Group and Private Classes
We have various classes organized on a rolling basis throughout the year. Scroll down to see the list of upcoming and past classes. These classes are organized in small and engaging groups. If you would like to inquire about a past class you wish was scheduled again feel free to contact us here.
Upcoming Classes
Ultralight Skin-on-Frame Canoe
Lapstrake Canoe: hands-on learning to keep old traditions alive
Lapstrake Canoe: hands-on learning to keep old traditions alive
In this class, you will be building a 15-foot ultralight skin-on frame canoe with a group of 4-6 people. The class will meet twice a week: Wednesdays 6:30pm to 9:30 pm and Sundays 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.
April 23 - May 11
$500 Instruction fee
The canoe will be raffled to students for the price of materials ($900)
Lapstrake Canoe: hands-on learning to keep old traditions alive
Lapstrake Canoe: hands-on learning to keep old traditions alive
Lapstrake Canoe: hands-on learning to keep old traditions alive
We will start building a lapstrake canoe in May 2025. Sign up for a three day class to learn the skills of the trade and touch a particularly beautiful part of history.
Details, dates and instruction cost TBD
Woodworking Demonstrations Day
Lapstrake Canoe: hands-on learning to keep old traditions alive
Paddle Carving: An introduction to hand tools
Join us for a morning of hands-on demonstrations of woodworking and boatbuilding techniques. Try your hand at steam-bending, riveting, sawing, carving and more.
May 31st 9am-1pm or
June 28th 9am-1pm
$30 Admission fee
Paddle Carving: An introduction to hand tools
Paddle Carving: An introduction to hand tools
Carve your own solid cherry canoe paddle with hand tools. Class size 4-6 people.
In this version of the class we will meet for 3 evenings on Mondays and Wednesdays.
May 28, June 2nd and 4th 6pm-9pm
$220 Instruction fee
$60 Materials fee
Build your own: Shaker Style Oval Boxes
Introduction to steam bending, hand tools and copper fastening. Build your own set of Shaker oval boxes. This is an evening version of the class, so we will be building 2 boxes over three weekday evenings. Class size 4-6 people.
June 16th, 18th, and 23rd
6pm-9pm
$220 Instruction fee
$40 Materials fee
Mortise and Tenon: a Foundation for Quality
A hand tool intensive. Learn to layout and cut various types of mortise and tenon joints with hand tools. Apply those skills to building a beautiful entryway bench collaboratively. Small class of 4 people.
July 11-13 9am-5pm
$375 Instruction fee
The bench will be raffled to students for the price of materials ($130)
Paddle Carving: An introduction to hand tools
Paddle Carving: An introduction to hand tools
Paddle Carving: An introduction to hand tools
Carve your own solid cherry canoe paddle with hand tools. Class size 4-6 people.
This is a 2-day intensive version of the class.
August 9-10th 9am-4pm
$250 Instruction fee
$60 Materials fee
Build your own: Grow Shelf
Paddle Carving: An introduction to hand tools
Paddle Carving: An introduction to hand tools
Build your own 16"x16" cabinet to grow herbs or keep your favorite house plans alive in winter. A beginner-friendly one-day class.
August 17th 9:30am-4:30pm
$130 Instruction fee
$150 Douglas Fir kit or $200 Cedar Kit
Other Instruction
Schedule A Private Boat Build
Activities for Businesses and Events
Activities for Businesses and Events
Have you been dreaming of building your own boat, kayak, or canoe but didn't know where to start? Hire one of our instructors to help navigate the process. We tailor our instruction to what you need, bringing over 20 years of boatbuilding experience to your project.
Activities for Businesses and Events
Activities for Businesses and Events
Activities for Businesses and Events
Are you an Airbnb looking to host an activity? A summer camp or school looking for fresh engaging courses? Or a brewery looking for unique entertainment for your guests? We know how to make our classes an unforgettable experience and we can bring that experience right to your space!
Past classes
Build Your Own Grow Shelf
Paddle Making on Saint Croix River
Lapstrake Skiff (Private Class)
March 19, 2023
Instructor: Maria Petrova
Northern winters need not frustrate your green thumb anymore! In this one-day workshop each student built their own attractive cedar grow shelf. It integrates full-spectrum LED lights and a hinged front for easy access to your botanical babies. The shelf lends itself to hydroponics or soil-based planting. This beginner-friendly class incorporated some basic principles of woodworking and hand tools.
Lapstrake Skiff (Private Class)
Paddle Making on Saint Croix River
Lapstrake Skiff (Private Class)
September 2022 - Jan 1st 2023
Blaine, MN
Instructor: Phil Winger
Our customer, a skilled woodworker in his own right, partnered with us to build a 13-foot lapstrake skiff from cedar, oak, and mahogany.
This traditional boat takes over 300 hours to build and trains advanced woodworking skills like cutting laps, rabbets, and rolling bevels.
Friends and family are a welcome addition to the effort!
Paddle Making on Saint Croix River
Paddle Making on Saint Croix River
Shaker Boxes at Ogichi Daa Kwe Girls camp
September 10 - 11, 2022
Near Marine on Saint Croix
Instructor: Phil Winger
Carve your own canoe paddle while camping on the bank of the beautiful Saint Croix river! Combine the pleasure of being in nature, learning, and shearing wooden fibers with a sharp plane. This two-day class will provide everything you need to carve your paddle. Bring camping gear and food, and be prepared to enjoy good company.
Shaker Boxes at Ogichi Daa Kwe Girls camp
West Greenland Kayak at North House Folk School
Shaker Boxes at Ogichi Daa Kwe Girls camp
June 5 - August 5 2022
International Falls, MN
Instructor: Maria Petrova
Making a shaker box is a very satisfying way to learn basic principles of working with wood and steam bending. Each camper will walk away from this class with her own oval box constructed from carefully selected materials.
West Greenland Kayak at North House Folk School
West Greenland Kayak at North House Folk School
West Greenland Kayak at North House Folk School
June 20 - 26, 2022
North House Folk School
Instructors: Phil Winger, Brian Thorkildson
This course is for individuals with a strong interest in creating a seaworthy craft with their own hands. The Inuit kayak from Greenland is a fast and responsive craft designed for hunting but just as suitable for today’s more common recreational purposes.
SoF Canoe at Ogichi Daa Kwe Girls camp
West Greenland Kayak at North House Folk School
West Greenland Kayak at North House Folk School
June 5 - August 5, 2022
International Falls, MN
Instructor: Phil Winger
Skin on Frame (SOF) canoes are durable and extremely light, which makes them perfect for the rigorous 8-12 day wilderness trips that Ogichi campers take each summer.