Kayak is a floating piece of art
Published Saturday November 14th, 2009
Moncton Woodworking Show has tools, supplies and ideas for hobbyists and shoppers
Some people like to create art that hangs on the wall but Vernon Shaffner says there's nothing like building a wooden sea kayak that cruises through the water as beautifully as it gleams under the lights.
"I look at it as an art form as opposed to a boat," Shaffner said yesterday as he proudly displayed one of his hand-made sea kayaks at the annual Moncton Woodworking Show at the Moncton Coliseum. "They're nice to look at and they work so well in the water."
Shaffner, a Halifax dentist, says he got interested in kayaks about 10 years ago when he was repairing the boats his children were racing in the local circuit. After paddling around in a plastic kayak, he decided to try building his own. He bought a book called The Strip-Built Sea Kayak and set to work with partner Mike Quigley.
Shaffner has built eight kayaks over 10 years and given three of them to the Cancer Society for use as fundraisers. He doesn't sell them because he doesn't want his hobby to become a job.
Each of his kayaks is a true work of art because they are constructed using strips of western red cedar about the thickness of a pencil. The strips are joined and glued one after another over a jig. Since it takes about eight hours for each strip to dry, he might get just one or two glued in a day. The strips of red cedar have slightly different colours, which allows the builder to create lateral patterns of colour throughout the piece.
The kayaks are made in two halves, that are joined together like a plastic model airplane. After the wood is sanded smooth, it is reinforced with coatings of epoxy, fiberglass and a clear gloss. Shaffner says building a kayak takes lots of patience and he even uses the skills and materials involved in making dentures to construct some parts, like the mount for the rudder.
He says it takes roughly 500 hours to build each kayak and the materials alone would cost about $2,000. The 19-foot kayak weighs approximately 50 pounds, which he says is heavy enough to be solid in the water but light enough for one person to carry from the car to the water.
Shaffner's sea kayak is just one of many interesting displays at the Moncton Woodworking Show, which continues today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Visitors to the show began flowing through the Coliseum yesterday afternoon to see the latest in hand tools, power tools, abrasives, finishes and interesting projects. There are displays by various manufacturers demonstrating their products and local craftsmen showing their latest works of art.
Visitors interested in woodworking can get ideas and advice for their own projects while Christmas shoppers can pick up some unique Christmas gifts in the form of tools and wood art, magazines and books.
Local carvers and craftsmen have displays of wooden jewelry boxes, key chains, bowls, figurines, birds, portraits and miniature animals. For the woodworker, there are also samples of exotic woods, jigs, saw blades, cutters and unique tools available for purchase.
This year's special guest is Vic Tesolin, editor of Canadian Woodworking and Home Improvement Magazine, who will be offering tips and techniques for woodworkers. A couple of big displays include a hand-made wooden car owned by Pierre LaCroix of Bouctouche.
The Dieppe Military Veterans' Association has a booth where visitors can sign the Pens for Canadian Peacekeepers banner to show support for Canada's armed forces members around the world.
* The Moncton Woodworking Show show continues today at the Moncton Coliseum from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $4 for students 12-18 and free for those under 12. Young children must be accompanied by an adult for safety reasons. Veterans with a valid record of service are admitted free.
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