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 Ultralight precision precut plywood kayak and canoe kits. Est. 1955. |
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The Creation of ‘Demoiselle’
Call it Fate or Karma…or Luck, but whatever it was that brought me through the
doors of Waters Dancing during the month of April in 2002, I believe I made one
of the best decisions of my life.
After spending a few days researching kayak companies in Canada, I was ready to
order my first kit from somewhere out East when I had the amazing fortune of
turning on the TV one morning to see a feature story of a local boat kit company
from Edmonton. The kayak featured was beautiful, and I could hardly contain my
excitement to organize a trip from Hinton.
As soon as I walked through the doors of Waters Dancing, I fell in Love! On
display on the showroom floor were no less than eight kayaks and canoes that had
been meticulously constructed by various customers or staff members. The owner
of the shop, Don Moore, spent the next hour with me, explaining the processes,
introducing me to the state-of-the-art equipment and describing all the
materials. The manual itself was top notch, a feature that I came to rely upon
heavily during my hours of construction.
My plan was to build my 16’ Solace LT in the basement of a rental complex in a
remote northern BC community during the summer of 2002. Other than the
occasional phone call for clarification and encouragement, there was no other
contact with staff. That is why the manual was so important. If it hadn’t been
so well written, I may never have gotten through it all by myself.
For two weeks before taking any pieces out of the boxes, I read and reread the
manual until I was comfortable with the layout and instructions. Then the pieces
came out and a couple more days were spent identifying the parts as described in
the manual. In my mind, I rehearsed the steps that would at least get me
started. The seat was a good place to start, as stated in the manual, because
the pieces are easy to manipulate and you get to try all the stitch and glue
techniques that you will use extensively for the boat itself.
All in all, the construction of my boat has been immensely rewarding…a life
altering experience. The staff at Waters Dancing is professional, friendly,
honest, and very willing to help at every turn. I don’t think you could find a
better group of people to be dealing with if you are considering constructing
your own boat. The end result is a craft of truly beautiful lines and excellent
construction techniques. The Solace LT, with its large cargo hatches and
superior stability, it is a boat worthy of any ocean adventure. And finally, the
pride one feels in knowing what a marvelous craft it is they made will last a
lifetime!
A very happy customer,
Deborah Johnstone
