See What Our Customers Are Saying!

Thought I would send along pictures of the Eastport Pram I built last winter-spring. I have been using it since it was launched in June to commute across Spa Creek; I live in Eastport and work on West Street. It is so nice to get on the water early in the morning, not get caught in the rush hour traffic and save fuel all at the same time.

I must say that I was greatly surprised at the speed and efficiency with which the Mill Creek paddles. There was no way the solo kayakers could keep up with us. It tracks well, the draft remains shallow, it's very quiet, the hatches are a waterproof seal, and it is quite rigid. My expectations were exceeded in all respects. Thanks for the design and the help by phone. We will enjoy this boat. You have a satisfied customer.

I just wanted to write to tell y'all about my tremendous experience building my first boat.  I built the Passagemaker Dinghy in about 4 months under the mentorship of my friend and neighbor, and the whole endeavor could not have gone smoother (taking into account that for most of that time I was working in 100+ degree Texas heat).  Aside from always wanting to build a wooden boat, I've also always (or at least for the last five years or so) wanted to marry a certain special girl.  

Well, after finishing and testing her (the Dandy Lion) out on the water, I took my now-fiancee out for a sail during which time we had a picnic and I proposed to her (and she said YES!). 

Thank y'all so much for a great product and tremendous support!  And all romance aside, I'm quite impressed with how well she sails!

Skerry - I built this boat in 2007/8 and launched it on Martha's Vineyard over Memorial Day weekend this year. I've been a paddler (canoes and kayaks) until now, so not only is the Skerry my first sailboat, it's the boat I'm learning to sail in. So far I've been very pleased. It too has proven to be most seaworthy, easy to trailer and put in and take out of the water singlehanded. I look forward to many days on the water around Martha's Vineyard in the future in this boat. The photo of Cara and the boat on the trailer was taken on Sengekontacket Pond in Edgatwon, MA. The photo of me under sail was taken at State Beach in Edgartown, MA.

[The Skerry and our Mill Creek] draw lots of attention when they are hauled out on the beach and at boat launches. As you might suspect, your company and your boats have received many enthusiastic testimonials from me over the years.  I think you can tell by now that I'm a very satisfied customer.

I finished my Chesapeake 17 LT and I love it!  Thanks for making such a great product.  Here are two photos of the boat (well the front of it at least) in action at the Cosumnes River Nature Preserve just south of Sacramento, CA.

We love our kayak!! Way back in January, we purchased a kit for the Chesapeake 16 but then didn't get started on it until May. . . It's done and it's terrific. . . It paddles perfectly around Lake George, Michigan and is the envy of all the neighbors. We gave your catalog to the most envious, and I expect you'll be hearing from them this winter. . . Another satisfied customer!

G/day everybody at CLC.   Just thought I would send you some pix of my SEA ISLAND SPORT -- I believe it may be the first built of its kind down here in Australia.  As you can see I have made a fish box with a fold back lid that can hold a fish of approximately 10 kilos and I have also fitted four rod holders.

I fish mainly offshore (up to 10 kilometers) chasing pelagic fish such as Spanish Mackerel, Cobia (black kingfish), Snapper, Tailor (Bluefish in U.S.)  As for the yak, I couldn’t be happier with it and am the envy of my fellow fisher folk.  It certainly is faster through the water than a tupper ware boat and much more stable.  I can stand up on it ( only to prove a point, but it can be done easily).  Have had a few issues with a rather large tiger shark lately -- came in so close on one occasion I could have almost touched it.  It hasn’t worried me though probably too pumped full of adrenalin.

Once again thanks for a terrific kayak; Nick really knows his stuff.  Cheers for now, hope you like the pix.  Wal from Aus.

I just wanted to drop you a line and tell you how well my Eastport Pram turned out. I was totally pleased at how the pram easily handled water much rougher than would ever be experienced in any sensible anchorage.

Just wanted to let you know that I'm having great results with my PAX 20. I pretty much race guys 20 years younger than me I'm now 62. They use Thunderbolts and Epic 10. Some are in Huki surf ski's. This is a non pro group. but very competitive.

The whole thing was great fun.  Laura and I built a cardboard model before we ordered the kit.  It could just barely make the turn into the attic closet and out the window.  We measured more carefully as we were
actually squirting the boat out, we have enough room to eject a Chesapeake 17 and that will be this winter's project.

More pictures later.

Hi folks, finally yesterday morning, I received the plans for Pocketship. I hope to keep in touch with you to continue learning this beautiful building tradecraft. I believe this will be the first pocketship of Argentina and South America.
Thanks very much for the quality and effectiveness of your service and as the project progresses with "Gringuito"  I will update you on progress.

Thank you very much!

Hey CLC, 

I went to your boat demo day on Gandy Beach near St Pete this spring and tested several boats on the water. I had built two scale models that I purchased through Wooden Boat magazine, the Shellback Dingy and the Yankee Tender, which came out great and boosted my confidence. I had been thinking about your NE dory because it seemed to be the best of both worlds for rowing and sailing, and decided to order it. I really enjoyed building it in my garage and became much better acqainted with all of my neighbors as they stopped by daily to check my progress. It was my first full size boat build, but it won't be my last. Thank you for such a quality kit and terrific instructions. I have rowed the Dory several miles up the Hillsborough River in Tampa and she handles very fast and easy in moving water, especially for a 17 foot boat. I have also been out in Tampa Bay and was impressed by how quickly the Dory covers water and how shallow she can navigate in the flats and around the mangroves, (where all the big snook and redfish hide!). Everytime I go out, people come over and ask "what kind of boat is that and where did you get it". Thank you for a great experience.

Great plans and kit. A pleasure to build. I'll probably add the Kaholo 14 letters to the deck as soon as I have them made. I took it out yesterday for the first time, I'm really sore today.  Thank god for vicodin.

I just returned from a trip from Outer Banks N.C. and can tell you paddling in 63 degree water is a lot more fun than the 40 degree water in upstate NY. Only problem I have is my two CLC  kayaks are feeling neglected. Every spring my brother and I take a kayak trip in April, This year I made him leave his plastic boat home, I was tired of waiting for him to catch up and made him use one of my small fleet of CLC boats (three so far). With me on my paddle board and him in a kayak he was waiting for me. After kayaking I find the view from my paddle board eye opening, I can't tell you how many sting-rays I saw. Do I like my board? I have paddled 8 times so far and can only feel sorry for my kayaks

See you at Okoumefest

Finally getting around to posting the pictures for you. I've been out a couple of times now, and it is a great boat.  The boat seems very fast and very efficient to paddle, compared to all of the other boats I've tried.  I actually really enjoyed the building of the boat. I took my time, no real time constraints and it came out wonderfully.

I got the Shearwater 16 as a 75th birthday present from my sweet wife. Had a blast building it even with my few cosmetic mistakes.  On the Hudson River it really seems to be at home. It is fast, comfortable and very nimble. I love it.

