Learn to Build Your Own Birchbark Canoe as done by Native Builders for Centuries

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If you would like to learn to build, repair or restore a birchbark canoe we offer three options to help you.

There are 3 methods of instruction to choose from:

1. Attend our 15 day advanced class and build your own canoe
 You will assemble prepared materials under the supervision of an instructor. The result is a canoe that you built yourself.

2. Set up a private class in your area or attend a private class here and you keep the canoe
This has been a successful format for schools and museums but is also excellent for private groups or for just yourself. The class is brought to your place, we build a full size canoe and you keep it or you come here and together we build a canoe.

3. Purchase a home study course
Sometimes it is tough to get away or to even swing the fee for the basic course. The home study program allows you to watch a video, go through notes and build your own miniature canoe using the skills and methods from the study materials.

Schedule for 2023



On the right, the site of the 2005 and 2006 classes. In the middle, the site of the 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 classes and on the right our current site (not bad eh?).
You can view photos of those classes here for 2005 and here for 2006 and here for 2009

Schedule -Because we only offer the supervised advance class or the private class there is no set schedule. You tell us when you would like to come and we let you know what we can do at this end. We work it back and forth until it works for both of us. Even in the dead of winter we can hold a class because the building would be done inside the shop. In the summer we can work either in the shop or outside. As for private classes these too are scheduled individually.

For more information or to register call: 509-216-7451 or e-mail john@barkcanoe.com

509-216-7451 voice and fax        john@barkcanoe.com e-mail

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