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ESSENTIAL INFO
If you purchase a ticket for this course, all the information on this page will be emailed to you with your ticket.
👥 Suitable for: Ages 12 and up - Children aged 12-14 must be accompanied by a paying adult - Ages 15+ can do this build alone if they wish
📍 Venue: Bellingen Public School
📈 Level: Suitable for all skill levels
⏰ Schedule: Mon–Fri, 9am – 4pm (5 Full-Days)
🏷️ Extra costs: This course has a cost of $320 for materials
⚠️ Extra info: This course is held in a large covered outdoor area. Bellingen can be hot in January, so prepared to work in the heat. Due to the amount of equipment onsite, it may not be suitable for students with mobility issues.
Yes, you can build your canoe as a team
You only need to purchase 1 ticket per team. The ticket must be for the oldest person in the team eg. if the oldest person is aged 15-17 you need a teen ticket. If the oldest person is 18+ you need an adult ticket.
Children aged 12-14 must be accompanied by a paying adult
At checkout you must advise the full name(s) of your extra team member(s).
Required skills & experience
No woodworking experience is needed as the canoe comes as a complete kit with all marine plywood parts cut out ready to assemble.
There is no sawing or heavy lifting.
Supplies that will be provided by your tutor
Cost of $320 includes:
All materials pre-cut and ready to make your canoe
Does not include a seat, paint or a paddle
NOTE: Supply costs will be collected by the tutor before Camp Creative.
Supplies that you need to bring to class
ESSENTIAL
Cordless drill with 4mm drill bit and Phillips head driver. Don’t forget the charger!
Pair of pliers for tightening cable ties
Several grades of sandpaper for smoothing timber
Pair of saw horses or folding work benches
Old clothes and closed-in shoes (no thongs or sandals)
Plastic gloves to avoid glue on hands
HELPFUL
Wood plane
Hand saw
Hammer
Chisel
Woodworking clamps
Any general woodworking tools
Countersink drill bit
CANOE SEAT
The tutor will have 8 old plastic school chairs available to use as canoe seats, first in best dressed!
Canoe seats are not necessary if you wish to launch on Friday- just sit on the bottom of your canoe.
Canoe/kayak seat from $30 on eBay. Also check BCF, though more expensive.
School type plastic chair without legs (council clean ups are good), tutor will have some free old plastic school chairs if you need a seat.
Build your own- check “DIY simple canoe/kayak seats’ on Google Images/Youtube.
PADDLE
If you wish to bring your own 1.8m x 30mm Tassie oak dowel (about $20 from Bunnings) or 1.5m long broom handle from your local hardware store (even cheaper!) to the course, we will provide the ply paddle blades and glue for you to make your own paddle.
Learning outcomes
Master the "Stitch-and-Glue" Method, from panel assembly to structural reinforcement.
Gain hands-on experience working with marine-grade materials, structural adhesives, and curing processes.
Master precision, alignment, and shaping to ensure your canoe is symmetrical, stable, and seaworthy.
Master the use of planes, sanders, and sealants to create a professional, hydrodynamic finish.
Take home your new canoe!
COURSE PLAN
DAY ONE
Kit sorting and panel preparation.
Drill our stitch-holes
Begin the "sewing" process to give your canoe its shape - this canoe is going together with cable ties!
DAY TWO
Glue and fit the gunwales
Begin glueing the chines (seams) and stems to ensure structural integrity.
DAY THREE
Continue glueing, and prepare for fitting the deck and bulkhead.
DAY FOUR
The "heavy" work is done, now we refine.
Planing, sanding, final glueing, and fitting the deck and bulkhead.
DAY FIVE
Final filling and sanding, and making sure everything is sleek and smooth.
Those who choose to can head to the Bellinger River to launch their pride and joy - bubbly included!
NOTE: Launching your canoe is fully optional and at your own risk.
COURSE TUTOR
Brian Jones
Brian is a retired Primary School and TAFE Teacher who is passionate about building boats and getting out on the water, be it sailing, steaming or paddling.
He has built dinghies, canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards with men’s groups, youth at risk, TAFE students, and primary and high school students. He has seen the tremendous sense of pride and self-worth that building their own craft brings- for many students it has been their first success at school.
Brian has built Stitch and Glue Canoes (the ones we are building at Camp Creative) with students in various High Schools, TAFE, the National Maritime Museum in Sydney, and Festivals in Maleny and Phillip Island. The Wooden Boat Festival in Tasmania has twice paid his fare to Hobart to build canoes with local youth groups.
More than 120 of these canoes have now been built at Camp Creative, with all being ready for the water on the last day, bringing the total number of these canoes built to around 350. Brian has also built boats for himself, including numerous canoes and kayaks, sailing dinghies, a 7m steamboat, a 5.1m 1920’s design speedboat, and a 5.5m cabin cruiser.
His aim is to show as many people as possible, especially children, how easy it is to get afloat in a craft they have built themselves.
“My husband took a week off work to attend this course, his first Camp Creative. He completed the most amazing canoe that he is super proud of!”
“Amazing chap! He was so sad when it was Friday afternoon. We were all exhausted and exhilarated with our canoes!”
