Annapolis Maryland Classes
Chesapeake Light Craft
We've been holding classes at our Annapolis factory since 1998. Heated, air conditioned, and completely equipped, in our classroom we've turned out hundreds and hundreds of boats.
Founded in 1694, Annapolis is the home of the US Naval Academy and was briefly (1783) the capital of the United States, and many of the buildings from that era survive. Annapolis calls itself the "sailing capital of the world" and the fresh Chesapeake Bay seafood is delectable.
Learn the Essentials of Working with Epoxy
Saturday, January 17th, 2026 - Join veteran boatbuilder/instructor Jay Hockenberry for a comprehensive, hands-on introduction to working with epoxy in our well-equipped classroom workshop here in Annapolis. The class size is limited to 20 students.
Learn the Essentials of Varnishing and Painting
Saturday, February 7th, 2026 - Join veteran boatbuilder/instructor Andrew Schroeher for a comprehensive, three-hour hands-on introduction to working with paint & varnish in our well-equipped classroom workshop here in Annapolis.
Build Your Own Northeaster Dory
March 9 - 14, 2026 - In this class you'll build your own Northeaster Dory under the tutelage of CLC's expert instructors. The class will get you through about 45 hours of construction, which is enough time to complete the major assemblies and have the boat fully sealed with epoxy.
Build Your Own Shearwater or Wood Duck Kayak
March 30 - April 4, 2026 - In this 6-day class you will build your own Shearwater 16, 17, or Shearwater Sport kayak from a Chesapeake Light Craft kit. Additional options include the Wood Duck 10, 12, 14, and Wood Duck Double.
Build Your Own Annapolis Wherry
April 20 - 25, 2026 - At the end of an absorbing week, students will have learned about stitch-and-glue basics, including epoxy work, fiberglassing, and laminating. Building a LapStitch boat is easy, but assembling an 18' boat in a week means a tight schedule, and you'll be spending plenty of time in the shop.
Build Your Own Skerry
May 11 - 16, 2026 - Of all the classes we've taught in the last 20-odd years, "Build Your Own Skerry" is one of the most popular, always full and usually with a waiting list. In this class, you'll build your own Skerry, a rowing-sailing boat of Nordic heritage.
Build Your Own Jimmy Skiff II
September 21 - 26, 2026 - In this class you'll build your own Jimmy Skiff II under the tutelage of CLC's expert instructors. The class will get you through about 45 hours of construction, which is enough time to complete the major assemblies and have the boat fully sealed with epoxy.
Build Your Own Annapolis Wherry
October 12 - 17, 2026 - At the end of an absorbing week, students will have learned about stitch-and-glue basics, including epoxy work, fiberglassing, and laminating. Building a LapStitch boat is easy, but assembling an 18' boat in a week means a tight schedule, and you'll be spending plenty of time in the shop.
Build Your Own Lapstrake Dinghy
October 26 - 31, 2026 - With the help of the instructor, each student will assemble his or her own dinghy from a Chesapeake Light Craft kit. The hull utilizes CLC's patented LapStitch construction method, in which stitch-and-glue techniques are used to create lapstrake hulls of traditional appearance.
Build Your Own Sassafras Canoe
November 2 - 7, 2026 - CLC's revolutionary LapStitch building method allows lapstrake canoes (Sassafras 12 or 16) to be built by someone with no previous woodworking experience. All the planks and other parts are pre-cut. No strongback, molds, frames, or steam bending are required; building a
LapStitch canoe is basically a matter of gluing all the pre-cut parts
together.