Ever since I saw my first stripper I knew I had to have one of my own. My wife finally told me to get it out of my system, and we went and bought the supplies for a NW Canoe Excursion. I built the strongback, cut the forms and now I'm ready to lay my first strips. It would be great to see some pictures of other cedar strip canoes to get a feel for pattern of dark vs. light, patterns, etc. What types of wood are people using besides cedar?

Color patterns of strips, I'd say is subject to the builder. When you get your lumber you'll get a better idea of what you can do with it. I think most builders that are going to use a feature stripe of some sort will accent the stripe with basswood. Most will use a darker plank bordered with the basswoods pure white strips for contrast. Nick Shade, who builds mainly Kayaks uses one or two thin basswood strips for his accents without the traditional dark strip.
Other than a strip or two of Cherry, Walnut or another darker wood used for a feature stripe Western red Cedar is what the majority of builders will use for the rest of the boat. WRC is light and with some sorting can be found at most lumber yards without too many knots.
I'll bet most people, myself included, concentrate on getting their first boat built without too much concern with weight. But after its done and looking towards the next one, the focus turns to, how can I make it lighter. Good luck on your build.

Aspen is an excellent wood for accents. It stays white, long after Cedar (WRC) and machines very well.

I agree with Wingnut ! Concentrate on getting that first one under your belt ! There is a lot to learn on the first one !

Jim

I'm in the process of building a 16' Merlin. Principle wood is Spanish cedar. Accent strips are purple heart, aspen, and WRC. Outer stems, gunwhales, and yoke will be ash. I'm also making a bent-shaft paddle with the matching pattern of the knoo.

Here's my Kite solo canoe. I cut off the ash gunwales and just put on new ones made of spruce. I'll save close to 5 pounds with these and a new laminated seat.

My Prospector Ranger from a Bear Mtn Boats plan. Lofted the specs from the book. Cherry gunwals body is western red cedar. Not much of a choice for softwoods here in central IN.

More of a small river or stream canoe. Terrible on a lake, get blown all over the place.

One of my modified Pearls



Larry Ricker's ( Nibimocs) Kootenay

I asked my wife if I could get a stripper. She asked if I’d introduce her to my mother.