# canoe building



## huntress4203 (Feb 21, 2006)

I'm kicking around the idea of building a canoe. Any suggestions, ideas or thoughts? I have no idea where to start, cost or time involved. Has anyone on the forum ever done it before?

Gloria


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## longshadowfarms (Nov 27, 2002)

Get Gil Gilpatrick's Book _Building a Strip Canoe_ It is probably the easiest method for a novice and he includes all different size canoe plans. There are other methods such as wood and canvas, but I do not reccomend it unless you have someone to menter you.

You being on the left coast, look up Flounder Bay Boatworks, They sell woodstrips precut ant may even sell kits.

RW


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

Yes, thin strips of cypres wood put together and then coated with polyurethane makes a very nice light and strong boat.


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2007)

or you can make a frame and cover it with elk skin and pitch! :help:


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## tnhomestead (Jul 23, 2006)

There ARE a couple good books on building strip canoes with plans, take about 40 to 80 hours to make one, mainly need a tablesaw to cut strips, fiberglass and epoxy to coat it with, a million staples! LOL Have fun!


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## quietstar (Dec 11, 2002)

Usually the cedar(or whatever) strips are flexable enough to conform to a mold of the finished shape you want and tacked in place with copper brads. Real strength comes from Epoxy over Fiberglass inside and out. Outstanding weight for the completed weight. I'm researching a lightweight Tunnel Hull for a shallow water fly fishing boat. Good luck with your project....Glen


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## botebum (Jan 8, 2007)

I've not built a canoe but have built other boats(or helped build) from 8' to 105'. All the help and advice you could possibly want is on the forum here. Great bunch of people with a wealth of knowledge.

Doug


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## huntress4203 (Feb 21, 2006)

Thanks Doug (and everyone else). I've been looking for the book suggested and found it on ebay. I'm still mulling it over. All I need around here is another started project. They get finished but sometimes are a long time in doing so. Might be easier to just buy one.

Glo


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## Big Dave (Feb 5, 2006)

This is not what you are probably looking for. As you state you found a book. As a kid the boys in our neighbor hood were always doing something. One day we gathered together two pieces of corregated tin. Got some old tar from the road and melted it over a fire. We rolled the ends and the bottom together and beat them flat with a hammer. We spead the two pieces apart and put in a couple of 2X4's to keep them spread apart. We then smeared the tar on the inside to keep it from leaking. We used that homemade canoe for a few years out on the creek. This project took us all of about four hours to make. Watch out for sharp edges. Thanks for letting me share the memory.


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## idahodave (Jan 20, 2005)

My neighbor built canvas covered wood strip canoes a couple of years ago. Each one took a lot of time and labor. 

He started by making a mold the hull was formed over. He also made a steamer for the ribs.

Cut up a lot of cedar for ribs and planking. I helped him stretch the canvas over the hull. Used a come along and big clamps at each end of the canvas.

First one he made didn't look too good, but by the third he was doing pretty good. He stopped at three.


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

ok if your not after a time consumming canoe project.
you can make a simple canvas back in a weekend with a couple plywood ribs and some 3/4" square runners this would be more like a duck boat very light and stable though they dont hold up well to rocks .
price wise its hard to beat a coleman plastic canoe they are no maintainence tough and dont mind being drug over rocks and log jambs or even flying off the top of the truck at 60mph ( scary for me but worse for the lady behind me ) 

There are differnet ways to build a boat though a wood strip canoe requires one to be a craftsman. other boats require one to be crafty . 
How big a boat are you looking at ? 
its possible to make a nice durrable boat out of 4x8 sheets of 1 or 2 inch bead board (styrofoam) carve the shape using a old hacksaw blade build your seats and coolers in as you go. once its all carved cover in in fiberglass (with low heat epoxy resin) and Paint to suit yourself . I used this method for RC (weedeater boats) its cheap and easy plus even if they hit a log at 40 mph and frag you dont loose the motor or radio boxes because every piece floats.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

I ordered the kit, but you can just get these planes for a Cajun Pirogue
Made from some lumber and two 4 x 8' 1/4 plywood
http://unclejohns.com/boat/default.htm

Haven't built it yet, but fixin' on it...................


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## botebum (Jan 8, 2007)

You should expect to take a bit more time than suggested but check this out-Six Hour Canoe 

Doug


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## foxtrapper (Dec 23, 2003)

I've built some kayaks. 

Select one that really tickles your fancy. 

Learn about what makes the boat work, evaluate what you want the boat to do. Re-examine the one that tickled your fancy. 

Can't even aproach a cost estimate without some knowledge of what you're planning to do. But, you can go the lumber yard and admire woods and see what their prices are. Gets you started.

I've built two CLC millcreeks. The second one has a strip/plank deck.


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