Sassafras 12

Product Description

The Sassafras 12 is a traditional clinker-style solo canoe built using modern building methods. Its ultralight weight makes it easy to paddle and to carry in one hand.

The Sassafras 12 canoe is so light that you can put it on your shoulder and stroll casually down a wooded trail to a hidden lake or stream. That was the idea behind the original ‘trapper’ or ‘pack’ canoes.

Although she can be carried and paddled by a child, this solo canoe is capable of carrying a 250 pound load. She tracks well, turns easily and is stable enough for fishing. Standard canoe paddles can be used, but for maximum efficiency we recommend paddling the Sassafras 12 with a double-ended kayak paddle.

We are very pleased with the boat and had a great time on launch day.

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The slightly rounded hull offers more speed and responsiveness than many of the plastic or fibreglass boats you may have paddled. There are watertight buoyancy chambers in the bow and stern for safety.

There is also a 16-foot tandem version of the Sassafras that can be paddled by one or two people.

Lapstrake canoes have a long history. The legendary Rushton lapstrake canoes are considered the pinnacle of the canoe builder's art. But that style of construction is very, very complex, beyond even intermediate builders.

CLC's revolutionary LapStitch™ building method now allows lapstrake canoes to be built by someone with no previous woodworking experience. All the planks and other parts are pre-cut. No strongback, moulds, frames, or steam bending are required; building a LapStitch™ canoe is basically a matter of gluing all the pre-cut parts together.

The Sassafras designs have been completely overhauled for 2014. The revised canoe is prettier, stronger and easier to build. The 2014 Sassafras 12 has a new hull, with a springy sheer, finer ends and much-simplified construction, without the slightest sacrifice in looks and performance.

The kit includes pre-drilled wire holes, puzzle joints, computer-indicated bulkhead locations and a detailed manual making this kit extremely friendly and accessible to first-time builders.

The kit contains:

• Pre-cut plywood panels with pre-cut joints and pre-drilled tie holes
• Solid wood parts
• Epoxy resin and activator
• Epoxy fillers
• Copper ties
• Woven glass fabric
• Woven glass tape
• Luxury foam seat and backrest
• Ash thwart
• Comprehensive building manual
• Free technical support from a competent builder

What else do I need?

Plans and manual (not required by kit purchasers)

These plans and manual contain sufficient information on the cutting of the panels to make it possible to build the boat from scratch rather than a kit. The plans include full size templates for every part of the boat.

The Sassafras 12 Mark II boasts a vastly expanded builder's manual, with 115 pages and 400 photos and illustrations. Plans builders will also appreciate the detailed instructions for parts fabrication.

Study manual

This is intended for pre-build study or to help with the decision to purchase. This is the comprehensive manual that accompanies the kit; reading it will help you decide whether or not you can build the boat. It describes all of the techniques that will be used during the build and also a step by step guide to construction. It contains a photograph or diagram of every step.

If, later, you decide to purchase the kit the cost of this will be deducted from the kit price.

The manual does not contain the cutting instructions so it is not possible to build the boat from scratch using only this.

PDF study manual

The construction manual for the boat is also available as a PDF download. After credit card authorisation a download link will be sent to the email address put on the order form.

PDF study plans

These study plans are intended to give you an overview of the construction of the boat. They are in PDF format that can be viewed using Adobe Reader. There are two pages and they measure 279 × 216 mm (11″ × 8½″). They can be printed for carrying around.

After credit card authorisation the plans will be sent to the email address put on the order form.

When you have studied the plans, your next step might be to order the printed instruction manual, which will walk you through the project step-by-step.