Skin-on-Frame Adirondack Guideboat

The Adirondack guideboat was considered the workhorse of the Adirondack mountains in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, before modern roads and rail opened up travel to interior sections. A cross between a canoe and a rowboat, the guideboat is an exceptionally fast and stable craft. Capable of being rowed solo, or repositioning the oarlocks to accommodate passengers, the boat is equally at home on tranquil ponds or open water.

Compared to many commercial options, the skin-on-frame version of the guideboat is relatively lightweight and retains all the best aspects of the boat. Light, fast, and seaworthy, the guideboat is a joy to row.

Take this rare opportunity for a master class in boat building from full time teacher and guideboat enthusiast Jon Richer. A “master” class means that you will be exposed to and experience the complete building process: very little will be pre-manufactured before the class begins. To minimize weight and cost, and maximize efficiency, the wooden ribs will be covered in a reinforced nylon skin.

Students will work together to build one boat. The finished boat will be raffled off to one participant for the cost of materials. Oars can be purchased separately from the instructor, or students are invited to carve their own in Jon's shop after the course is complete.

Students at any skill level can take this class. Familiarity with hand and power tools is helpful, but not necessary. Some of the skills you will gain in this course include: improved hand tool and power tool skills; a basic understanding of lofting, which is the transference of the design to full scale; and an understanding of and an appreciation for the complete boat building process, from design to creating the boat parts, assembly, and finishing. PLEASE NOTE: the running time of class days will vary depending on the work to be done. Some days will run longer than 8 hours and some less.