Artisan Built Custom Boats

Each kayak is handcrafted by Nick from hundreds of individually hand fitted pieces of wood. This construction process allows a wide degree of design freedom, however it is time consuming. Nick can produce boats at various levels of finish as described below. Please call me for more information and pricing at US (860) 659-8847 or email me.

Standard Construction

Standard Construction: This high decked Night Heron is built of random colored western red cedar using staples. At this distance the staples are not visibleStandard Construction: This high decked Night Heron is built of random colored western red cedar using staples. At this distance the staples are not visibleNatural Foam Seat: The standard seat is a very comfortable carved minicell foam. The closed cell foam is soft yet supportin. It starts out with a suede-like finish but becomes smooth with use.Natural Foam Seat: The standard seat is a very comfortable carved minicell foam. The closed cell foam is soft yet supportin. It starts out with a suede-like finish but becomes smooth with use.

Kayaks built to this level will have some random difference in the wood lamination coloration. The lamination design will be understated with a few accent stripes. There will be small holes visible in the strips where I temporarily used staples during the construction process. These holes do not effect the function of the boat in any way. Any deck hardware will be surface-mounted wooden construction. The seat will be "natural" foam. These boats will typically use 1/4" thick wooden strips. This is my standard construction for boats that I will be using myself. It creates a highly functional boat that with the honest beauty inherent in anything made of wood.

 

Custom

Matched Strips: A beautiful pattern is created by flitch-cutting thin strips from a beautiful piece of mahogany, then carefully planking the boat with these strips in the same order they were ripped from the board.Matched Strips: A beautiful pattern is created by flitch-cutting thin strips from a beautiful piece of mahogany, then carefully planking the boat with these strips in the same order they were ripped from the board.Custom Seat: A laminated and carved wooden "tractor" style seat encapsulated in clear fiberglass clothCustom Seat: A laminated and carved wooden "tractor" style seat encapsulated in clear fiberglass cloth

These kayaks will use hand-selected matched wood with no staple holes. The pattern of the wood strip lamination will be kept simple, similar to the "standard". Wooden hardware will be recessed into the deck and the seat will be custom upholstered. The boats will weigh less than the standard construction due to the use of 3/16" wood strips. Custom construction uses cedar as the primary wood, more exotic woods may be substituted.

 

Custom Graphic

Graphic Stripping: On this Expedition Single I took graphic stripping to an extreme using redwood, western red cedar and pine. It also includes inlaid graphics on the hatches.Graphic Stripping: On this Expedition Single I took graphic stripping to an extreme using redwood, western red cedar and pine. It also includes inlaid graphics on the hatches. Graphic Hatch: Night heron head artwork inlaid in figured woods on the back hatch of a Night Heron kayak.Graphic Hatch: Night heron head artwork inlaid in figured woods on the back hatch of a Night Heron kayak.

The construction details will be the same as "Custom" above but the wood strips will be bookmatched and may incorporate a custom design and inlaid marquetry. The seat will be of sculpted wood. The design and the shape of the boat may be fully customized to suit the client.