completely transparent when saturated with a two-part epoxy mixture. This highstrength adhesive bonds the ‘glass abric to the wood with a rugged layer o waterproo resin.
Strengthen The inside o the boat can be urther reinorced with more fberglass or or even greater strength and toughness a layer o Kevlar or Carbon Fiber cloth may be substituted. While not transparent like the fberglass, the exotic abrics add a handsome contrast to the natural wood.
Sanding Ater several layers o epoxy have been added to the surace o the boat a multi-step process o sanding and urther resin fll coats produce a smooth, hard surace ready or a glossy protective clear coat.
Satisfaction Ater many hours o careul work, the fnal product is beautiul to behold. It is ready to be displayed in a great room or paddled across a bay.
Guillemot Kayaks Designs I
started designing and building boats while still in high school. Ater studying
electrical engineering, I went to work or the Navy, but kept my love o boats, particularly kayaks. kayaks. I designed and built my frst to fll my need or a boat beore starting my engineering career. Ater a ew years at work, I decided I needed a dierent kayak and designed I have been and built one to suit my evolving skills. skills. Ater a ew more rounds o designing, I elt I had some designs worthy o messing about selling to others who desired to build in boats since I their own. This was the genesis o Guillemot Kayaks Kayaks in 1993. 1 993. A was a kid. ew years later I was able to convert the hobby to a ull-time business. Nymph
14’ Great Auk
Adirondack Guide Boat
Petrel
Guillemot
Great Auk
Since then I have continued to create more boats. As my skills at the drawing board, in the workshop and on the water have evolved evolved I continue to fnd inspirations and ideas to keep my work resh and exhilarating.
µBootlegger
I hope you fnd my boats as exciting as I do
Night Heron
Nick Schade
Aleutesque
Razor Billed Auk
Expedition Single
Mystery
Guillemot Double
Great Auk Double
Guillemot Fast Double 1’
2’
3’
4’
5’
6’
7’
8’
9’
10’ 11’ 12’ 13’ 14’ 15’ 16’ 17’ 18’ 19’ 20’ 21’ 22’ 23’ 24’ 25’
Hand Crafted Kayaks A
typical kayak kayak takes about 3 to 5 months to build, but actual labor may
vary rom 150 hours to over 400. Each piece o wood is careully ftted together to create a unifed wood shell. This wood is protected under a layer o fberglass abric bonded in place with epoxy resin then coated with a marine varnish. The combination o fberglass and epoxy is very tough and perectly transparent so that the beauty o the wood will be protected or generations. Each boat is custom outftted to suit the desires o the customer. Most o my boats boa ts are “strip-built”. “strip-built”. This requires the precise hand-shaping o over 200 pieces o wood. The wood is selected to enhance the beauty and unction o the boat. Typically western red cedar is used, but other materials such as tiger maple and mahogany may be incorporated. Wood may be “book-matched” using pieces o wood consecutively cut rom a board or they may be randomly colored rom a variety o boards. I desired, I can also incorporate other reinorcement reinorc ement abrics on the interior o the boat such as carbon fber or Kevlar. Kevlar. These space age materials will increase the strength o the kayak while keeping the weight low low.. Custom built boat prices range rom about $8,000 to over $45,000 depending on design, building technique and details o construction.
Ordering Your Boat T
hank you for your interest in my boats. I take pride in designing boats that are elegant in both aesthetics and perormance. I build these boats mysel, one-at-a-time, to assure that the care I put into
the design process is ollowed by equal care in workmanship. This artisanal cratsmanship requires care and time to ft the hundreds o individual pieces o wood into a unifed, rugged whole. The result o this patient process creates a lasting hei rloom that will be cherished by collectors or generations.
Choosing a Design Whether you are a collector or discerning boater, the decision process starts by asking yoursel “How
lighter and easier to carry than a larger one. I I do not have an existing design that meets your
will I use my boat?” A boat or a
particular need I would be happy to
civilized tour o the shores o Lake
create a distinctive design to match
Tahoe or rom an Adirondack lodge
your desire. With over 30 years o
may be dierent the boat destined
boating experience and 20 years o
or the outer islands o Maine
design expertise, you can be assured
or Inside Passage o Alaska and
that you will get a vessel that is
British Columbia. Are you looking
graceul on and o the water.
or a relaxed, stable boat, or a crat or experiencing
The best way to choose a design is probably to
the extremes o nature? Maybe you want a stunning
give me a call or drop me an email. I will be happy
vessel to add to your collection and are willing to
to work with you to give you exactly the crat you
trade o practicality or a wonderul object.
want.
