As professional wilderness guides, we make many items in our travelling outfit: wood/canvas canoes, pounded ash pack baskets, ash toboggans, and mukluks (winter moccasins). By using mostly natural materials, we become more closely connected to the world of plants and animals around us.
These courses are taught in a roomy and comfortable workshop attached to the Maine Journeys homestead in Glenburn, Maine. Courses are tailored for individuals or small groups, generally 1-7 students. Participants range in age from 12 to 84 (and counting!). All meals are provided and prepared on a wood cookstove. Students usually stay over at the homestead. Most courses last 2-3 days; the canoe course runs a week.
Tools and experience are provided. Students bring enthusiasm and take home their own useful and beautiful craft. We emphasize personalized instruction and enjoyment of the process.
Classes are often scheduled in the winter and spring, but custom scheduling is available year round. Instruction can be tailored to individuals or groups.
At the end of 7 days, a traditional Maine cedar and canvas canoe is completed, except for painting and varnishing. Models available include the solo Water Slipper (12', 37lb), the Warden's Worry (14' 55lb), and the River Mink (16', 68lb).
From pounding ash logs to fashioning a handmade rim, students get a taste of each step of traditional basket construction. One to four day courses include making large and small pack baskets, creels, Shaker community carrier baskets, and trinket baskets. Other baskets are available from the designs of Louis Paul, Maliseet Indian basket maker.
These long, flexible toboggans are narrow enough to fit in a snowshoe track, yet strong enough to pull 150 pounds of equipment. Perfect for winter camping or supplying off-road dwellings. This course takes 3 days.
In a weekend, students make their own winter moccasins of leather and canvas. Because feet are allowed to breathe, this slipper-like footwear is the warmest choice for winter travel.
Fran Doonan is a skilled basket and mukluk maker with a diverse background as gourmet cook, school nurse, and counselor. Dave Mussey is a registered Maine Guide with an interest in woodcraft and traditional fiddle tunes.
With the first planing of the board, an emotional connection was made that grew stronger with each step. I had not anticipated how lovely a product I could produce.Joan Morrison, toboggan student.
Two Flatlanders from Louisiana came to Maine to build a canoe with the "Best Wooden Boat Builder," and found that southern hospitality extended north of the Mason-Dixon Line. We have had a wonderful time, now have a great canoe, wonderful friends and lots of new skills.Lisa Harlow & Cass Tillman, New Orleans