Canoe plans??

[StuckInTheMud]

I know this is a kayak fishing board, but i figured i'd slip in under the radar and ask about plans for a canoe since the Boat builder forum might be a little more open minded I saw Birke's boat and thats one fine lookin canoe. I've built an Uncle Johns Pirogue, which i just realized i need to post up here, but i kinda want to build another boat. Just trying to find some good plans for one that i think looks pretty.

Building the pirogue was fairly easy, but i imagine a canoe would be a little more difficult with having to round out the ends and all. I also imagine the strip built stuff is a little more complex (assuming thats the main way canoes are built???). Anyway, once i can get a good set of plans and get started i'll put up a follow along for yall. Thanks

Casey

[Light Keeper's Kid]

Look at http://www.jemwatercraft.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; that'll do you He also has S&G plans witch are panels that are stiched and glued together and are much easier to build Oh,welcome to the darkside

Mike

[Pogo]

I know this is a kayak fishing board, but . . . . . .

Casey, you're on perfectly safe ground here. Kayaks as we know them are called canoes in England, and canoes were always just as welcome as anything at the old Texas Kayak Builders Bash, even had canoes take People's Choice Award more'n once. Canoes are WELCOME on TKF, and wherever small boats are propelled by paddle . . . . or you're dealing with some epic snots who need to crawl back under whatever rock they slithered out from under.

Having covered that little bit of business, yes, you can build a canoe. It's not just butt-easy, but certainly nothing that's beyond you by any means. The hardest part is, as always, getting started.

Birke's Abenaki canoe is a tandem boat that's just plain prettier than mine, but mine's a higher performance solo model. His will catch more wind than mine will because of those beautiful upswept curvy stems; mine's obviously much lower profile. His is more stable at ~36" wide, but stability is a hopelessly subjective thing and it really means nothing to talk about it. My Merlin is plenty stable as far as I'm concerned at 28". I mean, I stand up in it to paddle, pole, and fish routinely.

The Prospector and Redbird are two other very popular and beautiful canoes, but are larger tandem designs.
http://www.outdoorplace.org/paddling/Pr ... ector3.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.bearmountainboats.com/17-6Redbird.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Abenaki:


http://www.newfound.com/abenaki16.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Merlin:


http://www.shop.northwestcanoe.com/cate ... egoryId=22" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My Merlin build-a-long site: http://mysite.verizon.net/ngc704/merlin/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[JEM]

Hey Casey,

Lots of good canoe plans out there. I always admired the Merlin stripper. Selway Fisher has some nice ones too.

You might want to post your desires as far load capacity, intended paddling environment, solo or tandem, size you'd like to stay within, stuff like that. Folks can give you more targeted ideas then.

[StuckInTheMud]

Hey guys,
Thanks for the start up advice. I saw the Merlin and did indeed think that was a pretty boat, along with the Abernaki boat.

Here's what i'm thinking for use: I want a tandem, and my first thought was to duck hunt 2 people out of. I built my pirogue to hunt with but that was a "just for me" thing, and since then i've wondered about buying a jonboat or something to take along another person to hunt with me, perhaps a little lady if i ever find one that wouldnt mind a little duck hunting . While buying a jonboat would be an easy fix, I had fun building my first boat and would rather build another than buy.

The duck thing, while it was my first "thought", isnt necessarily the main goal really. That specific train of thought wandered along the tracks of just general paddling down a river (since i'm in SA now), or even a casual lake if i ever get back into camping again. Not sure what load capacity i'd be looking at here, mainly 2 people and if i can get a good "all around" boat that might suffice for hunting, then some decoys and minimal gear that goes along with it. Not looking to do any canoe camping really.

I was thinking probably a 17'-ish boat would fit these needs, but havent been around canoes in a while so my experience base there is stale. I want to keep this one "wood varnish" color to keep it pretty, even if i do hunt out of it now and then. Kurt, looks like the Merlin still floats pretty high out of the water. Seeing it float there by itself, the sidewalls look like they might be a little low in the water with a person in it, but it doesnt look half bad. I'm not afraid of being close to the water, but having a newbie in the boat, wouldnt want them to freak out and think they're going to tip or anything.

So..............basically if there's a good general category type boat out there yall think might fit this bill, lets here about it. I'm gonna research the sites you gave me and see what i can come up with myself. Hope that helps a bit. Thanks again!

[Pogo]

Casey, sounds to me like you ought to look at the Prospector and/or Redbird. Either is a gorgeously classic canoe in the size parameters you cite, and I believe you'd be ten different colors of proud and happy to own and paddle the finished boat. I have no doubt you could handle the build. May take a while, but you only get out of ______ what you put into it, right?

Matt, it's great to see you putting in appearances here, and hope to see plenty more -- this forum can use you. Your success with JEM is applause-worthy, if I may be permitted the understatement!

Cheers, Kurt Maurer

[JEM]

Casey - You looking for a stitch and glue design or wood strip? If stitch and glue, remember that if you get over 15' or so, you'll have more panels to cut and more to splice.

Kurt - I didn't realize this section of the forum was even here until a couple days ago. I hope to be a regular just talking about boats and building. Not here to advertise.

[gerald]

Hey--this is the BOAT Builder Forum. We build all kinds of boats--even the kind you can fish from. Canoes are at the top of the list.

[Birke]

Casey,

Since you are in SA, if you want to get together sometime, we can take the Abenaki out so you can kick the tires. As far as my impressions: the more I use it, the more I like it. It will easily hold two people, gear and beer with no problems. The wife unit and I have had it out in the whitecaps and felt quite comfortable with its stability. It's also easy to stand in and pole around the flats whilst stalking reds. Also when fishing, you can also sit on the seat with your feet dangling in the water without any fear of it flipping over. In fact, it will take water over the gunnels before it flips, so it takes quite a bit of effort to get it to turtle. As a novice paddler, when running solo in it, I sit in the "front" seat with the boat point backwards, and put a full sized cooler w/gear in the front to balance it out. Being a complete buffoon with a single blade canoe paddle, I found it much easier to paddle around using my greenland paddle. Then when I stand, I use it as a push pole.





I'm not sure Pogo is man enough to handle this big boy canoe

[Dogpaddlin]

Birke, I swear that boat get prettier every time I see it!

[Birke]

Thanks DP!

Make no mistake. This ain't no showboat....it's getting a nice collection of scratches from running it over oyster beds! I'm sure glad I went with the icebreaker fiblerglass layout

[Dogpaddlin]

What is an "icebreaker fiberglass layout"?

[Birke]

1 6 oz layer over entire hull.
1 6 oz layer on hull up to the waterline

1 6 oz over entire inside
1 6 oz over the "high traffic" areas of inside hill

And of course, the usual 6 oz fore and aft keel strips!

[Pogo]

I'm not sure Pogo is man enough to handle this big boy canoe

Ha ha, you got that right! A little ol' dried up wisp of a feller like me had best keep his stuff in the low-thirty pound range or it could kill him.

BTW, it's 'lay-up', not 'lay out', or whatever knucklehead thing you said.

[bowgarguide]

Dang now that should be a tough boat.
Ron