Canoe

[crokett]

That is beautiful work. Well done!

[ryanps]

I am looking to make a canoe in the coming months. Did you buy plans or just wing it?

BTW This is my first post.

I am so mechanically disinclined that if it ain't on paper I can't figure it out.
I used a book called "Building a Strip-Canoe" by Gil Gilpatrick. He has a web-site -- just google his name. I got the book from the library and had it checked-out for over a year. I read it cover-to-cover 6 times before I ever did anything. I did purchase full-size drawings for the forms (just pieces of plywood shaped sort-of like mushrooms). However when the drawings came they were actually half-size and each station (there were 9 total for the canoe I built) was superimposed over the other. As stated, I am not very mechanical and even though the plans were "on paper" they were more confusing than helpful.

If you do tackle this kind of project you want to have someone's help when fiberglassing the inside of the canoe. The outside was rather easy -- the fiberglass just followed the shape of the boat. On the inside it kept falling down.
-Ryan

[ssmith1627]

A motor for such a beautiful canoe ? No no no. That's barbaric. You should install one of those keels that drop down when you get into deep enough water.....is there enough room in the hull for that ? Then you just need a mast and a couple of sails. A spinnaker might be a bit much though.....

It really is beautiful work. Wonderful to build something that you can put to such good use after. That has to be satisfying.

Steve

[warrenp]

Wow...that is nice...talk about getting enjoyment from your hobby. Well done.

warren

[turtle315]

beautiful job, hope when i get mine done it looks that good. another good book for anyone who wants to try is "canoecraft" by Ted Moores.

[big tim]

Beautiful canoe, something to be proud of Ryan.
Strange that the cloth kept falling down when you glassed the inside.
I have glassed upside down, i.e. against the underside of the deck for instance without it falling down. What kind of resin did you use?

Tim

[IBBugsy]

Great job, Ryan!!

I made a wood/canvas kayak way back in High School and it lasted 20+ years. You should get many years out of that beauty!!