Nathan M | Pensacola, FL, USA | Passagemaker Dinghy (Balanced Lug Sail Rig)  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. |
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| Matt S | Vadnais Heights, MN, USA | Needs a CLC boat I just spent all day trying to catch up to a friend in a CLC boat. Please send me a catalog so I don't have to be in last place. |
Mark M | San Francisco, CA, USA | Chesapeake Triple http://www.arnavsupplies.com/news.html
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| Valerie G | Portsmouth, NH, USA | Chesapeake 17 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. |
John-Kare T | Jan Mayen, NORWAY | Chesapeake 17 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. |
Roger C | Annapolis, MD, USA | Eastport Pram 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. |
Mark A | Belmont, NC, USA | Chesapeake 16LT & January 2006 Chesapeake LT Class Graduate |
Doug C | Sydney, AUSTRALIA | Mill Creek 13 |
| Eden O | Warwick, RI, USA | Pax 20 Many, many thanks for a fascinating design, fine materials, and good instructions. Making your boats could easily become a lifelong habit. |
Vernon L | Pacific Grove, CA, USA | West River 18 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 wwere 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. |
Herb P | Holland, MI, USA | Sassafras 12 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. |
| Bob L | Jackson, NJ, USA | Chesapeake 16 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. |
David G | Milton, South Otago, NEW ZEALAND | Chesapeake 17LT |
Jim S | Dixon, CA, USA | Annapolis Wherry 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! |
John R | Fort Wayne, IN, USA | Chesapeake 18 |
Masa T | Hiroshima, JAPAN | Sassafras 16 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 the rowing it with my 11 years old grandson out of Hiroshima Japan, during our summer vacation. The Sassafras-16 runs fast on the sea. |
| Geoff C | Flagstaff, AZ, USA | Pax 18 & Cape Charles 17 I have finally finished two of your kits (the Patuxent [Pax] 17.5 and the Cape Charles 17), and they are great. My wife and I took them down to Conception Bay in Baja California and had a wonderful time with them. The kayaks are fast, more stable than we expected, and just plain fun. |
Marie B | Palatine, IL, USA | Chesapeake 16LT |
Ken M | Rossland, BC, CANADA | West River 18 |
Kurt N | Flagstaff, AZ, USA | Cape Charles A true story about how I came to having natural light in the basement. "Ode to a new window" The boat came in the mail The time was of sandpaper and nail To build a fine craft From bow to aft Was certainly a joy Like having a baby and it was a boy The epoxy is set and varnish dry With hand on my chin I look to the sky And dream of sea or an ocean blue Or paddling with whales and dolphins too Then I realize to my amazement On how to get a Cape Charles out of the basement |
Ken W | Trevor, Wi, USA | Chester Yawl 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. |
Phil D | Richmond, VA, USA | Chesapeake Triple It's finished - and looks great. I can't believe I actually built this. |
Fred S | Mechanicsville, PA, USA | Shearwater 17
I would recommend this boat to anyone whose looking for a long distance cruiser that's comfortable, fast and a blast to paddle. |
Salvatore B | Catania, ITALY | Chesapeake 16 |
Peter H; Mathews Maritime Foundation | Mathews County, VA, USA | Peace Canoe
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. |
| Dave K | Chase, SC, USA | Chester Yawl 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 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! |
John K | Forked River, NJ, USA | Annapolis Wherry [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. |
| Andrew D | Albany, NY, USA | Cape Charles 17 The finished kayak is a joy to paddle in all types of conditions, both on the ocean and on inland lakes. She is fast, surfs great and effortless to paddle hour after hour. As you can probably tell by the tone of this letter, I am quite proud of my "homemade" kayak. This Cape Charles 17 turns heads wherever kayaks gather. Thanks again for a wonderful design and a well thought out kit. Hope to see you on the water sometime. |
Russ P | Harcourt, ON, CANADA | Annapolis Wherry & Chesapeake 18 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 AW 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. |
Gina W | Sturgis, MI, USA | Chesapeake 16 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. |
| James & Nicole B | Portland, OR, USA | Chesapeake 17LT & Mill Creek 15 We wanted to write to say how much we enjoyed building a Chesapeake lite 17 and a Mill Creek 15. Both kits were fun to build, and just challenging enough to make us proud when we completed them. |
David L | Asheville, NC, USA | Chesapeake 18 |
Phil B | Ourimbah, NSW, AUSTRALIA | Chesapeake 18 The [Chesapeake 18] is a great little boat and it's getting plenty of use. |
Scott E. | Great Falls, MT, USA | Mill Creek 13 |
Tom K | Santa Rosa, CA, USA | Eastport Pram |
David W | Guelph, Ontario, CANADA | Chesapeake 18 Sunday morning, I paddled for about two hours and my previous days nervousness disappeared. The boat just seemed to glide effortlessly through the water. |
Aubrey W | Kingstree, SC, USA | Sassafras 16 |
Pete & Sidonia A | Bothell, WA, USA | Chesapeake Triple 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. |
