The Modern Playboat Reimagined: Warren Williamson & Chessy Knight

Send us Fan MailWATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBEIn this episode of The Dubcast with Dubside, we visit kayak designer and rough water paddler Warren Williamson in his Anacortes workshop. Warren walks us through the evolution of his designs—from the perfectly curved hull of the Cayenne, to the true-to-form baidarka, to the fast and fluid Rosario—each born from years of experimentation with how water truly wants to move around a kayak. We also explore Warren’s innovative paddle development, as he explains how a single Greenland paddle set him on a path from classic narrow blades to the short, wide, ultra-thin power blades he now carves by hand. Chessy Knight shares how these designs perform in the real world of whirlpools, surf, and tidal races. We close with a remembrance of Warren’s long time friend and founder of the Skin Boat School, Corey Freedman, whose mentorship and legendary “Corey’s Goop” helped shape an entire generation of builders. LINKS: Masik Kayak Rolling (Chessy Knight)  The Skin Boat School