Aficionados of the quirky niche of squirt boating have rallied to set up a GoFundMe page to help boat-building company Murky Water after its shop burned to the ground Sat. Feb. 4.
Based in Binbrook, Ontario, and run by owner and head molder Ed Skrzypkowski, Murky Water has hand-built custom glass kayaks for some of the best and most extreme paddlers around the world, with a focus on high-performance squirt boats. A true artisan in the realm of composite boat building, Skrzypkowski has more than 20 years experience molding, painting and cutting squirt boats and such other kayaks as slalom and surf boats. Available in different layup options and materials to reduce weight and increase strength and stiffness, the boats are known for their superior form, function, beauty and performance. Only one mold (for a boat called the Slip) remained intact after the fire.
“Ed is one of the world’s best custom-kayak builders and his boats are truly works of art,” says longtime squirt boater Jim Snyder. “Many of my friends own and love Ed’s boats, and occasionally I get lucky enough to paddle one of them. Ed is one of a very small group of master squirt-boat builders, and the fire is obviously a huge loss for the squirt-boating community and custom kayak enthusiasts in general.”
FaceBook fans across the country have rallied to help support him, setting up a GoFundMe page to lend a hand at HERE
“Ed is an artist and master craftsman who makes works of art that float—or sink, if you’re a squirt boater,” says squirt boater and master of down time Sam Bass. “With only two shops in the world making squirts anymore, it’s hard to understate how terrible this is for our sport.”
Adds Ed, after being contacted via email: “The support we’ve had from the paddling community has been heart moving and only reaffirms the phrase “paddling family.” It’s more than just a paddling community.