This took me 75 hours including the sanding and finishing. Your kit worked beautifully. I think I used all of your shop notes and they really helped. Believe me I am no woodworker but this boat came out nice. Even my carpenter friends were impressed. The boat tracks great and holds a ton of gear! . . Thanks for producing such a great product.

I recently finished building my new Chesapeake 16. Again, it was a very rewarding and satisfying experience and the results are the best yet! The speed of the boat is surprising. . . The boat has exceeded all expectations in the water, and I feel like I own the "perfect kayak" for my requirements.

When I went to the DNR to have it inspected prior to registration, the ranger who inspected it gave me a very kind compliment: he said it was one of the nicest homebuilt boats he had ever seen.  This was totally unexpected and a testament to the quality of the kits and instructions CLC provides. 

I have enjoyed the build and am now awaiting spring so that I can paddle my mill creek more as the weather will be turning cold here very soon.  Again thank you for a wonderful experience with the build and hopefully many nice days to come paddling on the local lakes.

Launched a WD 12 yesterday behind Weedon island on Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Florida. She weighed in at 38.7 lbs. I want to thank you guys for answering all my questions during the build.  My wife and I took it paddling on the bayou in the late afternoon and it performed very well. When the pads on my finger tips heal from lots of hand sanding I suppose I'll be looking to order another kayak kit and or Kaholo SUP. The CLC family continues to expand down here. The pram I built in 2007 is doing great. I finally added deck pads and now the dog can stand without slipping.

Enclosed are just a few pictures of our Jimmy Skiff. It was an absolute pleasure to build with my child, Simon and Emeri. . . We had to build her under the stars but it was a wonderful experience to share with my children. . . This is a truly beautiful skiff and having built some the "old fashioned way" I was amazed at what a true skiff she is.

I heartily recommend this boat to any father that wants to share this type of experience with their children. I can not thank you enough for this design, the kit, and the memories.

I've now made several CLC boats and I enjoy reading your hard print catalog in part because of interesting images of customers and CLC staff in action.  One of me on an extended GA barrier islands trip finally made it.

I attached 3 images of the two Night Herons I made.  I did the stitch and glue with my massage therapist and then needed to make the stripper version for myself. These images were taken on a 3-day trip to Long Island (Little Tybee)

William R

Here are a couple shots of the Chester Yawl I finished last fall.  Building it was a blast.  I am competing with it in a couple of open-ocean races this summer.   Hopefully she is as fast as she is pretty!

Some months ago I bought from you plans of the Chesapeake 16. I'm pleased to inform you that I was able to build a very nice kayak despite the fact that it was my very first experience of boatbuilding. The extreme precision of the plans and drawings and the accuracy of instructions made the job a lot easier, and I do declare that it was a great pleasure and a rewarding experience to spend some of my spare time to build that little craft.

What a wonderful experience it has been to build this boat. I was hesitant, but with a little help and your wonderful directions and plans I completed the project. It actually went together just as you said it would. I also found many of the discussions posted on the forum most helpful. . . Again thanks for a great product and for providing me with what I hope to be many years of happy paddling.

I'm 17 years old and just finished my first boat, the Sassafras 12, from CLC for my senior project.

I absolutely love it and really enjoyed the project. Thanks for the awesome kit, CLC!

Many, many thanks for a fascinating design, fine materials, and good instructions. Making your boats could easily become a lifelong habit.

The Eastport Pram got me into college! I wrote my college admissions essay about my experience building the boat, and now here I am!  Thanks again for all of your help throughout the process; it was alot of fun.

I built this kayak about a year ago for my grandchildren. The entire experience dealing with CLC was great. The kit was a pleasure to build and the end result is a great performing kayak. Best regards

Hi Guys, I just thought I’d drop you a note to let you know that AR Navigation Supplies won the Ocean Blue Adventure Race in Half Moon Bay California in the CLC Triple. You can read the whole story at the link below.

http://www.arnavsupplies.com/news.html

We finished the kayak leg a full 10 minutes ahead of the 2nd place team and this set us up the eventual win. The boat was so stable that we were able to paddle through Mavericks while everyone else was fighting to stay upright. This is the race that I built the boat to win and it more than lived up to the expectations. I have attached a couple of the photographs for you. I hope you enjoy the story.

I wanted to send you some pictures of the latest Eastport Pram, Marisol.  I built her in my garage in a little over 2 months, and it was quite a fun project.  Everyone is raving about what a pretty little boat she is and I have had her out rowing a few times.  Even with the dark paint, the chines still show up very nicely.  You guys design really great boats!

Cheers, and thanks for the great customer service!

The Chesapeake 18 is a great boat and it's getting plenty of use.

You sold me the kit for this Shearwater 17 at the WoodenBoat show in Mystic last summer. I worked on her non-stop as soon as she arrived, got some good advice and help from my dad, and finished her in time to go kayak camping with my family in Georgian Bay, north of Toronto, at the end of August. I named her Osprey. I love her very much. She is living in my family's living room for the winter, stacked on top of my dad's Arctic Hawk (which he also built from a CLC kit). Here are some pictures!

Thank you so much. This is a GREAT boat!!!!!

I've finally finished my boat and the experience has been worth every penny I've put into this beauty. I love the lines and when I take it to the launch in Suisun City, CA. People come to see and touch. Everytime people see this boat I find myself spending more time talking than rowing. But what the hey, I'm proud! . . Thanks for your good work!

My husband and I have build two CLC crafts (a 16' kayak and a wherry) -- both get drools and ooohs and aaahs everytime we have them on the road traveling from home to our point of destination.

We will NEVER buy a craft from any other company other than CLC. GREAT company...GREAT projects!!

Finished at last. Thanks for your quick service when I needed to order things from you you to finish the boat.

13'  Mill Creek hybrid I built last winter. Great kit, great kayak !

I'd like to thank you for an easy to build and beautitul design in the C17. I spent this last summer building 2 of these kayaks with my young friend Beau. Beau is a high school senior at Lake City High School in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He is also a Boy Scout so this made a great scouting project. He used the project to earn his woodworking merit badge. I'd say this is a fitting project for that purpose. As it turned out we launched both boats at a scouting event on Coeur d'Alene Lake at the beginning of October.

This turned out to be a great way to obtain a beautiful boat. We purchased the plans last spring and worked on the boats on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings. It was exciting to see the plans come together into such beauty. We have only been able to take them out twice before the cold weather set in, but may yet see an opportunity to get them out on the water before too long. Maybe we'll have a chance to do a New Years Day paddle - well if our chosen destination is not frozen over.

Attached are some photos of our results. We hope you are as proud of the design as we are of our results!

Just a quick note to let you know that I am still enjoying my WD-12 immensely!!  Thanks again for a wonderful product! 

I have really enjoyed every minute spent working on it. . . I don't know what next year's project will be but I'm sure its gonna be fun and most probably be a CLC of some dimension.

