Today we often think of wooden canoes as being strip-built, but lapstrake canoes have an even longer history. The legendary Rushton lapstrake canoes are considered the pinnacle of the canoe builders' art. Unfortunately, the required skills of this costly method faded away in the early 20th century. Simpler strip building, and later aluminum and fiberglass, took over. But CLC's revolutionary LapStitch™ building method allows lapstrake canoes to be built by someone with no previous woodworking experience. All the planks and other parts are pre-cut. No strongback, molds, frames, or steam bending are required; building a LapStitch™ canoe is basically a matter of gluing all the pre-cut parts together.
Imagine a boat so light that you can put it on your shoulder and stroll casually down a wooded trail, carry it to a hidden lake or stream, or paddle it with almost no effort. That was the idea behind the original "trapper" or "pack" canoes. CLC's 26-pound Sassafras 12 carries on the tradition - but with modern building methods.
Though she can be carried, or paddled, by a child, she'll hold a 250-pound load. She tracks well, turns easily, and is stable enough for fishing. For maximum efficiency you'll want to paddle the Sassafras 12 with a double (kayak) paddle.
Read and submit reviews for the Sassafras 12 Kit.
Read reviews for the Sassafras 12 Kit by Chesapeake Light Craft as submitted by your fellow paddlers. All of the reviews are created and written by paddlers like you, so be sure to submit your own review and be part of the community!
The Sassafrass 12 provides room, stability, high weight capacity, plus the speed to keep up with the Heritage boats. It tracks well yet steers easily due to its length. There are no covered storage areas, but plenty of open room to store stuff. I recommend a longer paddle due to the width and height of the sides. Due to the wood construction it only weighs 25 pounds. I think the bottom will need repainting every few years, but that is a small price to pay for such a beautiful efficient boat.
--- Manufacturer's Response: I would like to make a comment with regards to the boat stability. The Sassafras 12 is designed to use a kayak paddle. Hence the kayak seat, which is positioned low in the boat. By using a standard canoe seat (not recommended), this will reduce the stability. With the standard kayak type seat, the boat is very stable. ~Ed from CLC
