“Going from a concept in your mind through the whole design and building process to then seeing her go through the water is what I truly love.” 

- Skip Izon

On the sandy shores of Lake Huron, there lies the small beach town of Grand Bend. Unbeknownst to many there is a skilled craftsman, that works and lives here all year around. His craft is specializing in high-end custom-built canoes, kayaks, and rowboats.

Skip Izon has always had a love for boats and the water. Originating from a family of sailors, he even had his own sailboat at the young age of four years old. While attending the University of Western Ontario in 1973, Skip heard about the beach town of Grand Bend. Where you could work at the bars during the summer months, to make money and be near the water. Instead of the traditional renting a cottage, Skip thought up the ingenious idea to build a little houseboat. He believed that he could save money this way and of course have more fun. Skip drew up the plans for his creation. With some friends help, the houseboat was built in the driveway of a townhouse development. This was Skip’s first official boat-building experience and he has been hooked ever since.

After graduating from Western University, Skip took a correspondence course from Naebm-Westlawn School of Yacht Design, which took three years to complete. The course taught him the basics of boat building, and the rest of his skills he learned from hands on experience through trial and error.

Skip now focuses his creative mind and energy on canoes, kayaks, and rowboats. He is a complete one man operation, and each of his boat is hand crafted to be the best possible vessel available. With lists of goals, constraints and specifications, he does everything by hand and in his head.

Skip has designed and built prototype canoes for Mad River, Hudson Boat Works, Souris River, Scott Canoe. He was also the designer and craftsman behind the Heritage Coast Canoe for Gary and Joanie McGuffin and racing sculls rowed by Marnie McBean and Silken Laumann. 

Brief Outline of How a Boat is Created:

• Have to determine a set of criteria: goals of what you wish to accomplish vs. constraints

• Work through the mathematics and create small scale sketches

• Create large scale drawing 10 feet x 32 inches

• Analyze mathematically, target coefficient

• If the values are good then the drawing is good, however if the values do not work out then the drawing will have to be changed and the plans reconfigured

• Calculate the volume distribution until the values are good

• Then determine the hull shape

• Create detail drawings of the deck, seat, etc.

• Take the template and then trace onto plywood board

• The plywood template is then cut out and become the building forms

• Attach legs to all the forms

• Mount all the forms on the strong back (table)

• Now have a three dimensional structure that can be planked

• Apply cedar strips and epoxy

• Fasten long cedar strips over each other on the forms

• Sand smooth

• Cover with fibreglass and epoxy

• Remove the newly created boat from the forms

• Then sand and glass the inside

• Attach the trim gunnels and seats

• Boat is then either painted or varnished

• This entire process usually takes about three months for Skip to finish

• The final step is to take the boat the the water to see what has been created

Skip has designed and created many beautiful canoes over the years, for numerous people. One of his most prized canoes is named the “Chipmunk”, it is small, fast, open solo kayak. He dubs this as his favourite, because it is an ever evolving design. He is always coming up with new ideas and additions for this design, constantly making it better performing.

“The designs just keep getting better, faster and better performing. This little business is not driven by money. It’s driven by just trying to build the best boats possible.”

- Skip Izon

The challenging aspect of creating handcrafted high-end boats, is that Skip usually has to find customers that will buy one of his boats before he has even started building it. Because of the cost and time requirements that go into creating these custom-built boats, he cannot afford to just do stuff on spec. However, he has been quite lucky crossing paths with interested people at boat shows, through word of mouth, and past customers. Skip is forever grateful to these people who have put their trust in him; buying an expensive boat that has not yet been designed, built, or even been in the water.