I finished my Chesapeake 16 about a month ago and it's great! I intended to write as soon as my boat was finished but I've been paddling instead. What a wonderful project this was for me, I'm already thinking about my next CLC kit. Everyone that sees my kayak for the first time can't believe it was home built. Some people need to see all the photos I took during construction to believe I could have done it. All your advice about sanding, sanding, sanding really paid off. The boat has an almost furniture like finish, you can't believe how proud of and happy I am with my kayak. And not only does this boat look good, it's also a pure pleasure to paddle. The light weight and stability enable me to carry it anywhere and to paddle with confidence in less than ideal conditions. Thanks again for all your help with my many questions when I called and thanks again for such great kit with a great instruction booklet.

The finished kayak looks great and performs even better. It handes nicely and glides through the water smoothly and quietly. . . Thank you for providing both quality products and excellent service. We are already looking forward to building another kayak.

2 years ago, my "vacation" was to build a Chesapeake 17LT with you guys and Geoff Kerr. Last week, I took a REAL vacation.. first one in 5 years!  To Rhode Island -- Jamestown / Newport to be exact.

I put her in the water...and climbed in...she just sort of quivered like a race horse in the starting gate. What a thoroughbred!!!  She handled all sorts of conditions from bay to coastal ocean with equal grace and amazing speed...as in AMAZING speed!  

I have few words to describe it .. awesome, amazing, terrific (augmented with profane exclamations!) and do you know what the icing on the cake was??? There, in that world of drop dead gorgeous boats???  The number of people who just stared at the boat and commented on her appearance (not her speed! darn it!)---from toll booth attendants on the Newport bridge to folks around the marinas and beaches...boat owners and tourists...what a great experience this has been!

THANKS!!!!

Here are some photos of my latest, a Shearwater17 Hybrid. Next year, it’s the Night Heron!

I completed this over a year ago and have used it many times, most often for my son's Boy Scout troop camping events. I love this kayak and plan to make other kayaks/canoes/boats.

A couple of years ago I had two back surgeries, I was heavy to begin with, I gained more weight recovering and outgrew my other Kayak. All last winter I built the Mill Creek and believe or not I lost 40 pounds. When I first got in the kayak I just could not believe how comfortable it was. I fit in it! I kayaked all summer and now the fall in my Mill Creek. I am not a very good kayaker, I just do it all the time. I even did the infamous "Grinder" a 19 mile kayak around Grindstone Island in the St. Lawrence. First and foremost the Mill Creek is extremely comfortable. It has excellent primary stability and better secondary stability than one might think for a boat with a 29 1/2" beam. ( I really have no idea if the beam of a boat has anything to do with secondary stability.) It's quick, turns well and holds its own in the speed department. I beat the hell out of it this year, my camp is on rocks, and it held up great. Thank you so much for making a kayak that a large person can enjoy.

Here's a photo of my Chesapeake 17 with a SailRig Mk 2 ready for it's maiden voyage last week on Lake Sammamish, just east of Seattle. She was built from your kits over an extended period. She performed very well and was fun to sail once a breeze came up. I look forward to sailing her on Lake Washington and Puget Sound in the not too distant future. Thanks for creating these great designs and kits!

What a great experience building this boat. I've been amazed at the admirers, even people who aren't into kayaks. Thanks for the great plans and instructions.

The boys and I wanted to thank you and your crew for the outstanding product.  Our youngest son is autistic and this entire project has really shown how focused he can be.

Again thanks.  We are already thinking about MC16.5 #2 for a fall project.  

I built this Chesapeake 17 for my senior project in high school and have since paddled every lake in my area with it, several of these trips being overnight--week long cruises.  The build was extremely enjoyable and the directions were easy to follow, especially for a beginner such as myself.  The cockpit is roomy on long paddles and comfortable when fitted with a few extra cushions (personal preference), and there is ample room for gear below deck.  Depending on how you pack, it's very easy to load for long trips.  

As far as the boat's performance goes, she handles quite well when you consider her length.  She is also very stable due to the hard chine and wider beam in the cockpit area; this is a blessing in rough waters as well as stiff winds.  Overall, Diamond in the Rough was a great project, good investment, and a wonderful new way for me to enjoy the outdoors.

Thanks again, CLC! Your products are great and I hope to continue building in the future.

I used to think it would be amazing to own a rowing dory. Thanks to CLC Boats, not only do I own one, I actually built it from a stack of plywood, plans, manual and a lot of phone calls and emails. Thank you guys so much. I just had a great morning rowing on the Maurice River in South Jersey.

I can't believe I built this! The water is the Chesapeake Bay just south of the Patuxent River Naval Air Station. The workspace is our back deck in Lexington Park.

I just finished my Chesapeake 17 and thought I would send you a quick note of appreciation for your fine kit. The Chesapeake is the first boat I have ever built, and the fact that it turned out beautifully despite the mis-adventures I had building it, has to say something about the fine engineering and quality of your kit. Completing this boat has truly been a dream come true.

Here are a few photos of the "Crabcake" the name suggested by my wife and approved by the family.  I tried my hand at a few customizations.  I have enjoyed every moment of the work and thank you for your product and the help you and your colleagues have given me over the phone.  I found that as I got comfortable with the design and flow of construction, I grew more and more confident.  The moment of supreme confidence came when I successfully cut the slot for the daggerboard. Once that was done, there was not anything I could not do.

As I have said before, it has been a wonderful experience. Your product was perfectly suited for my modest construction skills allowing me to gan confidence and new skills as I went along. Your technical staff were always ready to gently explain what to do when I was confused or had a problem. I also found a fellow locally, Steve Miller, who had build one of your kayaks and lives nearby. I found him on your site. He was always available for a consultation and was at the launch. So you see it really did take a village. 

Just completed my second CLC boat and launched this weekend "Water Log".  Cruised over 20 miles on some of the most beautiful water in the US and then tooled around a small peaceful lake.  Love it.  Is it wrong that on her maiden voyage, I was busy planning for my next build?

Thanks for offering great products and excellent support!

Mill Creek 13 hybrid I built last year.  Great kit….great company !

Just a note to thank you for all the helpful assistance and support when building my Pax 18. The boat has turned out beautifully and gets lots of rave comments when I take it out. I varnished the entire hull and it really is distinctive next to the composite boats i have been racing with. I have raced it twice and won handily both times.

The boat is extremely fast and handles medium chop quite well in spite of the fact that I didn't install the skeg. I can handle most quartering winds up to 15 knots simply by leaning it a bit and using a little more power on the off wind side. . . I appreciated the patience and support I received from all the staff during some trying times along the way. I have never considered myself particularly handy with tools, but really enjoyed the subtleties of boatbuilding and the craftsmanship it requires.

I did my longest paddle yesterday of 26 km -- very much feeling it today, but it was well worth it. I spent the day trawling a soft bait and caught my biggest haul yet of 8 fish. 7 Kahawai (a local predatory fish that is the most fun on light tackle) and 1 Snapper. Every time I go kayaking I go fishing and have yet to come home empty handed.

Kayak fishing has taken off here in a big way and on a beaut day you'll see a lot them on the water. I've had nothing but praise and all sorts of questions about the kayak. It's a real head turner for sure.

