Chesapeake Light Craft News

New launches, trip reports, awards, reviews, and more.

Five Great CLC Boats for Adventure Rowing

Five Great Boats for Rowing Adventures

By John C. HarrisJune 2025   The 18'3" Expedition Wherry   The 2025 "Seventy48" race finished last week. This is a race for human-powered boats that winds 70 miles up...

Five Great Boats for Rowing Adventures

By John C. HarrisJune 2025   The 18'3" Expedition Wherry   The 2025 "Seventy48" race finished last week. This is a race for human-powered boats that winds 70 miles up...

KAYAKS FOR KIDS: A REVIEW OF SEVEN MODELS

KAYAKS FOR KIDS: A REVIEW OF SEVEN MODELS

KAYAKS FOR KIDS: A REVIEW OF SEVEN MODELS by Leslie Forsberg                             [Models reviewed: Chesapeake Light Craft,...

KAYAKS FOR KIDS: A REVIEW OF SEVEN MODELS

KAYAKS FOR KIDS: A REVIEW OF SEVEN MODELS by Leslie Forsberg                             [Models reviewed: Chesapeake Light Craft,...

Annapolis Wherry: Quick in the Shop, Fast in the Water

Annapolis Wherry: Quick in the Shop, Fast in th...

Boat Design Quarterly - No. 19 written by Mike O'Brien On a cold spring day, the owner of Chesapeake Light Craft, arrived at the WoodenBoat waterfront with a new lapstrake wherry....

Annapolis Wherry: Quick in the Shop, Fast in th...

Boat Design Quarterly - No. 19 written by Mike O'Brien On a cold spring day, the owner of Chesapeake Light Craft, arrived at the WoodenBoat waterfront with a new lapstrake wherry....

The 2024 Blackburn Challenge in a Chesapeake Light Craft Annapolis Wherry

The 2024 Blackburn Challenge in a Chesapeake Li...

The 20-mile Blackburn Challenge gives participants the opportunity to test their rowing skills in open ocean.  The initial Blackburn Challenge was a 1986 event to celebrate Howard Blackburn, a castaway Gloucester fisherman,...

The 2024 Blackburn Challenge in a Chesapeake Li...

The 20-mile Blackburn Challenge gives participants the opportunity to test their rowing skills in open ocean.  The initial Blackburn Challenge was a 1986 event to celebrate Howard Blackburn, a castaway Gloucester fisherman,...

2006/06 Sailing's Small Boat Issue - Perry on Design: Passagemaker

2006/06 Sailing's Small Boat Issue - Perry on D...

PASSAGEMAKER DINGHY by Robert H. Perry (Perry on Design) Chesapeake Light Craft builds a wide variety of boats that are also available as all-inclusive kits. The design work is well...

2006/06 Sailing's Small Boat Issue - Perry on D...

magazine appearances

PASSAGEMAKER DINGHY by Robert H. Perry (Perry on Design) Chesapeake Light Craft builds a wide variety of boats that are also available as all-inclusive kits. The design work is well...

Build Your Own Boat (or Camper) Three Ways!

Build Your Own Boat (or Camper) Three Ways!

Three Ways To Build A CLC Boat! Build it from a kit Complete kits include parts CNC-machined from the highest quality marine-grade materials in the world. Epoxy, fiberglass, and the...

Build Your Own Boat (or Camper) Three Ways!

Three Ways To Build A CLC Boat! Build it from a kit Complete kits include parts CNC-machined from the highest quality marine-grade materials in the world. Epoxy, fiberglass, and the...

And the Winners Are: CLC Photo Contest Ending March 31, 2025

And the Winners Are: CLC Photo Contest Ending M...

First of all, many thanks to all who submitted one or more great shots of their beautiful CLC boats for the Photo Contest for the first quarter of 2025. We...

And the Winners Are: CLC Photo Contest Ending M...

First of all, many thanks to all who submitted one or more great shots of their beautiful CLC boats for the Photo Contest for the first quarter of 2025. We...

Three Ways To Build A CLC Boat!

Three Ways To Build A CLC Boat!

Build it from a kit Complete kits include parts CNC-machined from the highest quality marine-grade materials in the world. Epoxy, fiberglass, and the hardware required to assemble the boat are...

Three Ways To Build A CLC Boat!

Build it from a kit Complete kits include parts CNC-machined from the highest quality marine-grade materials in the world. Epoxy, fiberglass, and the hardware required to assemble the boat are...

2022 Big Little Boat Festival Recap: Part 3

2022 Big Little Boat Festival Recap: Part 3

2022 marked a return to our 20+ year tradition of awarding prizes for craftsmanship. As usual, we had tough decisions to make! Here are photos of this year's home-built boat...

2022 Big Little Boat Festival Recap: Part 3

2022 marked a return to our 20+ year tradition of awarding prizes for craftsmanship. As usual, we had tough decisions to make! Here are photos of this year's home-built boat...

2022 Big Little Boat Festival Recap: Part 2

2022 Big Little Boat Festival Recap: Part 2

We've almost always had sailboats at our annual rendezvous, and there were even more than usual in 2022. Brisk winds and a lee shore made for sporting conditions on Saturday....

2022 Big Little Boat Festival Recap: Part 2

We've almost always had sailboats at our annual rendezvous, and there were even more than usual in 2022. Brisk winds and a lee shore made for sporting conditions on Saturday....

2022 Big Little Boat Festival Recap: Part 1

2022 Big Little Boat Festival Recap: Part 1

*The 2023 Edition of the Big Little Boat Festival will be on May 13, 2023* 2022 Big Little Boat Festival Recap: Part 1 The Big Little Boat Festival was held in Edgewater,...

