We’re introducing some new projects along with our yearlong bushcraft and Earth skills program, most notably building a twenty-foot wood canvas canoe and making crooked knives with our new coal forge.

In December I’m getting together with Don Merchant of Pole and Paddle Canoe to build a mold for a 20-foot wood canvas canoe. The hull design will be based on the 20-foot White, but with significantly greater flare in the bow and stern. This will minimize the amount of water taken onboard in large waves, a problem I’ve had with the White design and its sharp bow and stern. We’re planning on building a test boat on the mold, then putting it into production in April during the spring Earth Skills Semester Program.

Other editions to our list of projects include building traditional snowshoes and making crooked knives with our hand-blown coal forge. Both of these projects will take place during the fall semester.

It’s been a busy time planning and scheduling the new yearlong program, but thankfully it’s almost finished and the updated 2007 schedule should be posted soon.