So far I've know of three basic kayak building techniques - canvas on frame, stitched plywood, and strip kayaks. This book describes the very advanced (and perhaps most beautiful) method of making a boat of strips with re-enforcing epoxy. They are absolutely beautiful creations, though probably a little heavier than the plywood ones.

This is a very highly detailed book with great photographs and computer generated diagrams. The author is a professional boat-builder who, like the magician that reveals his tricks, descibes everything - down to proper material selection, a list of current suppliers, plans (x3 + paddles), scientific details on boyancy and design, and numerous other details. This book is useful to those going off of other techniques and advices.

Skill-wise I would say that you'd have to be fairly advanced, not afraid to use epoxy and fiberglass, and the owner of at least a band-saw. ( unless you buy a kit or pre-cut wood)

A great resource! I'm building a strip one next!

P.S. - the guy who says that these boats aren't seaworthy is full of bunk!

26 of 26 found the following review helpful:


Obsession: Building my own Guillemot Kayak  Aug 09, 2001
My parents bought this book for my birthday two years ago. Last week I finished building a gorgeous (with all modesty) Guillemot Kayak. Mr. Shade seemed to understand that there were many "right" ways to do the same thing and he allowed for different skill levels. In addition, nearly every task was described with an accurate degree of difficulty and understanding of the problems associated with each task. In fact, the only difficulty I had was when I deviated from the book's instructions to complete the hatch hold downs. If you want to paddle and have fun, go buy a "plastic" kayak. If you want people to exclaim, "What a gorgeous boat! Where did you get it?" and will derive pleasure in saying, after an appropriate pause, "I built it myself", buy this book and get started. One warning. This is a BIG project and will take several hundred hours to complete (depending on your skill level), but the book can be read and followed by anyone with average woodworking skills and the end result is quite fantastic.

25 of 25 found the following review helpful:


The Definitive Resource for Strip Built Kayaks  Oct 15, 1999
This is the best book I have ever seen on the subject of strip built technique. I have read this book, several times, and created a boat based on the designs from the author. This book has ALL the information needed to make a beautiful kayak. It is my primary shop reference, with specific details on design, how to assemble the strips, how to fair the boat, how to fiberglass, how to outfit and finish the boat. The steps are described in detail, and richly illustrated with informative pictures.

Thank you Nick Schade for your excellent book, your superb website and your magnificent boats. I picked this boat for all the wrong reasons. I had not paddled one, or evaluated the technical merits of it's design with respect to other boats. I didn't do a cost-benefit analysis or listen to the advice of friends. When I saw that boat, she stole my heart. Honestly, I can't imagine being happier with a boat if I had done all those other things anyway.

To think that by using what I learned in your book, in thirteen short weeks I watched a bundle of sticks and a roll of blueprints metamorphose into a such a beatutiful creature, is almost incredible. She may have come out of my basement through my hands, but she's your creation too, and I thank you for helping me make it real.

The single biggest disadvantage to having a boat made from this book is that it takes much longer to launch, because everyone around wants to know where you got such a lovely boat. This book will get you there, so plan ahead for the delays now.

Sincerely,

Ed Valley

17 of 17 found the following review helpful:


A MUST have for the home kayak builder  Apr 19, 2000 By Jerry K
I am just about finished with my double Guillemot kayak from Nick's book. It will be a beautiful boat for me to use with my family on overnight and day trips on the Puget Sound.

Nick's book was wonderful, and I highly recommend it for anyone who is building or thinking of building a kayak (or even a canoe). It is filled with a wealth of information about the techniques necessary to build kayaks from wood strips, but is easy enough to follow and is structured well so it all comes together without any confusion.

I have been extremely pleased with the book, and I bet you will be too.

10 of 10 found the following review helpful:


The final push !!!  Oct 18, 1999 By Ed Walshe (ed@ie.ibm.com)
I have been thinking about building a kayak for some time now. I ordered this book from Amazon and I have now started building. I couldn't have hoped for a better building companion ! The explanations are clear, the text is encouraging and the fact that there are three free plan/offsets makes this book a well-worth investment. I feel very confident of building the Guillemot from the book even though I have absolutely no previous experience in building kayaks.

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