Thanks guys for all your help and I'm happy to say wifee is keen for a double so will be contacting you soon for a quote. 

I'm very pleased with the appearance and performance of the boat. It's handy, because of the light weight, and ideal for visiting around the harbor and for river/creek exploring. I've taken it to area wooden boat festivals, where it gets lots of compliments - - - Of course, I always credit CLC. . . Thanks for designing a great little boat, and for supplying a kit with accurately-cut parts.

Enclosed are pictures of the Chesapeake 16 I completed in June for my high school's Senior Thesis project. Needless to say, it turned out beautifully! . . Thanks to CLC's expert staff for their time when I've called for technical support!

About this time last year I bought a set of plans for the 'Jimmy Skiff', the plans and drawings are excellent and cover the building procedure very well. Over the next three months my boys (ages 12, 10 and 8) and I worked on it here and there as time allowed; it came together quickly, so much so that we took it out on it's maiden voyage during april. We made it as the sailing Jimmy Skiff using a fifty eight square foot sail that I had built several years ago for a canoe; it sails wonderfully and is easy and light and comes up on step quite nicely.

We sailed it through out the summer and found that it works well in a wide range of wind speeds, I do not consider myself to be that good of a sailor but this little boat makes me look like I am. 

Thank you for all the research and development that makes the plans so complete and reliable, it was a fun family project. We have just ordered plans for the Sassafras canoe and look forward to another season of building.

I'm sending a few pics of Ken Moody's Sassafras 16 built last summer at Mystic (during the Family Boatbuilding event).  It's modified for rowing with center seat and oarlocks.  Rows beautifully, stable and fast.  Photos are the first row and they speak for themselves.  Thanks, John, for your sketch of a layout for rowing.

11 days of wilderness travel in Canada:  Very stable, holds a line like a dream.  Still need to work out what to do with the paddle while pulling in the big one on the fishing rod.

Thank you for teaching the "Jimmy Skiff" class at the Wooden Boat School and helping me accomplish my goal of building a boat. I'm very proud of my efforts.

Just a quick "Thank you" for the Chesapeake 17 kit and all your help along the way. The boat turned out great and is a real gas to paddle. It tracks straight and is stable and pretty fast. I have had lots of comments about it and people can't believe that I built it. John in the shop was great help and took care of all of my questions and really helped when I ran into problems.

You have great customer service and I have passed your name and old catalog to some friends and family that are interested in making a boat. I am wanting to build a small sail boat and will consider some of your designs. Thanks again for all your help and a great product.

I built the Mill Creek 13 back in 1999 for him, and the Chesapeake 17LT for him this year, after building the Mill Creek 16.5 for myself. Dave says the Chesapeake 17LT is the best boat he has ever been in (and he has been in a lot of boats).  He has five kayaks of various types and has lots of professional and recreational experience with lots of other boats. 

I have attached some photos of the Duckling we built as our raffle boat.  Pic. #1 shows the family that won it  and me in front of our boat shop on Port Jefferson Harbor, Pic. #2 is their daughter in it, Pic. #3 is their son, Pic #4 is just a picture of the completed boat.

We currently are building a 12' Sassafras Canoe for our raffle boat this year and are using a 17' Chesapeake Kayak for our first boatbuilding course.

I am also affiliated with  the Long Island Maritime Museum, where a Skerry is being built by me and 5 other volunteers for LIMM's raffle boat.

Needless to say, I am a big fan of CLC kits.

Hello to CLC Headquarters in the USA.

I am from Fremantle, Western Australia and have just finished building a Chesapeake 18' with a ply hull and a red strip cedar deck. It is a work of art and I would like to congratulate Chesapeake on the brilliant plans that
I purchased. I made the boat from scratch preferring to source my own timber and do my own cutting.

The boat took me 306 hours to construct from scratch. I am extremely pleased with the product and have attached a few pictures for your perusal. I have fitted a 1.4 square metre sail and boy does that make a difference. I have just completed a 6 day, 180 kilometre paddle from Denham in WA across to Steep Point at the bottom of Dirk Hartog Island in Western Australia's North.

I have used the Australian measurement of 5.5 metres rather than 18 feet. I also increased the height of the gunwhale by 3/4" (20mm) to allow me to take more drinking water, camping gear and food for my extended trips. The boat handles beautifully in very big seas and is very fast on the flat water. I have fitted a 12V 800 gallon per hour bilge pump and the boat is encased in 6gsm fiberglass inside and out. I manufactured the steering and foot pedals out of carbon fibre. The weight is 24kgs.

I would really appreciate it if you could PLEASE PLEASE put my pictures and story on your site or builders blog. Everywhere I go people want to talk about the boat - it does look very cool!

Kind regards from down under!

You can see CLC boats every year in Pentwater Michigan (on the shores of Lake Michigan) the 3rd weekend of August. This is the Wooden Boat Show and your boats have been in the last 5 shows. People really love them. This year I built a Wood Duck 12. What a hit, WOW!

You might not typically think of seeing a kayak in Canyonlands National Park unless you’re familiar with the floats down the Green or Colorado Rivers. During the first week of June this year my group took three canoes, my Mill Creek 16.5 and a Mill Creek 13 down the Green River from Mineral Bottom to the confluence with the Colorado
River. It was a great trip, and the Mill Creeks were loved by whomever was lucky enough to paddle them! The smooth, flat hulls makes them perfect for skimming over sandbars in mere inches of shallow water while the low profile makes them easy to paddle on windy days... especially the tandem.

I would like to thank everyone at CLC for conceiving, designing and producing plans for such an elegant and pleasurable craft.  I really enjoyed the building phase, the looking phase and now the paddling phase.

I am writing to sing the praises of the Chesapeake 16 kayak that I built in my garage from your kit. Although I had no previous experience with boat building, fiberglass or epoxy, the excellent design, clear instructions, pre-cut pieces, and inclusive collection of hardware, etc. all helped make a successful project. Indeed, building the boat provided me with so much satisfaction that I feared using it might be anticlimactic. Fortunately, this was not the case. . . Thanks for designing such a wonderful boat, and for marketing such a great kit. You will hear from me next spring.

Good afternoon.  I recently finished a Shearwater 17-footer.  Have not added the deck lines yet, but Eric Schade's design is a treat to paddle in our coastal waters. 

My 14 year old just finished building the 16 foot. It took him 6 months on weekends to complete. This was a school project. Your video made it happen easily. Thanks!

Finally launched the boat today. It was very windy, but I couldn't wait any longer. It looked & felt great - in fact it exceeded my expectations in the way it handled. Thanks for a great boat - I really enjoyed building it and equally enjoyed getting it wet.

Just thought you might like to see me rowing my new wherry. The row wing is by Palusky Boats in Peterborough Ont. Canada. I made the oars from basswood and cherry, triangular, hollow shafts, leather wraps. The boat is VERY pleasing to row. It inspires confidence. It's quick, beautiful, stable and outperforms my rowing abilities by a nautical mile. I made a Cheasapeake 18 , 3 yrs ago and paddle it 125 to 150 days a year (when the ice is out). My kayaking buddy bought a recreational rowing shell last fall. We started to learn to row with it then.

