Collection Gift Guide: Man's Boat
December 1, 2006
Depending on whom you ask, “kayak” means “hunter’s boat” or “man’s boat.”
Invented centuries ago by the Inuits, sea kayaks were simple, single-seat hunting craft made of
sewn skins stretched over wooden frames.; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
In Glastonbury, Conn., far from the icy shores of Greenland, former naval
engineer Nick Schade has been designing, building, and paddling for 20 years under the
banner of Guillemot Kayaks. Using woods such as mahogany, curly maple, padauk, western red and
Alaskan cedar, most designs employ the strip-built method, wherein narrow pieces of wood are
laid over a form, then coated in fiberglass and epoxy. The form is then removed and the
hull’s interior receives the same treatment. Fiberglass, transparent when coated with epoxy,
bestows a glossy, waterproof coating that showcases the polished wood and
craftsmanship. According to Schade, it is the most flexible, forgiving, and attractive way to build a
small wood boat. His stitch-and-glue designs are made with thin planks of plywood stitched
together with wire and glued. Hybrids utilizing both production methods round out Guillemot’s
range of more than 30 models. (Click image to enlarge)
The jewel in the crown, a strip-built single-seater called Night Heron—an
example of which resides in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New
York—is a lean, narrow boat with a distinctive, wave-shedding bow. The Aleutesque is a
baidarka-style kayak—early Russian settlers in Alaska christened them baidarka, meaning
“little boat”—used by the Aleut and meant for paddling along rugged coasts. A subtle version of
the baidarka’s trademark bifurcated bow sweeps back to a low, flat deck that gently tapers
to a stern tail fin. One of Schade’s favorites is the Petrel, in the Night Heron family of
boats, which he describes as “responsive like a jet fighter, a high-performance boat suitable
for wind, waves, and surf.” The microBootlegger, a two-seater canoe whose design was a
prototype for the 1920s runabouts, is another favorite, featuring a versatile, fast, and
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Three levels of construction are available: standard, custom, and custom
graphic. Standard kayaks use 1/4-inch-thick wood strips, and the wood shows differences in
coloration. Custom kayaks use thinner, 3/16-inch-thick, pattern-matched strips. Custom graphic
designs can be fashioned from a range of exotic woods that are placed in inlaid marquetry on
the deck. Hand-built examples begin at about $6,000, with custom versions going beyond
$20,000. (Click image to enlarge)
Schade also sells the plans for his four families of kayak designs (plans
start at $90), so you can build one to your specifications. If you want to learn how to build a
boat, Schade even teaches boatbuilding courses throughout the year in New England.
When it comes time for navigating the waters on your custom-built sea kayak,
hunting for the perfect cove, surf, or rock garden, you will be left to discover the ways of
the paddler. The Inuit made the hunter’s jacket a feature that was sewn in to the boat, to
create a waterproof seal. If the boat capsized, the hunter had to right himself
without getting out, which is where the Eskimo roll maneuver got its name. Naval engineering,
fiberglass and epoxy, and a custom upholstered seat mean a Guillemot kayak won’t present
that challenge—but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to learn the move.
Guillemot Kayaks
860.659.8847
www.guillemot-kayaks.com
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