Build Your Own Canoe

Join master-craftsman Josh Finn for a two-day canoe making workshop in High Falls, NY.

Learn hands-on by building a 15 foot “Six-Hour Canoe”.

The emphasis will be on hands-on doing. Participants will learn skills and have hands-on experiences that can be applied to boatbuilding or other building projects. Many skills are transferable to furniture building or home repair.

You will be working in teams of two to make a total of five canoes, so please find a partner to join you!

If you are one person and would like to take a canoe home, please contact Sarah at Wild Earth – sarah@wildearth.org.

Experience with woodworking and/or tool use is helpful, but not mandatory.

Minimum age to be a participant is 12 years old.

About Josh Finn

Since 1995, I’ve owned and operated my own business. Previous to that, I spent twelve years working as an apprentice in fine woodworking shops in New York, Vermont, Seattle, and Wales.

Some of my influences include my father, William Finn, who was a sculptor, the elegant practicality of the Shakers, the work of George Nakashima, and the wooden boat building tradition.

My designs are inspired by the patterns and shapes I see in nature, such as the effects of wind on water, water on stone, or the arching of a tree’s branches. I find fulfillment in creating things that will last and be enjoyed for generations.

Wood has warmth, diversity, and flexibility. Each species of wood has qualities that suggest different uses. I enjoy recognizing particular qualities in the wood and designing furniture that highlights them.

www.joshfinn.com