With the publication of The Kayak Shop in 1993, master builder Chris Kulczycki helped launch a popular revolution in kayak building. But he didn’t stop there. Kulczycki’s boats just keep getting better – easier to build and more beautiful to behold.

In the New Kayak Shop paddlers will find plans and instructions for building and finishing three new stitch-and-glue designs – a touring kayak, a fast sea kayak, and a flat-water kayak – that are even more elegant, durable, and functional than their forerunners. Chris Kulczycki’s highly refined designs and simple building methods off kayakers not only the experience of paddling an extraordinary boat but also the rare reward of having build it.

Dale Witmer’s three sons were still very young when he first dreamed of taking them with him down the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. Five years would pass before the boys were mature enough to handle the rigors of such an epic adventure.

From the planning stage to the launching in Three Forks, Montana, to the arrival in New Orleans, Dale Witmer guides this true-life saga with the natural ease of a grand storyteller and the compassion of a lover of nature and humanity. Each turn of the majestic waterways brings a close brush with disaster, a new character, or a new revelation about themselves and their ability to accomplish what they set out to do.

Canoeists especially will appreciate the informative description of the unique description of the unique design of the canoe and its provisions and of the planning for a trip of such proportions.

The purpose of this book is to give the visitor to the Whitsunday Passage – with obvious emphasis on the yachtsman – a handbook that will provide the basic ‘equipment’ to get the most out of a visit to this magnificent coral cruising ground. The book is not meant to be the definitive word on anything – there are others far more expert in all subjects discussed herein. It is not a substitute for the Admiralty charts; it is not a book on first-aid; there are many better well-illustrated books available that are far more authoritative on the subject of shells, or coral, or fishes and fishing, and so forth.

What we have tried to do is to provide a taste of everything with a Whitsunday perspective. You will get so much more out of your walk on a reef flat at low tide if you have just the smallest awareness of the scheme of what you are surveying, the fascinating variety of life that seethes on the reef. Your trips to and from the anchorages will be much more pleasant if you are aware of how the local tides and winds behave with the seas. You may spare yourself the nuisance of having to rush across the Passage to see the doctor in Airlie Beach if you are aware of and don’t molest certain creatures that share their beautiful islands with us.

In compiling The Complete Yachtsman’s Handbook to the Whitsunday Passage we saw a need for a book that provided more about the Whitsundays than any existing publication seemed to.

Ian Beasley has pulled together a kayak-themed exhibition worthy of any world class museum or art gallery and distilled it into a book so every paddler can see it at home, and visit again and again. Rare artwork and photography is combined tastefully with the words of paddlers and historians in a way that encourages both thoughtful contemplation and excited anticipation at the turn of every page. Kayak – A collection of words and images is divided into five sections that reflect the utilitarian uses of the kayak since its creation around 4,000 years ago; Living, Seeking, Challenging, Competing, and Defending. It tells stories of: the Innuit, Eskimo, and Aleut people who created the kayak for use in hunting and transportation; explorers undertaking adventures in never-before-seen places; extreme paddlers pushing the limits of human capabilities and endurance; athletes testing their skills against themselves, other paddlers, and the clock; and defence personnel utilising the kayak as a vehicle of stealth. Well researched paddlers will probably recognise some of the eminent names quoted in Kayak – A collection of words and images, but it is unlikely that anyone has seen a kayak-themed exhibition of this type presented in such a comprehensive and engaging manner. You may start the book thinking that a kayak is just a recreational toy, but you’ll finish it with an understanding that this wonderful little watercraft is so much more.

As any canoe enthusiast knows, Kevlar is the perfect hull material for building strong, light (35 pounds for a 17-footer), fast, maintenance-free canoes. Far superior to fiberglass, Kevlar – literally bulletproof and virtually indestructible – has one drawback: it’s expensive. A factory-built Kevlar canoe can easily sell for $2,000 or more. Here’s a low-tech method for building high-tech canoes from Kevlar.With this book, the most inexperienced home builder can turn out a handsome canoe for an investment of about $600 and a few weekends. The building method centers on the foam sheathing used in home insulation, drywall compound, a $5 hand plane, and a sharp pair of scissors. Boatbuilding doesn’t come any easier than this. Ingenious, simple, and inexpensive. Here is all you need to know to build a light, strong, maintenance-free Kevlar canoe in your backyard or basement – without an elaborate tool collection or years of boatbuilding experience. It shows how to build a tripper for extended wilderness journeys, a stable family canoe and a swift solo canoe.