Glenn S. | Wilmington, DE, USA | Chesapeake 16 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! |
| Tom C & Steve K | San Francisco, CA, USA | Cape Charles 18 We wanted to thank you for the excellent quality of the kit and the great advice and service while we were building her. It's gratifying to know that help is just an email or a phone call away. Of the many things to consider when ordering our second boat, from whom to order it was never in question. |
| Henry S | Annapolis, MD, USA | OkoumeFest I just wanted to thank you for a great time at O'fest. . . You have a special bunch there at CLC. It's getting rare to find a company that is so passionate about what they do. I firmly believe that it's not only the boats that have made CLC successful, the employees have also. . . I had a great time and I'm looking forward to next year. |
Edward C | Woodbine, NJ, USA | Jimmy Skiff 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. |
| Steve & Sheryl B | Port Angeles, WA, USA | Chesapeake Double 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 and excellent design!!! . . Thanks again for all the help and support! |
| Glenn K | Lynnfield, MA, USA | Passagemaker Dinghy My wife Kathy and I enjoyed our visit to your shop. Discussion with John and Ed helped me decide which of your kits would best suit my needs and discussion and observation of builders on site helped confirm my decision. I must say your boats look even better in person than in the catalog. Enclosed is my order for the Passagemaker dinghy. You appear to deliver what you advertise and more. |
Thomas D | Hartland, WI, USA | Chesapeake 17 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. |
| Renate B | Silver Spring, MD, USA | Chesapeake 16 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! |
Ian S | Heffley Creek, BC, CANADA | Tred Avon Thanks very much. Again, I don't know which I enjoyed more - building it or paddling it. |
Nik P | Robesonia, PA, USA | Mill Creek 16.5 |
| Bill G | Renton, WA, USA | Chesapeake 17 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. |
Bill & Gayle B | Monroe, OR, USA | Chesapeake Double 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. |
Frank S | Centreville, VA, USA | Chesapeake 17LT 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. |
Mark C | Missoula, MT, USA | Chesapeake 17 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. |
Davd M | Burnsville, NC, USA | Mill Creek 16.5 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. |
John Z | Ponte Vedra Beach, CA, USA | Chesapeake 16 |
Gary Z | Wausau, WI, USA | Pax 18 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. |
| Peter P | Chardon, OH, USA | Chesapeake 16 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. |
Cesar R | Santiago, CHILE | Chesapeake 17 Hola, mi nombre es Cesar y les mando fotos de mi Chesapeake 17 en un lago del sur de Chile ... |
Bob D | Rochester, NY, USA | Chesapeake 17LT 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! |
Dave S | Stanwood, WA, USA | Chesapeake 17 |
| Steven D | Beaufort, SC, USA | Chesapeake 17LT Hi, I just wanted to let you know what a pleasure it is to be building my Chesapeake LT 17 kayak from one of your kits. I have thoroughly enjoyed this first time experience and I promise it will not be the last one I build. Your kits are everything you say they are. Keep up the great work and thanks for your friendly advice and help. |
John W | Kennebunk, ME, USA | Chesapeake 16 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. |
| Evan S | Lancaster, PA, USA | Chesapeake 17LT 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. |
Steve D | Pewaukee, WI, USA | Mill Creek 16.5 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!!!! |
| Bob R | Chesapeake, VA, USA | Chesapeake 18LT What a wonderful experience it has been to build this boat. I ws 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. |
Betty J | Doylestown, PA, USA | Jimmy Skiff 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. |
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.
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.
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 just wanted to thank you for the class of this past week, not only for the knowledge shared but for the patience with which you shared it. We worked hard all week but you hung in there with us, graciously correcting any mistake and carefully guiding us on to the next step. I have a new measure of confidence now as I look forward to my boat's completion.
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.
What a great experience building this boat. I been amazed at the admirers, even people who aren't into kayaks. Thanks for the great plans and instructions.
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!
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. 
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! 
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. 
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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. 
My wife and I ordered a Chesapeake Double kit from you last July and spent the rest of the summer building it together. It was by far the most enjoyable project we have ever done. The materials were of the finest quality, and any questions we had were answered over the phone clearly by a friendly person who you could tell knew what they were talking about.