Dave Mangin is excited to introduce his memoir of three boats he built and utilized to navigate different chapters of his life.  Each has its own unique creation story and aquatic adventures, from Wisconsin’s inland lakes and waterways to a trip down the Mississippi River, to a sectional trip from Central Wisconsin to the tip of Door County. Perhaps the greatest enrichment came in the various ways this passion of his was shared with others. In the end, it’s about more than just the boats.

Dave will share a story or two from the many that his book has to offer, with time for questions, discussion, and some book signing. We hope to see you there!

Dave Mangin has a convoluted history with boats and other silent sports, starting with his love at first float at the age of 5 in an aluminum canoe. 

While procrastinating for his college classes, he built his first cedar strip canoe in his brother's garage.  Five years later he lived on the floor of a boat shop in Ithaca, NY for several months as he started building a rowing wherry for a trip down the Mississippi River (The 1753 mile trip happened in 2007).

From 2008-2010, he managed the boat shop and taught a variety of classes at a charter high school in Central Milwaukee, where he christened 6 boats with students: 3 plywood skiffs, a stitch and glue Chesapeake Light Craft (CLC) wherry, and two cedar strip canoes.

After settling in Nelsonville, WI with his young family, he rekindled the passion in 2018 with a stitch and glue CLC rowing shell that he built for a client.  However, he knew he needed a car-toppable boat that could handle the great lakes.  A kayak was in order.

His Kayak took 3.5 years of intermittent work to build, a barn to partially renovate into a wood shop, and the process was augmented with educational programming.  Then, in the summer of 2022, he was able to christen Endeavor and get on the water to continue a sectional paddle from his current abode on the Tomorrow River to his childhood home in Green Bay and beyond to Lake Michigan.