Canoe Raffle

We're raffling a student-built Willow-Ribbed Canoe from our class in April, which has been beautifully finished by instructor Hilary Russell at his workshop, Berkshire Boatbuilding School. Tickets are $10 each, or 6 for $50 and the drawing will be held March 31, 2012, just in time for the start of the paddling season (once the ice melts!).

To get your raffle tickets today, call us at the Yestermorrow office (802-496-5545) with your credit card, send us a check (189 VT Rte 100, Warren, VT 05674) or go online to our donation site (just make sure to specify "raffle" in the memo line). We'll enter you in the raffle and send your tickets to you in the mail. You can always stop by to say hi, see the boat up close and personal, and get your raffle tickets in person here at Yestermorrow. And we'll notify the lucky winner at the end of March.

Built at Yestermorrow, this canoe is ribbed with a willow that is grown in Hilary's salley* garden in the Berkshires (*This is an Irish term from salix, Latin for willow. The Irish grew willow not only for baskets but for weirs, donkey carts and boats -- their skin-on-frame currachs). The willow ribs are lashed together as “doublers” in the traditional Irish manner. This is a North American Solo 10 ½’ craft.

Here are the specs:
Length – 10 ½’
Width – 27”
Depth – 9 1/2”
Weight – approx. 18 lbs.
Capacity – 225 lbs.
Rubrails – ash

Materials:
Gunwales – spruce/ash laminations
Backrest – ash
Thwart – ash
Stringers – pine
Floorboards – ash
Decks – ash
Seat – willow
Stemband/Keel – white oak
Skin – cotton canvas
Waterproofing – ten coats of water based, exterior polyurethane
Lashing – cotton Mason’s twine
Pegs – bamboo (chop sticks)