Project List 2011

Smile15 - Another of my favourite Geodesic Airolites and another Snowshoe12 to boot. This one was completed especially for the 2011 Australian Wooden Boat Festival and was also displayed as a frame at the 2010 Tasmanian Craft Fair at Deloraine. Following an idea from a mate of mine, Scott Taylor, I used Blackwood on the Rub Rails to tie in the black decks. One of my best.

Smile16 - Still a work in progress, this is to be another Geodesic Airolite, an Arrow14, modified for a camping/fishing/hiking trip in the Central Highlands. A mate of mine, Peter Sutcliffe, has been convinced to build one as well to share the adventure. Like all of your own projects - it keeps being pushed to the background.....Will have to move this to the 2012 page now. I'm going to be incorporating some of my own ideas into this one - note the Tumblehome...

Smile17 - My original F1 kayak, Smile9, was sold and off to Rockhampton so a quick build of a replacement was necessary. The Tasmanian Sea Canoe Club has a number of avid kayak sailors and so Smile17 was built to incorporate a mast mount. A number of other minor changes and experiments are being trialled and she continues to be my personal paddler and test bed - though for sale, of course......

Smile18 - A paddling companion, fellow TSCC member and friend wanted a "little" kayak. Lyn Murray and I set about creating something that looked about right. She turned out cute as a button, and so "Buttons" became her name. She carries a burdon with her, but bears it with bow held high................ ..............................................."May Eleanor and Phillipa float with her always............"

Smile19 - The first of a few F1 kayak builds resulting from the 2011 Australian Wooden Boat Festival. This one was for Marcus Simpson who flew down from Brisbane and spent a week with me in the workshop.

Smile20 & 21 - A pair of F1 kayaks built by Jon Beck and Mark Howard in my workshop with Greg Simson and myself providing guidance. Mark impressed us by rolling his kayak within minutes of getting afloat.....

Smile22 & 23 - Another pair of F1s built with Fern Halliday and Kaye Jenkins and again with the assistance of Greg Simson. Another great week and another couple of friends added to the Smile Family. Ruffles (Kaye) and Dart (Fern) turned out well and are a credit to thier owners......although Dart received some open-heart surgery at one point.....

Smile24 - The Great Tinaroo Raid rolled around again in 2011 and again my mate Cliff raised his hand and said, "How about a kayak". So an F1 was built in Far North Qld in the five days prior to the Raid. A welcome change from chilly Hobart and a reminder on Nth Qld ingenuity - the steamer heat source was the BBQ.....

Smile25 was a dream build. It started with a phone call from Susan, "I'd like to give my husband a Birthday Present - one of your kayaks." What a great idea!!!!!! Chris McKenzie came and went over the course of a week or so and Smile25 was the result. Chris lives close by and has become both an avid and regular paddling companion.

Smile26 - Helen Hrovatin from Sydney got into the "present" theme by ordering a Christmas gift to herself. I was happy to oblige. Smile26 is another of my signature Snowshoe12s in Huon Pine...creating the thwart from a particularly nice pice of Huon Pine was my gift to Helen....