A Bordentown City canoe and kayak shop is sponsoring a workshop class this weekend to teach boaters how to build a kayak.
By:Vanessa S. Holt
BORDENTOWN CITY From hunting in the icy waters of ancient Greenland to taking a leisurely paddle on the calm Delaware River, the kayak has been in use for centuries to sustain life or simply to make it a little more fun.
Kayak enthusiasts can get a truly hands-on experience next week at a three-day kayak building course on how to make a skin-on-frame kayak, the same type of craft used by the Inuit people of Greenland for centuries.
Unlike the craft used in arctic waters for hunting and fishing, however, these kayaks will probably be used for recreation and exercise on much less frigid waters, said Ron Friedman, owner of the shop that is sponsoring the classes.
Paint Island Canoe and Kayak, a shop located at 350 Farnsworth Ave., will hold the class from May 9 to 11. Bob Foote, a kayaker, designer and white-water canoeist based in Texas, will teach the class. He chairs the American Canoe Association (ACA) River Canoeing Committee, and is an ACA instructor.
A skin-on-frame kayak is traditionally made of driftwood, animal skins and bone, said Mr. Friedman, who lives in Clarksburg, Millstone Township. Participants in the class will not have to collect seal skins and walrus bones; however, they will be using modern materials.
While traditional craft would be pegged and lashed together, the modern craft will use screws and a foam lathe product will make up the ribs of the boat. Modern kayaks are covered in canvas or nylon, not animal skins.
The boats will be built by similar methods, however, custom-designed to the measurements of the person building the kayak. Unlike a canoe, which is open, a kayak is fitted to the person who will use it. In Greenland and other cold climates, this is essential to protect the hunter from the cold.
Kayaking is gaining in popularity, said Mr. Friedman. Some competitors even make it to Greenland to compete.
"It’s a growing interest," he said. "There are more events in this country."
One Web site that caters to kayakers, www.qajaqusa.org, includes information about competitions held by the Greenland Kayaking Association, Qaannat Kattuffiat.
You don’t have to go to the icy island to learn the basics of kayaking, however. The Delaware River and Crosswicks Creek are popular spots for kayakers of all experience levels.
Assunpink Lake in Millstone is another favorite location for Mr. Friedman, where he said he enjoys relaxing among the herons and bullfrogs that share the lake. "It’s great to get out in the evening and paddle for a couple hours," he said.
Kayaking is a great form of exercise as well, he said. People have even crossed oceans and circumnavigated countries in kayaks.
"It’s pretty forgiving," he said. "You just have to pick the right craft." A wide-beamed craft is less likely to flip over, while a streamlined craft may be appropriate for speed and maneuverability.
"Boating has inherent dangers, but as in any sport, you have to be very aware," he said.
The first kayak-building session on the evening of May 9 will focus on gathering measurements and determining how each boat will be configured. Saturday and Sunday, May 10 and 11, will be 10-hour building days. Kayak-builders can relax with a quick boat ride on Crosswicks Creek, located near the building shop, when they need a break, said Mr. Friedman.
The course fee of $899 is for the construction of one boat, and a maximum seven boats will be made during the class. Individuals or a team can work on one craft. Participants are asked to bring some materials, including a portable drill, extra battery and charter, a tape measure, rags, pencils, two small clamps and two large clamps. The clamps should be the quick-set type that slide on a bar and have a grip tightening handle, said Mr. Friedman. Anyone with a sawhorse is encouraged to bring one.
To register, contact Paint Island Canoe and Kayak at (609) 324-8200.