Today there is a growing interest in sailing canoes, we are rediscovering them, yet a hundred years ago almost any canoe would have had a sailing rig on board. The motto of those old boys was ‘sail when you can and paddle when you must’.

Alan Byde pointed out in 1983 that if we are going to equal the performance of those old timers then we will have to adopt some of their methods. There were many sea voyages made by them that were hundreds of miles and a few to over two thousand, to the ultimate of crossing the Atlantic Ocean

Given the right rig there are many canoes, both open and touring kayaks, that are capable of becoming able sailing craft, they can tack and go to windward like any other sailing craft. The crew are relieved of many hours of tedious and wearing plugging to windward, paddling becomes a sort of auxiliary power like the engine on a yacht.

The old boys knew well that the combination of sail and paddle was a formidable means of travelling. This book is the beginning for anyone seriously interested in canoe cruising, it outlines some of the prominent voyages of the past and suggests various rigs and methods of fitting them to the canoes of today.

To paddle a wild river is to experience the world as it should be. Grizzly prints in the sand, great herds of caribou, howling wolves – these are the signs of Canada’s wildlands – things that you can still encounter on the Yukon’s wilderness rivers.

In “Paddling in the Yukon,” Ken Madsen describes rivers that flow through alpine, boreal forest and Arctic tundra – and makes a strong plea for wilderness preservation in the north.

* ”Paddling in the Yukon” describes 68 northern river trips

* Includes Yukon watersheds plus rivers in Alaska, northern British Columbia and western Northwest Territories

* Day trips and “once-in-a-lifetime” wilderness journeys

* Includes the Tatshenshini, Alsek, Firth and Nahanni Rivers

* Whether you are a flatwater or whitewater paddler, the Yukon has the wild river of your dreams

Down the Bay is a natural and cultural history of Abel Tasman National Park, one of New Zealand’s most loved and popular national parks. A war-time baby, the park was created in 1942 to protect the wonderful sequence of beaches, headlands and forest that characterises this idyllic stretch of coastline at the top of South Island.

Philip Simpson, an award-winning author of a number of books on New Zealand trees, presents a comprehensive picture of the distinctive landforms of Abel Tasman, from the granite headlands and golden-sand beaches of the coast to the deep caves of the uplands, the diversity of plants and animals, the marine environment, and the overlay of both Māori and European history.

As well, the book records how Project Janszoon, a trust funded by a remarkably generous philanthropic gift, is working with the Department of Conservation and a range of other organisations to transform the park, by removing pests and weeds and then restoring and preserving the wildlife of Abel Tasman. This is an inspiring and hopeful story of how the future of an important area of New Zealand is being secured for future generations.

Down the Bay is the first authoritative account of Abel Tasman National Park to ever be published, a book that also beautifully captures an unforgettable visitor experience.

Rob Hamill & Phil Stubbs were the winners of the 1998 Transatlantic Double Handed Rowing Challenge. Their victory elevated them to hero status both in New Zealand & around the world. This is the story of how they triumphed over the elements to win the race.

If you are a canoeist, kayaker, or river rafter, this eclectic mix of essential and esoteric facts will keep you engrossed for days. Longtime paddler Zip Kellog left no stone unturned in his search for paddling-related information. Included are resources for every aspect of paddling: Boats and gears; Maps and guides; clubs, events, symposia, publications, and Web sites; Conservation handbooks and manuals; A survey of paddling literature, art, music; And perhaps the most comprehensive paddling bibliography ever assembled, with excerpts from Thoreau, Theroux, Mason, Barrow, and many others. Sprinkled throughout are technical tips and bits of wisdom, as well as alternative views from leading figures in the sport.