Learning boat building from a master

For the better part of his life, Art Burch IV built and repaired wooden boats with the Glacier Park Boat Co. Last week, Burch and three boys from Columbia Falls Junior High School were putting the finishing touches on a boat of their own.

Since early February, the students met with Burch and volunteer Ron Robison in the school’s shop to work on building a wooden rowboat from scratch.

The project is part of the Montana Wooden Boat Foundation’s effort to bring the craft of boat building to local schools. The Foundation has brought projects to several Flathead Valley schools, but this is the first in Columbia Falls.

Eight students started on the project, but only three stuck with it to the end — Stephen Rohn, Sam Baltz and Jarrett Wieringa.

Last week, the students were busy planing off the rough edges at the stem and stern. It’s meticulous and painstaking work — not exactly the type of exercise most teenagers embrace. But the boys say their motives are simple.

“I like working with wood,” Rohn said.

For two hours after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, they work on the boat with Burch and Robison.

“These guys have really stuck with it,” Burch said.

“We’re fine tuning everything so it flows,” Baltz noted.

When finished, the 12-foot long rowboat will be suitable for flat water use — lakes and ponds. A variety of wood goes into the boat — oak, larch, fir and mahogany plywood for the panels.

Once the final sanding is completed sometime next week, the boys will paint it in school colors. The boat will then go up for auction.

The Foundation has 16 volunteer boat builders on staff, many with professional experience in building and restoring classic wooden boats. The Foundation is considering opening wooden boat building classes to the general public in the future.

To learn more, visit online at www.montanawoodenboatfoundation.org.