Plan to attend the Annual Assembly of the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association

From the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association

The WCHA was founded in 1979 as a non-profit membership organization devoted to preserving, studying, building, restoring, and using wooden canoes, and to disseminating information about canoeing heritage throughout the world.

Theme: Watercraft of New York

https://www.woodencanoe.org/2026-assembly

Location: Keuka College, Finger Lakes Region,

A variety of WCHA videos are archived on the YouTube channel.

WATERCRAFT OF NEW YORK: Is the theme of this year’s WCHA Assembly at Keuka College. Each evening in the Norton Chapel there are themed presentations which this year are:-

Penn Yann Kingfisher Michael Grace

Described as “a wholly new design” and “nothing else even remotely like it to be had,” the Kingfisher canoe was and remains a totally unique and highly versatile canoe for paddling, rowing, and motoring. This talk will focus on boating and boatbuilding history of Keuka Lake and the Penn Yan Boat Company, and the history of the Kingfisher itself.

Canoe Builders of the Thousand Islands Dan Miller

Canoe Builders of the Thousand Islands – The Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence River between Cape Vincent and Ogdensburg was a lively scene for recreational boating and boat building in New York. This presentation will explore the history and boats of the canoe and skiff builders along the New York side of the St.

Lawrence River. These include A. Bain & Co., the St. Lawrence River Skiff, Canoe and

Steam Launch Company, the Spalding St. Lawrence Boat Company, and the St. Lawrence Boat Works. How these companies were interconnected with other boat builders in New York State and elsewhere will also be presented.

Guideboat Measuring Project (ADKX)

David and Katherine Cockey reveal how the history of builders of the iconic Adirondack Guideboat is being documented using photogrammetry. They will also cover some historic pack canoes and other craft.