Joe Norton OF Norton’s Boat Works saws a piece of lumber to the right size so that he can finish repairing a customer’s boat. Connor Cummiskey photo
by Connor Cummiskey
Imagine cutting through the waters of Green Lake in your own kayak, one that you built with your own two hands. Exploring the beauty and tranquility of Green Lake while gliding across the water without any noisy engine to disturb the wildlife.
For around a dozen Green Lake area residents, that will be possible after a boat-building class that is being offered Sunday, June 15 to Friday, June 20 by Joe Norton of Norton Boat Works.
The class begins with an informational meeting Sunday, June 15 at 6 p.m.
It will the run Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and conclude with a launch party Friday afternoon.
“If you take this class and pay for a kit, in five and a half days you will walk out with a boat,” said Norton, who has had plenty of experience building and repairing boats, both from kits like those offered in the class and ones he’s designed himself.
The class itself costs $800 The Chesapeake 17 and the Chesapeake 17LT are both kayaks. According to Norton the difference between the two types is the 17LT is a little faster, but the 17 is a little taller with greater carrying capacity, which is good for touring.
The third option is a stand-up paddle board, which Norton noted can look interesting, to say the least, from a distance.
“You don’t see the board, because a lot of them are water colored, and [it looks like] there’s just someone standing up [on the water,]” said Norton, who likened the sight to a religious experience.
The class is open to everybody, even people who have never built a boat. Norton explained this is possible because the kits from Chesapeake Light Craft include all of the materials needed, and because of his experience at building boats.
While there isn’t any experienced required to participate in the class, Norton noted individuals will be able to buy any of the kits after the class and have the skills to build it.
This is not the first class Norton has offered. Around three years ago he taught another class where students built 10 boats.
This year is the first year the class will be taught in Town Square; Norton hopes students will build about 12 boats.
The class has filled up quickly, so anybody interested in building their own kayak or paddle board should sign up soon.
Norton is experienced when it comes to building boats.
He started learning at the age of 4 or 5 by building toy boats and wandering around his uncle’s marina near his home.
Norton began working on real boats by finding old derelict ones in his uncle’s marina that he could convince his uncle to give him.
“Rarely would the boat float when I got it…So at a very early age, I was understanding what it was that made boats rot and what you would do to make them functional again” Norton said.
This was the beginning of a long life of boat building and racing for Norton that would see him racing Russians in a world championship ice-boating regatta, teaching wood-boat building classes in Maine and finally, settle down here to Green Lake, where he repairs and builds boats.
It is that experience that makes Norton confident that he can teach anyone to build a boat.
Anybody interested in participating can sign up at greenlaketownsquare.com.
Just click on the programs tab and go to the complete event schedule by month.
Norton’s class will be under the month of June.
The Green Laker 