I’ve created a wide selection o original designs appropriate or any use, rom an impressive yet relaxing-to-paddle tandem like the microBootlegger
Outfitting and Level of Finish Ater choosing a design or your vessel, you need
to elegant, storm-capable sea kayaks such a my
to think about what level o fnish you want. L ike a
Night Heron or Petrel designs. In general, wider
custom motorcycle motorcycle where you can se lect a simple
designs will be more stable and relaxing to use,
single color paint job and nice cloth seats, or may
while narrower beam will require more athleticism
opt or ames and embossed leathe r, with a custom
but perorm better or more aggressive users.
boat you can keep it simple and unctional or you
Similarly, shorter boats are best suited or sheltered
may preer to step it up a notch. I use my boats very
and calmer water whereas longer designs work
hard and my highest level o fnish would be quickly
well or extended distances and potentially rougher
lost under scratches so I quickly a ssemble my own
conditions. And on the whole, a smaller crat will be
kayaks using staples that leave a minor mark i n the
wood, I’m less selective with the wood I use and I
hatches and possibly deck lines, alternati vely vely,, you
apply a standard marine varnish as the fnal fnish.
may eel these eatures distract rom the appearance
The result is beautiul, but I don’t eel so bad putting
o the boat and are not necessary or your needs.
it through a air amount o abuse. At the other end
Again, eel ree to give me a call or write i you
o the spectrum or a customer wanting the fnest
have any questions.
I will careully assemble the wood without leaving
Accessories
the staple marks, selecting wood with a mind to
I can provide custom made paddles to match your
grain and color, and fnishing with a fne bued-out
boat, matching display/storage stands, protective
automotive type clear coat. The seat in my personal
transportation/storage covers to saeguard the crat,
boats are comortable but unexceptional waterproo
and can obtain other accessories such a lie jackets,
oam, but you may preer a stunning and unctional,
saety otation bags, spray skirts, and roo racks.
sculpted wooden seat. I you are planning on taking
Please ask i you think there is anything you think
extended trips with the boat you may preer storage
you may need.
“Natural” Colored This is the simplest level o fnish. It highlights the natural variation o wood tones by placing dierent colored strips o wood adjacent to each other. While the spe cies o wood may be the same, I make little eort to match the color o the strips. This allows me to work quickly to produce a beautiul boat.
“Graphic” Pat terns The deck o a kayak creates a unique canvas or creating art. Using a selection o contrasting woods I create a stylized pattern. These may be graceul waves, geometric patterns or inlaid crests.
“Matched” Wood All the wood or the boat is cut rom one perect board. The board is cut into consecutive matching strips and these strips are laid in order on the boat. The result is a boat that appears to be carved rom a solid block o wood with subtle grain patterns repeating across the boat. Contrasting woods are added to accentuate the shape o the boat
Ordering Once you have determined exactly what you
the act that these are handmade vessels, created
want I will provide a quote to build the boat. The
one-at-at-time by me I may need to push back the
price will be determined by the material, labor and
delivery date to assure that the quality meets my
overhead costs, because these may change with time
standards.
the quoted price will remain valid o 30 days. Ater
Transportation/Delivery
you have received a quote, I ask or deposit o 1/3rd
My studio is located in Groton, Connecticut. The
o the cost to reserve your position in the waiting
completed boat can be picked up at my studio i you
list, I will then ask or an additional 1/3rd when I
have appropriate roo racks or your vehicle. I may
start work on your boat, the remaining 1/3rd is due
be able to hand deliver the fnish vessel anywhere
beore delivery.
within a couple hundred miles o south east
The building process may take rom 3 to 5 months
Connecticut. I charge $0.75 per mile based on the
depending on the complexity o the order order.. The
round-trip distance as calculated by Google Maps
boats are built in the order in which I receive the
plus tolls. For longer distances within the contiguous
commission so delivery time will depend on what
48 states delivery is either common-carrier reight
other projects are in the pipeline ahead o yours.
or a specialty canoe/kayak delivery service. Outside
Your deposit will hold your place on the waiting
o the US will be determined on a case-by-case
list. I should be able to provide a rough estimate o
basis. Some deliveries may require construction o a
a delivery date when whe n you place an order, but due to
transportation crate.
Master Boat Builder Passing on His Art
N
ick is recognized or his mastery o the skills o building small wooden
boats using the strip-planked method. He has passed his skills on to others through two books. His frst; The Strip-Built Sea Kayak is the acknowledged bible on the subject o turning a small pile o wood into a Building g Strip-Plan Str ip-Planked ked Boats Boat s extends the rugged, unctional kayak. His second; Buildin method to any orm o small boat. boa t. Every year Nick brings his boat building experience to students at institutions WoodenBoat Boat School , the Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking and like the Wooden the International Yacht Restoration School. He oers building plans and kits or do-it-yoursel boat builders through his Guillemot Kayaks website at Guillemot-Kayaks.com .
In The Press… ForbesLife - June, 2009
Outside - August, 2009
Wired - July, 2009
WoodenBoat - 2007/2008 Two part boat building article by Nick Schade
Small Boats - 2008
Top to Bottom: Nymph, Nick paddling a Petrel in hurricane waves, Expedition Single
Nick Schade Guillemo Guil lemot t Kayaks www.WoodenKayaks.com 54 South Rd Groton, Connecticut, USA 06340 (860) 659-8847
[email protected]
