First canoe build

[Jaromir Svoboda]

I would like to build my first canoe and I need advice what would be good choice.Looking to build stable canoe for 2 people?

[Mac McQuinn]

Jaromir,
"Bob's Special" by Bear Mountain Canoes is my favorite. Handles (2) average sized people without being cumbersome. This strips nicely and feels great in the water. The Prospector 16' also by Bear Mt. is also stable, gains a bit more capacity while being only a bit heavier/larger. Both very nice designs IMO. Good luck,
Mac

[Keith Outten]

Jim Creech used to build strip canoes from Western Red Cedar many years ago. Maybe he has some pictures to share.

[Jim Creech]

Jim Creech used to build strip canoes from Western Red Cedar many years ago. Maybe he has some pictures to share.
I have built several canoes using the strip method however these were built prior to digital cameras (or at least before they were available to the public and affordable), so the only photos I have, if I can even find them, are on processed film. I did build a Prospector 16 for a client some years ago. I do like some of the Bear Mountain designs but am not a fan of "Ultralight" or racing designs.Nothing against them, just personal preference. A word of caution: Any plans you choose to build, be prepared to loft the line drawings. I have found errors in the table of offsets for every boat I have ever built, including the computer generated designs.
If you run into any problems let us know. I am certain someone else here has already encountered/experienced the same or similar problems; Myself included! Glad to help any way we can!

[Jaromir Svoboda]

I ordered plans for Newfound Woodworks 17' Traveler.

[Bill Adamsen]

That's a nice symmetrical boat. You'll have a blast, can't wait to see progress photos (blog it?).

Might want to read Martin Step's web-site on building strips for some well thought out ideas on outfitting - for instance the seat design (http://www.greenval.com/#Seat). I also happen to like John Winter's asymmetric designs and Martin does an amazing job building some of those.
http://www.greenval.com/
http://www.greenval.com/winisk.html

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I build strip built kayaks and surfboards. I don't have waters that favor a canoe or I would build one as well. What waters will you be paddling most- flat lakes or rivers and streams? It would determine what I might recommend- more rocker and tumble home for the latter.

[Barry McFadden]

Jaromir....Here are a couple of pics of a Cedar Strip canoe I built a few years ago...you can read about it in more detail in the Thread by Kevin (thinking of building a canoe/kayak) that I just posted in....

[Ray Selinger]

I've used at least half a dozen different canoes, and have a couple now. One's a cedar strip I built,a Bear Mountain 17" Nomad, a prospector style.

There are some tools that are truly magic. I made my mold stations out of plywood and "faired" them. I used a Stanley #151 spokeshave. A spokeshave is by far and away the best tool to get the changing bevel I found. You soon can do it by eye. But I had the factory blade, and with plywood, had to sharpen a lot. Get a Lee Valley PMVII blade, it should save you at least half the time in fairing.

I saved cedar,I ripped my strips with a bandsaw, on the outside it didn't matter, it's easy to sand. But on the concave inside, it was harder to get the saw marks out, a table sawed strips might be a easier route.

[Jaromir Svoboda]

It is all done.17' long Traveler

[Mac McQuinn]

Very nice, have you had the opportunity to get it wet yet?
Mac

[Barry McFadden]

Great looking canoe!!!......well done......

[Jaromir Svoboda]

Yes,I went for a short ride

[David Cramer]

Hi Jaromir and Barry

To both of you, how long did it take to build your canoes and approximately what do the materials cost? I'm really interested after seeing both of yours. Well done to both of you, they look awesome!!!!

David

[Barry McFadden]

Hi Jaromir and Barry

To both of you, how long did it take to build your canoes and approximately what do the materials cost? I'm really interested after seeing both of yours. Well done to both of you, they look awesome!!!!

David

Thanks David....I built mine at nights after work ... maybe 2 hours a night....took a couple of months to complete...it was so long ago (1977) it's hard to remember the cost. The coating is West system epoxy I think about $250, the cedar, oak and fiberglass cloth was probably around $200. I just remember that it didn't seem too expensive when I built it.

[Jaromir Svoboda]

It took me 145 hours to build it and about $1,000 in materials.I cut my own strips and have bunch left over so I can build one more.

[Mac McQuinn]

It took me 145 hours to build it and about $1,000 in materials.I cut my own strips and have bunch left over so I can build one more.

Was epoxy & FG cloth your largest expenditure?
Mac

[Jaromir Svoboda]

Yes.I also bough seats and yoke.