While his 19', 22" beam shell is faster, my wherry is far more pleasurable to row, and almost as fast. The water temperature is approx. 37 deg. F, and he won't take out his shell for fear of going over. (brrr). I have no worries with the wherry. Just in case you missed it, I LOVE THIS BOAT.

As with my Ches. 18, I found the Annapolis Wherry kit excellent, and the factory support excellent. You folks have really got it together. Kudos to all of you. I recommend your products to anyone who asks about my kayak.  Since I live on a lake in cottage country, lots of people see and envy my kayak. Wait till they get a look at my wherry.

Thanks again for 2 beautiful craft. I am VERY PLEASED. By the way, my yak's name is Nessy ( as in Loch Ness) and my wherry's name is "Grace" because she possesses so much of it.

Well after a freak thunderstorm, which was only over my house, and a lot of scraping and sanding; I finally have the third coat on! I no longer fear epoxy!!! The plans and book were great! The boat is great! It went together - well perfectly. At least I'm happy. My only regret was not getting the kit! You guys have been great! Thanks!!!

Regards,
Tim

The Passagemaker gets lots of compliments!  Mine's totally bright, and would 'present' @ the WB Festival - hung on davits of my Devlin Czarinna - if it weren't for my fear that some ding a ling might clipit while maneuvering!  (I'll forward a sweet photo of it slung).

The CLC SailRig fitted to an old plastic Oasis kayak. It sails beautifully. Thanks for a great product!

We added an extra bulkhead, stringer and deck pad so that we could use our 14' Kaholo as a racing tandem Stand Up Paddleboard.

Today was a very special day for us here on the “east coast” (of the Mediterranean).  Steve and myself both had our launch of brand new homemade wooden kayaks.  Steve launched his beautiful, featherlite Petrel while I launched with my son our handsome Chesapeake Sport Tandem.

Champagne poured like water on both vessels and each of us tried the other boat.  As you can see we also had quite a gathering of wooden kayaks which are becoming more and more popular.

Thank you for your support for the Friends of the Petaluma River small boat building project. I've attached images of the launching of our first boat, the Eve-O. I hope you enjoy them.

Greetings from beautiful near downtown Charleston, SC. Grandson Tyler and I finished the Matunuck and the results are most excellent. Tyler took the kayak on sea trials off Folly Beach (The Edge of America) and is quite happy with it. On the way to sea trials, we stopped by Sea Kayak Carolina where there was a large gathering for a winter sales event. The Matunuck drew a lot of attention and praise, not just for its looks, but for its lines for surfing - by the local surf kayakers. Now it is time for me to build my own Matunuck, according to Tyler.

I very much enjoyed building the kayak and found the shop tips section as well as phone support to be great! . . My wife bought a [non-CLC boat] earlier this year which we both loved to paddle. It is one of the most comfortable and better performing boats we paddled until we finished building the Chesapeake. I was very impressed with the performance and was amzed at how much gear the low volume version can carry. We did a long weekend trip and had plenty of room for gear. . . I don't have enough experience in my boat becuase I can't get my wife out of it!

I had a great time building and then rowing my Chester Yawl in Farmers Cay, Exuma, Bahamas.  We brought down 3 kits....one is complete, one half built and the third is still in the box....we're looking forward to many rowing adventures around the Exumas.  Thanks for putting out such a fun and beautiful product.

I suspect you receive a lot of letters from builders enthusing over your products. Well here I another. I have enclosed a few photos of a West River 18 a friend, Tom, and I built over three weeks in August of this year. . . . Granted we worked essentially every evening and most of three weekends but she was complete, all be it without hatches, in time. I wish to thank John for the telephone advice and reassurance I received.

I must say I was and continue to be pleased with the quality of the kit. Everything arrived in perfect condition. None of the feather edges of the scarfs were damaged in shipment. More than enough materials were provided. . . I find that when paddling without any serious effort, I leave everybody behind. . . The boats invariably stop traffic wherever we go.

I will never appreciate why anyone would spend three times as much for a heavier plastic boat when they could build something better on their own.

We just took the newly completed Mill Creek 16.5 out this past weekend for its maiden voyage – it was awesome!  The boat was by far the nicest one out on the water.  We are at Harvey Creek Reservoir located in Silt, Colorado.

This is the 4^th boat of yours that I have completed – 2 Wood Ducks, 1  Chesapeake 17LT and the Mill Creek 16.5.  My next project hopes to be your stand-up paddleboard. 

Thanks for your amazing kits – they are a blast to build and even more fun out on the water.

Just thought I would send a picture of the Wood Duck I just finished. This is a great boat - fast, stable and looks great.  Thanks for a great product!! 

Thanks to the designer for the concept, and to CLC for the fine after-sale support!

I have finally finished and am a proud owner of your Mill Creek design. I have been taking it all week long to the beach and I must say it turns a lot of heads. The surf has been a little choppy but it handles very well , I love it!!! I hope you enjoy the pictures, let me know what you think.

We just launched our triple coffee table! Not only did it float, but it moved through the water effortlessly. For a couple approaching geezerhood it was a relief as well as exhilarating!

Thanks for all of your valuable assistance and for not laughing out loud at my questions. I have never attempted a project of this nature before. In fact the only wood working experience I have had is tossing another log on a fire. A plan is in the works to build another of your kayaks next winter.

My grandkids enjoying their first ride, in the Wood Duckling I made, on a pond in Boise, Idaho.

What a thing of beauty it is! All the parts are beautifully cut out and the included plans and documentation are very thorough. You should all be very proud of your efforts. I know I am proud to be the owner of a CLC kit and I will tell everyone I meet just how well you have treated me. I could not be more pleased. Thank-you all so much and a huge, huge thank-you to John Harris. John, you are one of the good guys in this world and you have really helped to make my simple dream of building my own boat a reality. Thanks!

Bootlegger is now in the Bahamas at Deep Water Cay, Grand Bahama Island, The Bahamas.  Thanks for your help--the kit, design and materials were first class.

Thank you for the complementary t-shirts and cap… you guys know how to take care of your customers.  If you look closely in the photo, you can see the cap already collecting sawdust on my drill press.  My family Sassafras is almost complete, and not soon enough, because the cedar strips for the night heron that are sitting on the garage floor are haunting my dreams.  In addition, my wife has her eye on the Kaholo 14 so… not sure I should say thanks, but more like you, personally, have ruined us for life!  Ha.  At least she gave me until after retirement (30 years from now) for the Pocketship!  Just wanted to personally thank you and your people again for all of your hard work and dedication!

As promised, here are some photos of our event held the last Saturday in June at the annual Gwynns Island Festival. All pictures were taken by Mathews Maritime Foundation member Michael Swiderski.

