Guest guest Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 I seem to remember seeing mention of an annual wood kayak symposium somewhere in New England. Can someone please fill in the blanks for me?Thanks in advance,Dee Hall Impex Currituck, Blue over Smoky Ivory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donperry Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 Here are links to the Maine Boatbuilders Show and the Newfound Rendezvous: http://www.portlandcompany.com/bshow.html http://www.newfoundrendezvous.org/index.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 There is an annual rendevous for wood kayaks at newfound Lake in Bristol, NH every September. Info at www.newfound.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 I was hoping that these shows would provide a potential builder the opportunity to try boats from a bunch of different kit manufacturers. It doesn't look like that is the case. There appears to be representation by only one manufacturer at each show.So I went to the websites of several manufacturers to see what shows they plan on attending. Again, the answer seems to be 'not many'.Perhaps there is enough interest within NSPN to have it's own home built boat symposium. I know there are a lot of members who have built boats. I also know there are many other members who are thinking about building boats. We could have it in the spring on a local lake where there is lots of parking. We could include stitch and glue, strip, and skin on frame kayaks.Who would be interested? Please mention whether you would be showing, shopping, or both. Even better, if you would be showing, mention what type/model of kayak so we can see what sort of variety there would be.Dee Hall Impex Currituck, Blue over Smoky Ivory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 Dee,There is a New England based event that has boats from a number of different kayak kit and plan designers/manufacturers.Since it is hosted by an individual who also runs a for-profit kayak plan business, I've posted more information on the commercial board.Ciro."Leaders don't swim" - Gordon Brown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donperry Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 There were three kit manufacturers at the Maine Boat Builders Show a couple of years ago. This is a most worthy boat show to attend. It’s in a great location and nothing like the typical traveling shows common to large cities. Get an early start, spend the day on the waterfront & try one of Portland’s many fine restaurants. New ideas are guaranteed.I got into sea kayaking several years ago while walking the dog at Hale Reservation in Westwood. About ten in the am we walked into the annual demo put on by Bob Smith’s Wilderness House in late May. Five hours later I had tried sixteen different kayaks and decided on a suitable design. A SOF builder from the Cape was there along with many other canoe, kayak & equipment manufacturers. All were looking for orders to fill.Prospects for the vendors are better at larger venues giving them more incentive to arrive and display for two or three days. Your plan might be better served by joining efforts with the Wilderness House for the demo weekend at Hale Reservation. Noannet Pond is a lot nicer spot to demo a boat than Lake Quannapowitt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 As far as I can tell, there is only one S&G kit manufacturer on the list of 2004 exhibitors for the Main Boat Builders Show.For an NSPN event, I wasn't thinking of anything particularly commercial. In fact, I think it would be nice to be able to talk to the amateurs who built the boats. A casual club event without the high pressure sales. It seems like it should be easy to pull off with the proper help: people to show their own boats, other people to patrol the waters for safety, perhaps someone to hand out name tags.However, if a professional wanted to bring some boats down for people to try, I don't see any problem with it.Dee Hall Impex Currituck, Blue over Smoky Ivory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christopherG Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 Regarding Bristol, Dee, last year there were about four of the major manufacturers of wooden boats there and it is surely THE wooden boat event in the northeast. However, regarding trying out boats, there were about a hundred boats of all sorts of design and build lined up on the beach, all awaiting anyone's trial, except for maybe three or four boats on which owners had left notes, asking folks to take out.Bristol is the event you should attend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christopherG Posted January 2, 2004 Share Posted January 2, 2004 I am told that at every demonstration or seminar within that weekend, there were plenty of people spectating or participating -- 30-40! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary B Posted January 3, 2004 Share Posted January 3, 2004 Dee,I've been to the Rendezvous in NH for the last five years now. On Saturday there's somewhere in the vicinity of 150 boats to view and test out. The numbers are smaller on Friday and Sunday. I make it a weekend though. There are mostly strip built and a handfull of S&G and SOF. Mostly kayaks but you'll see a few canoes and row boats. There are commercial boat designers, builders and kit suppliers there representing several different makes but I've never seen any high pressure sales pitches. Their boats are there for the testing the same as individual boatbuilders and the designers are there for questions. You'd most likely have to track them down if you had any questions for them. There are demonstrations on various boatbuilding techniques, paddle making, rolling, etc.It's a very good meet. I go to meet people and see the craftsmanship and new ideas that people come up with to personalize their boats. There's plenty of builders that are willing to talk boats. Many have built more than one. It's hard to stop once you start. The event is open to anyone, whether you have one of their boats, your own design or their competitors'. The weather's usually great in September but that doesn't help anyone thinking of building a boat for launching this spring or summer.I haven't made it to the "Meet on the Beach" yet. I think it's another great opportunity to meet boatbuilders to discuss boats, paddling and boatbuilding. That's in June though and summer is for paddling.Because mine is a west coast designed boat there weren't any around to test paddle. I ended up buying it based on the company's propaganda and am quite pleased. There's nothing like test paddling a dozen boats all in the same day to make some good comparisons. I'd sign up for our own "Meet at the Beach" if there's interest. Another option for those that don't want to wait for any of these events is to contact the boat designers to see if they'll share any names of people in our area that would be receptive to calls from propective builders. I've allowed a couple individual test paddles locally this way and just talked boatbuilding with another guy and his son that have now become friends even though he's outbuilt me now two to one. It's January now and he's building a stripper so I better get going on finishing my second.A post on the building section of kayakforum.com might get you an offer for a test paddle too. Good luck.See you on the water, be it fresh, salt or chlorinated.Gary B.Pygmy Coho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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