Build your own canoe project was a success!
Did you know you could build a canoe in six hours? That’s what the book says anyway. Some brave volunteers from the Marietta Rowing and Cycling Club decided to give it a try. Peter Prigge, Dave Paskawych, and John Clark from the Marietta Rowing and Cycling Club and Dave Vandenberg volunteered to help two area students, Brandon Mayle from Warren High School and Blake Hanson from Marietta Middle School build canoes for themselves. All involved quickly learned that more than six hours would be needed to accomplish this task. It actually took about forty-five hours, or so.
Starting April 1, this multi-generation team began the task of reading directions, cutting out the pieces and assembling two canoes. The first thing they realized was that the “six hours” did not include cutting out and preparing the canoe parts. Working all through the months of April and May, the team also decided to add a few precautionary steps to the boats, like fiberglassing the entire surface and not just the bottom. The launching was planned for May 30, so final touches were being made late on the 29th, and painters tape was peeled off the morning of the 30th. Keeping an eye on the weather all day, the boats were walked over to the crew dock for launching at 2:15. In front of a rather large audience that included Brandon’s family, Blake’s family, John Clark and Dave Paskawych and even some of their family, and BB2C Makerspace staff, the boys launched their canoes. Without incident, they rowed around the Muskingum River in their boats for over an hour. Both boys commented they enjoyed learning how to use the equipment in the wood shop, spending time with the adult volunteers, making a new friend, and having fun on the river with their new canoes.
The Marietta Rowing and Cycling Club has agreed to continue this venture by volunteering to lead two Canoe Building camps at the BB2C Makerspace this summer. The target age for the camps are rising 8th, 9th, and 10th grade students, and the camps will run for 3 weeks each, (with a 4th week on the calendar just in case!). The first canoe camp runs from June 10 - 28, and the second July 15 - August 2, from 8:30-11:30am. Only three students will be accepted per camp session. Click here for the application and call 740-370-6399 x5 for more information.