Cooper Flatboats are authentic replicas of period flatboats and keelboats. We have been building flatboats covering a 25-year span. All flatboats and keelboats are personally researched, designed, and built by John and his hand-picked crew. His designs and completion of the flatboats include outfitting with period equipment. The materials of the boat are researched for the area, time period, and purpose for which the boat is to be used. The journey of each individual boat determines many things. For example: The material used, how it is to be built, where it is to be built, and the design of the boat. We have built boats for museums, states, cities, and private organizations. John has many years of expertise in forestry, carpentry, and historical re-enactments. He has also taught general contracting at a local college for the past 25 years.