I'm hoping to build a Geodesic Airolite skin-on-frame solo canoe. I was thinking of a 14' version, which is 32" wide and weighs 20-22 pounds. The standard version has a 2.5" rocker; another version, for straighter paddling, has no rocker. Is this long enough? (A 16' version is 36" wide and weighs 32 pounds.) It will be primarily for flatwater canoeing. Should I build it with 2.5" rocker, or no rocker, or should I try for something in between? 14' Geodesic Airolite canoe

You are asking difficult questions. I liken buying/building a canoe to buying a car. So many options. What I like you might not, and Visa versa.

I’ve paddled a lot of canoes, and I’ve built a lot of them too.

I can say that I prefer longer canoes with less beam than shorter canoes with a wide beam. The water displacement is the same but paddling a short fat canoe is not fun.

In your case, a 14’ canoe with a 29” beam is not a wide canoe so that does not apply to your situation. A 16’ canoe with a 36” beam is too wide to paddle solo unless you plan to kneel near the center and paddle it Canadian style, (sitting near center in the leaned position). The 16’ canoe is similar in specs as a tandem canoe.

The 14’ canoe sounds fun for solo paddling. Not super roomy for wilderness travel but should be great for putzing around on lakes.

Rocker: 2.5” is a bit. I’ve never paddle a solo with 2.5” of rocker but I will say you will feel it by the ease of turning. It will require more corrective strokes to keep it straight.

No rocker makes for a nice straight paddling canoe. Some people say no rocker is bad. However, I spent a good part of my solo paddling life in a Merlin with no rocker and I love it. I can turn my no rocker canoe with ease but I am also very experienced in it.

That’s all I can say. I can’t tell you what you need but I’m glad you are building a canoe!
Tom

Thanks for the comments. Certainly these canoes don't have the shape of a production solo, with the narrow beam and ample tumblehome. My initial thought is that less rocker and straighter keel is probably better. Maybe, too, I should stretch it to 14.5' or 15'? I'm not a scrawny guy.

I like some rocker in canoes, but I run rivers mostly. You can compromise with at least an inch maybe two. Some downriver boats can have up to 4 inches of rocker or more.

I had a Wenonah Odyssey once which is an 18 1/2 foot canoe with little rocker. I never like it even on lakes.

I was looking at the models on their site. The 16 seems much too big for a solo. The regular 14 with 2.5 inches of rocker seems like a good choice. As it mentions the rocker helps make the boat feel safe in wind and waves...they even mention that the straight keel boat gives up stability and is best for experienced paddlers. I didn't see options for stretching to 14.5 or 15 feet but if that's easy I'd say do it. I like a solo around 15 feet but I do have two 14 footers that work fine, they just give up a little cruising speed and maybe a little stability compared to a longer boat. If you're not in a hurry or planning to cover long distances it seems like the "easy to build" snowshoe with rocker is a fine choice. Or if you want the straight keel boat and you have some paddling experience then go for it knowing it will feel more tippy than the boat with rocker. Both boats have pro's and con's.

You have piqued my curiosity. Please post pictures and document your build on the bwca builders section. Thanks

Here's what I'm thinking now: The plan I've got is 14' long, 32" wide (I mistated the beam at first) and a rocker of 2.5, both ends. The guy I bought the plan from says there's no problem stretching the boat or altering the rocker. So I'm thinking of (1) stretching it to 15', (2) reducing the beam to 30" or 31", and (3) reducing the rocker at the bow by 1/2 to 1.25" and at the stern by 1/3 or 1/4, to .8" or .6" How does that sound? I could easily do it differently, too.

Lengthening the boat and modifying the rocker should be easy enough. However, to narrow the beam, you'll need to redraw each of the station molds.

Good point. I've been trying to do that with. There are six molds. The two middle ones I've brought in by an inch at the gunwale on each side, and less and less as I go down toward the waterline, by which point there's no change from the original. The next two frames I've brought in by a half inch at the gunwale. The two closest to the ends I've not changed.
Unlike current production canoes, this canoe has no tumblehome. It's like a Native hunting canoe in that respect. They were more like 31-34 inches in width, with a gentle flare in the side. I've not introduced tumblehome, but I've reduced the flare to almost nothing over the upper 4 or 5 inches. The lower part of the sides and the rounding at the waterline should be about the same. I'll see how it looks when I get it set up. I can always change things a little.
I don't know if that made any sense.

You changed the form of this canoe. It sounds like you are using the plans as a matter of convenience. The model you are making will not be the model plans you received.

I've stretched canoes a little and altered the beam a little on plans but never as much as you are planning. I hope this all works out as hoped.

I've never changed rocker as this is the hardest to achieve without proper lofting IMO although it sounds like you are not doing that.

It's a bit like a baker adding more flour, less sugar, more salt and less yeast than the recipe calls for then not liking the taste of the finished loaf.

Once again, not discouraging you but asking for caution.
Tom

The designer offers two versions of the plans: one with rocker, one without. He also told me it would be easy to make an intermediate version with just some rocker: he himself had done it, making a prototype with 1"bw/.5" st. He also said that stretching it would not be a problem: he had done that, too. I'm trying to keep the basic shape of the boat but altering some of the dimensions to better suit my purposes and to imitate, after a fashion, some of the features of production solo canoes, such as narrow beam. But the basic shape will remain--indeed, it's basically a Algonquin hunting canoe, as far as I can tell.

14' with rocker.