We had six families. Groups built six peace canoes in one day. We helped things along by pre-assembling the bottom and sde panels as well as the scarfed lengths of spruce for the chine logs and the sheer clamps. These pre-assembled parts were all epoxy glued.

All in all we had a great day. Got lots of press and plenty of onlookers. The 35 individuals who saw to it that the six canoes got built had a wonderful time, made new friends, and learned something about boat construction. Thanks to all our help toward making this event a success.

Thanks again for such a great product.  It was a joy to build. We made a couple modifications including a spruce mast, douglas fir spars and polytarp sail. She has graphite thickened epoxy on the bottom and is slick and tough.  She was named Heresy, was launched a couple of weeks ago and is sailed in Pensacola, FL.  She has a desirable ever-so-slight lee helm.  I'm already looking forward to the next project.

Keep up the good work.  I had no wood working experience and the boat just came together because of good design and easy to follow instructions.

I just finished building a Chesapeake 17 and I love it! I took it out for the first time today and it worked like a dream. I cannot say how much I enjoyed building it over the past few months. It is definitely something I can be proud of and show off to my friends and family. Not only that, but I love the looks people give me on the road transporting my kayak to the nearby lake.

Thought you would like to know that my new Shearwater Sport has been added to the CLC population on Lake Champlain NY.  I know, if you look closely you will see that I have some more trim work to finish it, but I couldn't wait any longer to get launched!  Love how it handles, and my grand kids (age 6 to 11) handled it with no problem.  Great design.

I took some liberties with the Chesapeake 18 kit I bought from you guys. Right after it came I received a Shearwater hybrid brochure from you. So naturally I thought, what the hell, lets try it on mine. I put a deck beam in every 12 inches, scarfed  a poplar rim piece, and planked it with oak and poplar strips in an arrow head pattern. I also swapped the hatch covers for oak and bought after market webbing and shock cord. The dragon was designed by me and the Chinese symbols mean "world peace". All of the graphics are painted right on the wood so they are under the cloth and epoxy.

Happy New Year!  We pretty much finished ! all our students have to do is sand and varnish/paint. They are psyched.

Thank you for your support

I am dropping you a note to say thanks designing the Mill Creek 13. We are very happy with the versatility of this boat as Montana has so many different waters to choose from. In these boats we enjoy fishing, camping and watching our eleven-year-old son handle the Mill Creek like it was made for him.

Thought I would send you a picture of my wood duck 12, affectionately referred to as "the duck."  I enjoyed building it and am enjoying it here on the Salmon River in NY.

I just completed my Chesapeake 17LT and wished to thank everyone at CLC. Every aspect of the project, from the demo to the last coat of varnish, was enjoyable. The supplies provided with the kit were complete and generous. The materials were flawless. I had never built a kayak (or a boat) before and all the information you provided helped me through the project with no problems and very few questions. The kayak came out virtually perfect.

I just completed this boat from your plans.  It worked out very well.  I am looking forward to building another (as soon as my wife calms down) boat from your excellent plans catalog.  Maybe something that sails. My boat gets many compliments on Norwood Pond.  As you can see I Opted for my own rowing rig arrangement rather than the drop-in.  The red/white color scheme represents the Grateful Oars Rowing Club.

I am glad to say the kayak performed great. The plan is the Chesapeake 18'.  On the hull I stayed with the plan, but I redesigned the deck and strip-built it with zebra wood. The Greenland paddle I made was also a performance hit. Glad to share with you guys at CLC my boat and my success.  Much thanks to all of you.

The Skerry is a wonderful boat and an excellent first boat project. The manual is excellent and technical support is available. Being 15ft and 100 lbs it's one of the best compromises of seaworthness and light enough to carry with two people or one person with a dolly. After researching many designs I picked this one. Three years later I'm still loving it as much as ever. I consider it to be an excellent oar and sail boat.

With a 10 - 15 knot wind you can sail it as fast as you can row on a calm day, about 3 knots and sustain that speed for 4 hours before it becomes work. I have rowed it up to 14 miles in one day. It's an excellent fishing boat and though tippy compared to a flat bottom boat will not take in water unless you stand on the rail. I have rowed it in 3ft seas with no concern for safety. 

The boat now has many kilometres under its keel as I use it mostly for exercise with the sliding seat installed. The boat performs very well in all conditions and stays fairly dry even when punching through half meter swells. One of these days I will go out when there are some decent sets coming through from the NE at Bonnells Bay and see if she will surf!
 
The boat has exceeded all my expectations.

I'm very pleased with the kits, manuals and the building process. Not to mention the use of the boats. I estimate that I used approximately 70 hours on each boat, and they where built on a small arctic island called Jan Mayen. There was one thing that I wasn't prepared for: The silence in these wooden boats compared to fibreglass kayaks. This is a quality I really appreciate, and that you most definitely can emphasize more in your information about wooden kayaks.

Just a note of heartfelt thanks to all of you at CLC. Thanks for a great product, great support service, and great instructions. I launched my Ches 18 yesterday. What a feeling, in your own boat, without a leak to be had. . . Once again, thank you so very much in helping me through a very rewarding time. Your product, service and company employees are all of the highest caliber! Congratulations.

I just completed my 1st project, a pair of Wood Duck 10s for myself and my girlfriend. I chose the design because we're both novice paddlers and she's almost entirely new to smallcraft, and we loved the boat's lines. So far she's taken to the water like the proverbial duck herself, and looks quite at home. I've been surprised at the steady rate the duck can cover ground and the payload capacity. These little boats are easy to move around both in and out of the water and have a way of charming everyone. I'm surprised how many people ask what they're called and compliment their looks: unlike those neon colored plastic boats, paddling one doesn't make me feel like I'm ruining the scenery at all!

Not only was CLC's ordering and delivery quick and easy but the forum and the help line were amazingly helpful for a beginner: the build was an extremely satisfying experience. I think you at CLC have come up with a recipe for success: every customer becomes a willing and enthusiastic representative, and that's good business.

Thanks so much for your good work!

I finally got to go on the kayak trip that sustained me through the whole time I was building this boat. I was on a 5 day trip to the Broken Group Islands, Vancouver Island, BC this August.

It paddles so effortlessly and tracks superbly. I even got it up to 5 knots for a brief time! I am so happy with this design and all the helpful tips on your website.

Thank you CLC

Hi, Eric.  Recently finished a Shearwater 17.  What an awesome kayak.  I have paddled several different stitch and glues, and built your brother's Great Auk Single and Tandem pictured in the CLC catalog.  The Shearwater is by far the best looking and among the best handling stitch and glues on the market.  Congratulations on such a tremendous design.  Enjoy your day, Steve

Just wanted to thank you for your PAX 20 design.  

As you may recall I compete in Eppie's each year, for the past 3 years.  I'm the paddler on a mens over 50 team even tho I'm 61. We've won our division 2 of the last 3 years but came up short this year, 2nd place. The winning team found a runner that was outta this world.

