Nick Schade, a life-long user of small boats, created Guillemot Kayaks to demonstrate how beautiful high-performance boats can be. He specializes in designing and building fine, wooden sea kayaks as well as other small, lightweight human-powered boats. Whether you want an easy-to-handle, little double-paddle canoe for poking around a small lake or a responsive sea kayak for exploring the outer islands of the Maine coast, or a capable and durable wooden dinghy for use as a tender while cruising, Nick will provide you with a craft that will likely also become an heirloom.

Nick develops unique designs with an eye to how they will look and perform on the water. He then builds them to exacting standards to meet the demands of their intended use. While his boats look too beautiful and fragile to put into the water, they need not be babied.

Nick’s work has found a place in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art and his designs are recognized worldwide for their beautiful design and outstanding performance.

For those who would rather build their own boat, Guillemot Kayaks also offers full plans and instructions for do-it-yourselfers and week-long build-your-own kayak classes.