Learn traditional boatbuilding methods while building a Tyee Rowboat
Join us November 10-14 and 17-21, 2025 and learn to build Ned Painter’s Tyee fishing boat with Mark Reuten
About the Course: This hands-on course teaches the essential skills of traditional lapstrake boatbuilding. You'll start by setting up a mould and progress through planking, steam bending, and finishing. By the end, you’ll help complete a boat ready for paint. The finished boat will be raffled to support the Maritime Centre.
About the boat we’re building: The Tyee is a traditional lapstrake boat designed in the 1920s by shipwright Ned Painter for his sport fishing business in Campbell River, BC. Each season, he built new boats for guests to fish for “Tyee” salmon (over 30 lbs). Painter’s Lodge still operates and maintains a few reproductions. Mark Reuten developed these plans using details from original boats.
Duration: November 10-14 and 17-21 2025 - Two consecutive 5-day workweeks, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM daily.
Requirements: No tools or experience required—just a willingness to learn and work hard.
Location: Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre, 1761 Cowichan Bay Rd., Cowichan Bay, BC, V0R 1N0 The Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre and Wooden Boat Society started in the 80’s as a group of young men dedicated to keeping the art of Wooden Boat Building alive, we have since grown into an active and community based Maritime Centre. You will spend the weeks working in our well equipped boat building shop where we have built dozens of lapstrake boats over the years as well as many interesting Wooden Boat projects including restorations, teaching school children the art of boat building, wooden masts and more! The crew of dedicated volunteer and staff have a cumulative hundreds of years of knowledge and experience with wooden boat building, seafaring and woodworking and are always happy to share wisdom, stories and expertise.
Want to join in on this course? Send us an email to register, get more information or ask any questions you might have using the forum provided or visit us in person at 1761 Cowichan Bay Rd and check out the facility, meet the crew and take a look through our shop and museum.
Cost: $2,000. A $1,000 deposit is due at registration. Refundable minus a $100 fee if cancelled before October 10, 2025. Balance due by October 10. If the Centre cancels the course, all fees will be refunded in full.
Meet your Instructor Mark Reuten (Nomad Boatbuilding)
Mark Reuten grew up in Toronto, Ontario, where he attended an arts-focused high school, Wexford Collegiate, before graduating from the Ontario College of Art. Mark worked as an industrial designer, commercial artist and carpenter for a number of years while developing an interest in wooden boatbuilding.
In 1996, Mark moved to the Pacific Northwest to attend the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding in Port Townsend, Washington. Mark has since engaged in a wide variety of activity, building and restoring wooden craft of all kinds, working with First Nations carvers on canoe and totem pole projects, and collaborating with Robert Morris, author of Canadian bestseller Building Skin-on-Frame Boats, on kayak-building projects in the Canadian Arctic.
Mark now lives and works in Victoria, B.C, building, restoring and teaching wooden boatbuilding from his home-based shop and through educational institutions.