2022 Big Little Boat Festival Recap: Part 1

*The 2023 Edition of the Big Little Boat Festival will be on May 13, 2023* 2022 Big Little Boat Festival Recap: Part 1 The Big Little Boat Festival was held in Edgewater,...

And the Winners Are: CLC Photo Contest Ending December 31, 2024

And the Winners Are: CLC Photo Contest Ending D...

First of all, many thanks to all who submitted one or more great shots of their beautiful CLC boats for the fourth quarter of the 2024 Photo Contest. We were...

And the Winners Are: CLC Photo Contest Ending D...

First of all, many thanks to all who submitted one or more great shots of their beautiful CLC boats for the fourth quarter of the 2024 Photo Contest. We were...

Part 2: 220 Miles on a Stand-up Paddleboard

Part 2: 220 Miles on a Stand-up Paddleboard

Sunday, August 29 - Day 3 By Nicky Stimpson October 29, 2021 Day 3: 31 miles. The Chesapeake Bay extends to the horizon to the south and west if you're...

Part 2: 220 Miles on a Stand-up Paddleboard

Sunday, August 29 - Day 3 By Nicky Stimpson October 29, 2021 Day 3: 31 miles. The Chesapeake Bay extends to the horizon to the south and west if you're...

Part 3: 220 Miles on a Stand-up Paddleboard

Part 3: 220 Miles on a Stand-up Paddleboard

By Nicky Stimpson October 29, 2021 Wednesday, September 1 - Day 6 We knew we were going to be grounded for the day and it was luxurious being able to...

Part 3: 220 Miles on a Stand-up Paddleboard

By Nicky Stimpson October 29, 2021 Wednesday, September 1 - Day 6 We knew we were going to be grounded for the day and it was luxurious being able to...

CLC's Nicky Stimpson Becomes the First Woman to Paddle the Length of Chesapeake Bay: PART 1

CLC's Nicky Stimpson Becomes the First Woman to...

On Saturday, September 4, 2021, Nicky Stimpson (CLC's Sales Manager at the time)  became the first woman to paddle the 220-mile length of the Chesapeake Bay. Atop a CLC Kaholo 14 she built...

CLC's Nicky Stimpson Becomes the First Woman to...

On Saturday, September 4, 2021, Nicky Stimpson (CLC's Sales Manager at the time)  became the first woman to paddle the 220-mile length of the Chesapeake Bay. Atop a CLC Kaholo 14 she built...

2020 Photo Contest Annual Winners

2020 Photo Contest Annual Winners

Big Congrats to David K. of Midlothian, VA, whose photo was voted the best of 2020 in our annual contest! David wins a $1000 CLC gift card. Each month we...

2020 Photo Contest Annual Winners

Big Congrats to David K. of Midlothian, VA, whose photo was voted the best of 2020 in our annual contest! David wins a $1000 CLC gift card. Each month we...

CLC Partners with Jackman Works and Arbortech to Build a CLC Teardrop Camper

CLC Partners with Jackman Works and Arbortech t...

Above: Paul Jackman with the CLC Teardrop Camper he built for Arbortech. Arbortech Tools  manufactures high-end wood carving equipment. They stay on the road all year round, demonstrating their tools at...

CLC Partners with Jackman Works and Arbortech t...

Above: Paul Jackman with the CLC Teardrop Camper he built for Arbortech. Arbortech Tools  manufactures high-end wood carving equipment. They stay on the road all year round, demonstrating their tools at...

CLC Scale Model Kit Survey

CLC Scale Model Kit Survey

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CLC Scale Model Kit Survey

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Nicky Shows Off Racing Style on Lake Champlain

Nicky Shows Off Racing Style on Lake Champlain

After a long stretch at idle, without a road trip or a mid-Atlantic region SUP race to burn off some pent-up energy, our ace paddler Nicole Stimpson decided to head...

Nicky Shows Off Racing Style on Lake Champlain

After a long stretch at idle, without a road trip or a mid-Atlantic region SUP race to burn off some pent-up energy, our ace paddler Nicole Stimpson decided to head...

Paddling the Bay: Nicky Takes the Challenge

Paddling the Bay: Nicky Takes the Challenge

  Summer 2021 WHAT IS BAY PADDLE? The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure. Bay Paddle's mission is to help protect it by working with Oyster Recovery Partnership to plant...

Paddling the Bay: Nicky Takes the Challenge

  Summer 2021 WHAT IS BAY PADDLE? The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure. Bay Paddle's mission is to help protect it by working with Oyster Recovery Partnership to plant...

Photo Contest Winners: December 31st, 2023

Photo Contest Winners: December 31st, 2023

Congratulations to Jose V. of Sioux Falls, SD! Jose sent in this serene evening view of his Lighthouse Tender Peapod floating on the shallows of Enemy Swim Lake in November....

Photo Contest Winners: December 31st, 2023

Congratulations to Jose V. of Sioux Falls, SD! Jose sent in this serene evening view of his Lighthouse Tender Peapod floating on the shallows of Enemy Swim Lake in November....

Photo Contest Winners: September 2023

Photo Contest Winners: September 2023

Congratulations to Jim B. of Cedarville, MI, winner of the most recent CLC Photo Contest with this joyous image of his great-grandkids getting a great start on long, happy lives...

Photo Contest Winners: September 2023

Congratulations to Jim B. of Cedarville, MI, winner of the most recent CLC Photo Contest with this joyous image of his great-grandkids getting a great start on long, happy lives...

Prototype CLC Runabout Build

Prototype CLC Runabout Build

A private client commissioned this small runabout of traditional style. You were able to watch the build on the ShopCam the week of March 18th. The idea is to apply...

Prototype CLC Runabout Build

A private client commissioned this small runabout of traditional style. You were able to watch the build on the ShopCam the week of March 18th. The idea is to apply...