Anyway, my personal paddle time was 25th of 389 team paddlers and only 10 of 700 Iron Men.  That's 35th of almost 1100. I'm really stoked about the PAX.  The only boats that beat my time were Huki surf skis and one Westside K1 and a lot more behind me.  I started the PAX on Memorial Day and launched it on July 4th. Only had 9 paddles in it prior to the event and of that only twice down the 6.35 mile river course.

I'll have  the Pax20 and the Shearwater 14 LV at Natomas on Labor Day---Hope to see you there.  May even bring the S&G NH also. Thanks again for all your great boats.

Mill Creek 16.5 – I built this boat in 2000 and use it exclusively on Martha's Vineyard. It's a great family boat – my daughter Cara (now 11) loves to go out in the many ponds and bays on the island to tour the sights and watch shorebirds, particularly our favorites – the ospreys. The boat has proven to be most seaworthy, even in wind and rough chop.  In 2007 Cara and I "raced" it ~3 miles in Martha's Vineyard Sound and Sengekontacket Pond in just over 31 minutes to finish first in the parent and child class of the local season end boat race. This summer, Cara and I easily kept pace in Martha's Vineyard Sound with two high end sea touring kayaks – our fellow paddlers were very impressed with the capabilities of the boat.

[The Mill Creek and our Skerry] draw lots of attention when they are hauled out on the beach and at boat launches. As you might suspect, your company and your boats have received many enthusiastic testimonials from me over the years.  I think you can tell by now that I'm a very satisfied customer.

This challenging but well engineered project carried me through the fall and winter of 09/10, commissioned in May 2010 at Turkey Creek.  Turkey Creek is a tidal trib to the Upper Choptank River in Talbot County, MD. This kayak was everything I had hoped for in a kit built boat without disappointment. But do not fool yourself it is a lot of sanding, ha ha.

When paddling with friends, they often remark, “Why are you only taking one stroke to my two??” Or, “Why are you always enjoying a rest while waiting for us??”  

This durable, sleek Chesapeake 17LT workhorse cuts through lakes and rivers with ease & stable with  65 lbs of camping gear stowed in the two hull compartments when this picture was taken.  I weigh 210 lbs. I’ve never had leakage into the hatches, and she tracks well in river currents. I can’t wait to build the next one!

Please find the photo of my Passagemaker I started on April 2, 2012. It floats and handles very well!

Finally finished my Chesapeake 17LT, and it had some modifications such as the arch of the back cover to give it more height. Currently, I'm installing a rudder. People stop and ask me for information about the construction all the time. Everyone here has a PVC kayak!

I enjoyed every moment of the build. My friends laugh at my dedication, but when I have finished they want to build one of these too. I decorated the boat with inlays based on themes from the Alhambra.

Please thank everyone at CLC for all of the help over the last many months. We have a lot of fine-tuning to do to our little Molotov Cocktail before the October event, but had a blast regardless.

I really can’t speak more highly of how professional and friendly each and every member of your staff has been. Most places I deal with have one or two bad apples who aren’t very friendly (especially tackle stores) and not much fun to buy from. CLC doesn’t have that, and it’s refreshing. We couldn’t be more pleased with how the whole partnership worked. (Oh, and by the way, our little boat was the lightest at 87.6 pounds!)

I just had to let you know how much I'm enjoying the Shearwater I built. It's everything I had ever hoped for in a kayak and more! I recently spent two weeks out at Smith Mountain Lake in Western Va. I probably paddled over 200 miles. I was out on the water every morning by sunrise and set out in a different direction each day. I found myself getting lost in my own world not realizing how far I was paddling. The Shearwater in calm water tracks like it's on a rail and the ease in which it paddles is unbelievable! I was never uncomfortable in the boat and would paddle for 3 to 4 hours at a time and had to force myself to turn around and paddle back so I could spend time with the family. It's just such a great boat! 

Additionally, the heads I turned as I would pass by other boats or docks was amazing. I met more people who were so fascinated by the fact that I actually built the boat and how beautiful it was. You got a lot of free publicity! Hopefully it will bring you more business. It is a beautiful boat in and out of the water and I am just lovin it!

I would recommend this boat to anyone whose looking for a long distance cruiser that's comfortable, fast and a blast to paddle.

Hi, John!  We thought you would like to see this e-mail, particularly the last line of paragraph two.  We are going to put it on our web site. Congrats to CLC for helping to make us look so good!

Pat, Adam, Bonnie

-----------

Can't say enough about the week at GLBBS. I knew that it would be helpful to work under a master boat builder, but the advice and attention that Pat gave us made all the difference in the world. He provided us with numerous helpful hints - ones that may have been implied in the directions that came with our kit, but might not have been picked up easily. Too, he quickly recognized that Ric brought a host of carpentry skills across the Atlantic to our week in the shop and schemed with Ric to find ways to make a really fine kit boat even better! 

The GLBBS facilities were and location were terrific. All the tools we needed were of good quality and in plentiful supply. Pat made the entire shop available to us as needed. We got more than we bargained for as other staff and students from the school would drop in, hang out, share ideas, and urge us on. Though the Northeaster Dory could be built by one person, I'm glad there were two of us there to move the project along as there was more than enough to keep us busy all week. 

Mostly, we had fun. Ric and I thoroughly enjoyed the time in the shop, the commute between Cedarville and Alanson. Time to talk about boats, about life. Sand paper and clamps replaced cell phones and internet. And, the format of the "custom" boat building week allowed us to enjoy watching other styles of boats being built at the same time. Many things in common despite the design differences.

Okay, enough chatter from down here in Dayton, Ohio. Good luck on the projects you have going up there this school year. Don't hesitate to have any interested and potential summer workshop participant contact me about GLBBS.

Just a brief note to let you know how delighted I am with the service and assistance that I received from your company during the construction of my WR180 last spring. I would have written sooner but have been busy paddling. . . Speaking as a wood shop teacher, with some 30 years experience, I must compliment you on the quality and completeness of your kit. I spent some time researching the various kit suppliers before deciding on CLC and have no regrets. I was delighted with every aspect of the hardware, literature and support. . . . Thanks again for your great service.

Viewing the world from a kayak quickly puts things in perspective.  It handled absolutely beautifully, and I am looking forward to many years of enjoyment with my new boat.  The only "drawback" is that up here in Alaska, our days of ice-free lakes are numbered!  Thanks for a great product!!

I get lots of compliments on the appearance of the boat, as its so refreshing to see a wooden kayak, and its human nature I guess that people really like the natural wood appearance. People honk and give me the "thumbs up" on the highway when I'm carrying it, and other kayakers on the river always want to stop and talk to me about it. Of course, I give you full credit.

About ready to order my next kit.

Here is the nearly complete boat.  All that is left is a few coats of varnish on the floor, decks and rail.  It moves through the water like a dream.  Thanks! 

I built my wherry with Dave in late March up here at Port Townsend.  Got it in the water July 4th weekend at Lake Wenatchee in the Cascade Mountains. Never underestimate the time to finish the boat...7 coats on the bottom, and 7 on top.  I put a custom mahagony trim on the transom and seats, and stained the railings, seat supports and trim a red mahagony color.  The varnish really sets it off.  I get a lot of very positive comments.

