"He's a perfectionist. That's why I'm here. He gives you so much more - not just how to build it, but the history and tradition." John
"This boat far exceeds my expectations. I knew it would be responsive and pretty but it's also very comfortable and fast. What a pleasure! Thanks so much!" Ron
"Love the boat. I thought the workshop was enough and if I got anything out of the boat so much the better. So much the better!!!!" Rick
" As a master kayak builder Mark requires students to build to the very best of their capabilities to ensure seaworthiness and perfection of design. Attaining the best equipment at a great value is reason enough to sign up for the next available class. The real extra is in the appreciation and understanding gained in the process of personal design and construction of your own boat. The knowledge you are helping to preserve mankind's genius in self-sufficiency, survival, and in creating a beautiful and a functional kayak will last you a lifetime." Ron
"As I pulled out of Seattle I would have named my unborn kayak Trepidation. Two weeks later, as I left Whitelaw Wisconsin with my new West Greenland kayak I would have named it Glorious Success And So Pleased I'd Do it All Over Again if I could fit all that on a boat whose length stretched just three arm spans in length." Jim F.
"Just a note of thanks for a terrific experience in building my bidarka. I'll recommend your school to everyone. It was magnificently organized, so that it was easy to learn, safe and enjoyable. the lunches were out of this world." Rick K.
"I was having a great time learning to live with my bidarka until the rivers froze. The pully rig works great for packing. I'm glad we added volume to the design because cold weather camping requires a lot of gear. In short, your craft is everything you said it would be and I love every minute in it. Thanks for your patience." Rich
"Mark you have my thanks and respect.I came home from Wisconsin with more than a kayak. I came back with a renewed interest in woodworking. ... Thank you for letting me in on all the information which took you years to learn. Sometimes I felt you gave away too much, knowing how much it took you to learn it. Thanks to you I can work myself much harder for longer periods of time with a big lunch in between and I won't die." Sprio F.
"The class meant a lot to me. Your patience and knowledge of the Greenland kayak construction made the class an experience that truly helped me learn about the Inuit culture and myself." Bud S.
"the kayaks are stored upside down on two beams, they are beautiful, like race horses in their stalls.... It seems that my kayak is taking me on something of an anthropological journey, to a distant land and an ancient people, even before it has touched the water. I want to thank you both for making our visit to Wisconsin so enjoyable. Mark,thank you for all your help and tutelage in our building two beautiful kayaks. Celeste, thank you for making us feel so at home with your warm hospitality and wonderful meals and thank you for talking us into coming in the first place." Randy & Damien H.
"Thanks Mark for an experience that will influence the rest of our lives. It was truly an honor to be taught by you. It's a thrill to make something so beautiful, to work so hard, to understand that perfection has such rewards. Your artistry, talent and knowledge is a terrific combination. All I can say is thanks for letting us share your world for ten days." Kaye & Ken
"My building experience at your shop was truly "life changing". All the Best" William
"This course can provide a brief but intensive practical introduction..As our kayaks evolved from two pieces of wood into seagoing vessels, we realized how engrossed we were in the Inuits world of survial and that was the beauty of it all." Al
"I love this boat - it feels like it is an extension of my body. It paddles very nice! ... Many thanks again for the workshop - it was awesome and I really value the experience I had. I told everyone at work about how we built this perfect boat using only sticks, strings and body parts to measure. Most are dumfounded that anything can be built without high tech measurement instruments or at the very least a tape measure. Can't wait to do another one - maybe a baidarka this time? " Brian
"What a great boat! It fits me very well. The boat was extremely fast. I had to look at the shore to see how fast I was moving because the boat glided so effortlessly. It was moderately windy...but the boat kept tracking straight; it did not swerve at all regardless of the direction of the wind or the chop. ..Thanks for everything." Bruce
"All I can say is wow. It fits well. It tracks well. It turns. It is fast too. It rolls easy. It took in no water at all, and I still can't figure out why it doesn't fill up through the deck rope line holes. Holy cow." Karl
On the "Markdarka" "..very seaworthy. It punches straight into the wave until the first three feet are submerged, then bouyancy kicks in and it rises up through..with authority.. and you get to watch that lovely peak shed the water. These waves were pretty steep and never did wash all the way back to me........This boat is more like a Unimog that a Ferrari, not particularly playful, not so sexy, but hugely seaworthy...violently funky, and a forward-finish rollin' machine. " Bruce