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Canoecraft on the Water Winner: "Getting Along Just Fine" by Chad Gehring

 

The winners of the Canoecraft on the Water Video Contest were announced last week, and our unveiling video and a top-five playlist went online. Now that the initial blast is over, we wanted to take some time to feature each entrant individually.

Chad Gehring's entry won our top prize of a $500 gift certificate to Lee Valley Tools and a set of canoe plans. Chad impressed us in every category - the Utah scenery was beautiful, the narration was clear and accessible, and the whole package struck us as well-edited and succinct. We had featured his photography before (his Ranger also has a place of honour in our Image Gallery), so it was nice to hear more about this striking canoe. In Chad's own words:

"My name is Chad Gehring. I'm 48 years old, I am a museum exhibit designer by profession and a woodworker and nature lover by passion. I live in American Fork, Utah.

This short video only briefly touches on the experience I had building my first canoe. Bear Mountain Boats and the Canoecraft book made the realization of my long-time dream of building and owning a cedar strip canoe a wonderful endeavor. The step by step instructions, tips and encouragement from both the book and the website made the project easy to understand and the end result achievable. Even not counting my experience as a woodworker, I feel like this is something I could have done. I have enjoyed the process and the success of the canoe so much that plans are already being hatched for another one. I am thankful to my wife, Nancy, who helped shoot the footage for this video as well as my cousin and uncle for providing some editing help and the beautiful musical accompaniment. All of the footage was shot on location at Payson Lakes in Utah using my Galaxy S7 phone camera."

We got an update from Chad after he had redeemed his Lee Valley certificate, and it sounds like he's made some choice additions to his workshop:

"I mostly got smaller items I've needed (okay, wanted) in my shop for a while. But of course I got a few things to help with my next canoe! A rounded bottom spokeshave, a flush cut saw, some card scrapers and for when it's finished, some tie down straps and dry bags. Lastly a couple of pocket wrenches (they are pretty clever little tools) as gifts for my uncle who provided the music and cousin who helped with the editing."

Thank you and congratulations again to Chad! Click the embedded video above to watch "Getting Along Just Fine," or view the rest of the winning videos on YouTube.

Additional photos:

 Canoecraft On The Water Winner: Getting Along Just Fine By Chad Gehring

Canoecraft On The Water Winner: Getting Along Just Fine By Chad Gehring

Canoecraft On The Water Winner: Getting Along Just Fine By Chad Gehring

Canoecraft On The Water Winner: Getting Along Just Fine By Chad Gehring

Canoecraft On The Water Winner: Getting Along Just Fine By Chad Gehring