Boatbuilding to Benefit From New Staff, Workshop

By Kathy Dix

Located just beyond the front gate and directly across from Bart’s maintenance shop, Ogichi’s newest building will serve as a Welcome Center on travel days, and a projects and boatbuilding workshop the rest of the summer. Like the Trips Center, this dual-purpose building is comprised of a covered deck and enclosed classrooms.

Campers lash the ribs to the keel of a kayak. (Liz Hattemer)

“Talk about whistling while you work — I wouldn’t be surprised to hear some singing and sanding at the same time this summer.”

This summer, Phil Winger, a master builder from the Minneapolis-based Urban Boatbuilders, will teach campers to construct expedition style skin-on-frame canoes that will replace some of the aging Nova Craft in our fleet.

Phil will also be training Alice Peacock-Haller, Ogichi’s songwriting instructor, so that she can teach boatbuilding in the future. Talk about whistling while you work—I wouldn’t be surprised to hear some singing and sanding at the same time this summer. With her daughter Sam signed up for a Chicakadee session, Alice is excited to expand her involvement with Ogichi.

Alice’s husband, Camping & Education Foundation President Hugh Haller, will also be teaching boatbuilding at Ogichi this summer. Hugh has been training with Phil in the offseason, and a number of canoes have been built in the Haller basement and garage by Kooch-i-ching staff men helping with the Urban Wilderness Program in Cincinnati.

With Alice’s commitment to learning a new trade and Hugh’s willingness to pitch in, Ogichi will soon have an independently run boatbuilding program, as well as a lifelong friend in Phil.

This article was originally published in the Spring 2020 issue of Songs of the Paddle.