Cedar Guideboat Kits

Rather than have us build a boat for you...

...why not do it yourself?   

    There are few things as satisfying as building your own boat. Not only is there a pride of craftsmanship, but the bond between the man (or the woman) and the boat goes much deeper. Each piece of wood is there because you put it there. And you gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of these wonderful boats, developed by back-woodsmen 160 years ago. 

    Included in your kit will be all of the wood and metal parts needed to build your boat. These parts will include a pine bottomboard, cedar planking (cut and beveled), 2 spruce stems, laminated spruce ribs, cherry seats, gunnels, floorboards and decks, brass rowlocks, oarlocks, brass stem bands and soft maple oar blanks.

    There are additional supplies that will be needed. Varnish, sandpaper, 2 x 4's and plywood are best purchased locally. (2 x 4's and plywood are for the builder's jig, not your boat.) 

     We are offering a discounted tool, hardware and supply package which some will find useful. It includes screws, countersinks and drill bits specific to our kit,  hardware for the builders jig, a cabinet rasp, scrapers, brushes, fiberglass, resin, gloves, respirators, and rollers. Some will need all of these supplies and tools, others are invited to pick and choose. Click HERE to view that supply package. The supply kit can vary from $0 to $600, depending on what you need.

     A builder's manual, a fiberglassing DVD and a CD with 122 photos of the building process will also be supplied.   

       Click HERE for a look at how we build a wooden boat. 

     Some take on the boat as a solo project, others see it is as a family event or something to share with friends. We are here to talk you through anything which may be confusing....so there is never a question of success. Building times vary according to your skills and familiarity with woodworking. It takes us about 300 hours to build one of our boats....but we are building all of the parts, you are assembling parts that we built. Kit-builders report a building time of 200 to 300 hours. The record seems to be 178 hours....he even showed us the time sheets to prove it. If you decide to build one of our boats you will have the satisfaction of having produced a truly extraordinary work of art that will be admired for generations.

Scott Wightman, Arizona.

Dale Perkinson, Missouri

Alex MacCormack, Long Island

Dick Kellogg, Sam, and the boat they built. 

    Please allow 4 weeks for us to build the parts for your boat. Shipping costs are typically $100 - $600, depending on where you live.

Kit Prices