Wee Lassie 2

Description

The Wee Lassie II (also called Wee Lassie 2) is a lightweight American cedar-strip solo canoe designed by Henry A. "Mac" McCarthy as an enlarged, more stable evolution of the classic Wee Lassie (originally inspired by J. Henry Rushton's 19th-century double-paddle canoe). It is offered exclusively as plans (and sometimes kits with CNC forms and materials) for amateur builders, with no commercial factory production; hundreds of examples have been built worldwide since the late 1990s/early 2000s, primarily by home woodworkers following McCarthy's book Featherweight Boatbuilding or plans from suppliers like Newfound Woodworks and Feather Canoes. Construction is typically cedar strip-planking over temporary station molds, sheathed inside and out with fiberglass and epoxy for a strong, lightweight monocoque hull with a distinctive V-bottom shape that provides better tracking and initial stability than the shorter original. Key features include its open-cockpit "kayak-like" feel for easy entry/exit and double-paddle use, shallow draft for exploring small streams and lakes, capacity for a heavier or taller solo paddler plus gear or a small dog, and a forgiving, efficient paddling character suited to calm or protected waters rather than whitewater or open ocean. It has a reputation for being a delightful, efficient cruiser that is stable enough for fishing or relaxed touring while remaining portage friendly.