Thanks for a great start point with your kit and excellent instruction. 

I'm forwarding you some shots of my Eastport Pram that I just finished.  I mean like just now!  I'm really happy with the looks and from what everyone says, she's a great little boat.  Now if she floats (due to my construction) we're in business.

Just so you know, I've never built a stitch and glue boat before and it was really fun.  I wanted to pull my hair out a few times trying to get those little "notches" to line up in the transom and bow but once I cut them flush and said screw it, it all worked out pretty nicely.

I'm addicted and will most definitely be building a larger sailing boat to play around on.  I will be using this pram with my Tartan 27.  A great pair if you ask me.

I had absolutely NO prior woodworking skills, I can't believe I actually did this! And I will confirm that I did this completely solo, with the only exception of getting someone to assist holding down the deck sections while I secured them in place. This [Chesapeake] moves beautifully and effortlessly! I am truly impressed. THANK YOU for creating such a great kit.

You just don't seem to have enough women pictured who have built boats. My husband was there for moral support and as a second set of hands when needed, but between your instruction manual and bouncing ideas off my husband, the boat was basically very easy to build. . . Thanks for a great product!

I just wanted to send you a note describing the joy of launching my Mill Creek 16 today for the first time. I couldn't be happier with the design, performance and plain ol' good looks of your design. . . Everyone who saw the boat said the same thing - beautiful and where can I get one. It was my pleasure to guide them in your direction. . . Thank you for a great product that delivers what was promised.

The Annapolis Wherry is a really nice product & fun to build, and incredible to row.  I've never rowed a sliding seat before & it is just terrific.  What a great non-impact exercise.

Thought I would send you a picture of my first Wood Duckling 8.  The second one is nearly finished too...and my garage starts to look like a little shipyard now.

I finally successfully built and varnished the Sassafras-16 with lot of enjoyable struggles.  In addition, I installed a row-wing (with sliding seat), which I designed and built by myself to let it fit to the boat for marine use, on it.  I very much enjoyed rowing it with my 11 years old grandson out of Hiroshima, Japan, during our summer vacation.  The Sassafras-16 runs fast on the sea.

She floats!  Thanks for your help.

Just wanted to thank you for the kit and fun I had putting together the Chesapeake 17LT this summer.  The build was really enjoyable and the finished product is amazing.  I live near one of the Finger Lakes,and wheel the kayak down to the water.  The boat received lots of compliments, and quite a few people asked for the name of the company. People from twenty something women, to middle agers told me they havealways wanted to make their own boat.  I encouraged them that if I could do it, so could they.  I'm attaching some pictures; added to the
basic boat is your compass rose on-lay, and the hull was stained withwater based dark walnut.  Can't wait for warmer weather and new places to paddle.  Thanks again.

Bought a Mill Creek 13 several years ago and put my own wood-strip deck on it. This is the third year I’ve taken it on the rocky rivers in Colorado and Utah, and is also the first year I sustained any appreciable damage to it requiring repair. Mostly just scrapes from sliding over big rocks, but this year I got pushed sideways into a big
rock putting a silver dollar sized break in the lower panel in front of the hanging knee on the starboard side.  I’ve been taking it on 3-day/2-night trips and I have to say I love it. It fits all my gear, including a hard-sided Igloo Island Breeze cooler inside the aft compartment and 2 Coleman half-gallon water jugs in the forward
compartment bungeed to the bulkhead and 2 more on the other side of the bulkhead, right in front of my feet. Tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, food, stove, etc. . . . it all fits.  I even put a second small soft-sided cooler behind my seat so I can have access to drinks without getting out of the boat. The attached photo was taken last
weekend on the White River in Utah, somewhere between the Bonanza put-in and Enron take-out.

I also built a Sea Island Sport in parallel with the building of the Mill Creek 13. My three sons and I took it along with two canoes to the Upper Missouri River Breaks area in Montana. My sons love this boat! It paddles fast, and is super stable, and holds a bunch of gear. It was a great choice for paddling a river like the Missouri and is a
blast going through the wave trains. I’ve included two photos of my youngest son in this boat on the Missouri River, just downstream of the Wood Bottom put-in, taken in July.

I am not done yet, I have the hatch kit to put on and the varnishing of the deck to do. We could not wait to try it out. It was Great!!!!!! It was a great project for us to do together -- we do not hang wallpaper, but can build a CLC kayak together!!!!

I just wanted to send a picture of the progress on my Skerry.  I am loving every minute of the build.  I have a little over 90 hours into it, but have been spending a lot of time on some modifications.  They include custom rails and a trolling motor integrated in the rudder (I plan to build a second rudder for sailing).  

I have been extremely satisfied with the kit and your customer service.  Austin treated me great when you visited Miami!

Attached are photos of my completed Kahalo 14.  I designed the fabric for the boat.  It sails straight and fast.

Just launched this modified 17LT on Friday. The plans and instructions were great, as were the builders tips on your website. I've had it in the water every day so far. I love it. The kids are already asking for a wood duck of their own.

Thanks for your assistance in getting this started. The quality of the parts and instructions was excellent. These photos are of the finished boat on Lake Huron at Southampton Ontario. I got a lot of compliments on the design from passers-by.

Even as a novice oarsman in choppy water I stayed dry and upright.

I really enjoyed building this project. When working on it, I was indeed removed from some of the daily work pressures we all face. Everything in the kit fit well and nothing was missing. . . The kayak is extremely stable and tracks very straight. Many power boaters stopped their boats to comment on the kayak and ask questions.

Sunday morning, I paddled for about two hours and my previous days nervousness disappeared. The boat just seemed to glide effortlessly through the water.

Just a quick note to let you know that we launched our double yesterday afternoon. WHAT A GREAT BOAT AND FEELING!!!!!! It handled even better than I had dreamed, truly an excellent design!!! . . Thanks again for all the help and support!

I just finished my kayak and am looking forward to using it for the first time.  It required about 90 hours of labor, including finishing, and came together as easily as advertised.  Looks great, too!  Thanks for putting together a fantastic kit.

Enclosed are a couple of pictures of my Chesapeake 16. I've had it on a number of rivers and on Lake Michigan twice since I finished it in early February. I love it! 

I loved working on it and had little trouble figuring out the directions. When I did, you were quick with the replies to my questions which I really appreciated. . . Thanks for everything.

Here’s another picture of my beautiful boat I built this year. I've taken it all over Maryland and everywhere I go people tell me how gorgeous it is and ask if I built it myself! I always tell them where I got it and how it's put together. I'm gonna help a friend build one soon. Thanks a lot for all your help on the phone!

I purchased a Chesapeake 17 LT kit during the October sale and completed the build over eight weeks.  I could not be more pleased with the level of service at CLC, or with the final result.  What a fun project!  Neighbors dropped in on a regular basis just to see the progress.  All were impressed, that a jumble of parts turned into such a handsome craft.  Even though it's now December, I am looking forward to her launch.