ST MICHAELS, MD – The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum will host a nine-day workshop this fall to teach the basics of building a skin-on-frame kayak and Greenland paddle. From Saturday, September 28, to Sunday, October 6, 2019 all participants will construct and take home a kayak and paddle under the direction of Kiliii Yüyan and Addie Asbridge of Seawolf Kayak.
Seawolf’s kayaks are a modern adaptation of traditional skin-on-frame kayaks made from red cedar, bamboo, and “skinned” with nylon and non-toxic polyurethane. In this program, participants will learn construction techniques from traditional qayaq communities across the Arctic—from Alaska to Greenland, including lashing, joinery, and steam bending—and leave the class with an ultralight, ultra-durable sea kayak, built entirely from start-to-finish with a few hand tools.
Each student will build a kayak designed for their paddling experience and interest—from beginner day-trippers to expert expeditioners. No woodworking or kayaking experience is necessary to participate, and the final day of the workshop will include a group paddle along the Miles River.
Seawolf Kayak’s master kayak designer Kiliii Yüyan is an indigenous (Nanai) boatbuilder & photographer with a passion for all things wild, who has guided survival expeditions by land and sea and paddled many regions of the world. He has spent years with traditional kayak-using communities of the North, learning the skills of building qayaqs and umiaqs. Now he designs skin-on-frame kayaks for the modern paddler and helps return the kayak to its original communities and Native youth. Addie Asbridge, Seawolf’s expert builder, has been with the company since 2015 and has been playing in woodshops since she was a child.
The program takes place on CBMM’s waterfront St. Michaels, Md., campus from 8:30am–6pm each day, and costs $2,100 per participant, which includes materials for a completed kayak and Greenland paddle. Participation is limited; to register email workshops@seawolfkayak.com, and mention this workshop at CBMM. For more information, visit cbmm.org or seawolfkayak.com.
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~ Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum