I have been dreaming about building my own canoe for years. I have been looking at all the pictures of the canoes you guys have built and they are truly floating art. My question is, how do I learn to do this? I know North House in Grand Marais has a class and apparently there is a place in Duluth (Burley Canoes) that also has a class. What other options are there in Northern Minnesota (I live in Bemidji)? Does anyone have any feedback on either North House or Burley? This is probably not something I will take on even in the next year but its on my radar and looking at all of the pictures of your boats makes me want to make this a priority! Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

It's one of those things that you really can learn from out of a book. Purchase a good one, read it thoroughly before starting so that you know the entire process before you begin, and go to it.

Any book recommendations?

Wetlander,

Start at: bearmountainboats.com

There is a lot of good information here.

Also you might look into buying the latest edition of his book; Canoe Craft by Ted Moores.

I also used to belong to the Minnesota Canoe Association and they also used to promote strip canoe building and had workshops.

Dick

Northwest Canoe in Saint Paul has classes and a free instructional book & plans. The guys there are great too. Its worth a drive down because they almost always have a boat they are working on at some level of construction. Just seeing the set up first hand is extremely helpful I think. They can also send you on your way with everything you will need. They really do make it easy and are a great resource. Here is a link: Northwest Canoe

canoecraft is a great book!!

I own about 4 or 5 canoe building books. The best is/was the MCA Builder's Book. It's not made anymore. Northwest Canoe then took it over written by Al Guffeston (sp?), but I don't see it on their page anymore. I think Canoecraft is dated as well as Hazen's Book and Gilpatrick's Book. McCarthy's is good only if building the Wee Lassie IMHO.

I hear good things about Susan Van Leuven's book though I have not read it. Still, based on what I've heard, that is the one I'd recommend.

Thanks, amhacker!

Wetlander, for sure start off with getting the FREE Art of Building by Al Gustaveson (that's the correct spelling I messed up above)from Northwest Canoe!

Wetlander

I am a first time builder. When I made the move to build, I thought I was prepared. As you build you realize there are things to be learned that don't come from books, class, or whatever.

There is no "right way" to build. It is your canoe, you do it your way armed with the "this works" information that you have acquired through books, maybe a class, and how about a model?

I picked up books. Read them. You need to have "CanoeCraft" by Ted Moores. I consider this my bible. I do refer to "Building a Strip Canoe" by Gil Gilpatrick. I also refer to "Notes on the art of building the cedar strip canoe" available as a free down load at NWcanoe. The techniques that I am using follow very closely to those by Moores (with deviations).

I have a post in here about building a model. I built the 1/16 scale Chestnut Prospector. That model comes from BearMountainBoats. You will learn much by doing one of these.

I also did time at North House Folk School (another post). I have much praise for that place. It is expensive, but......... The course will be offered again this May. Ken Koscik is the instructor again this year. I consider him my mentor. He is very willing to help. We have emailed frequently during my build.

Bottom line....... don't sit on the fence too long. Gather information and go for it. It really helped me to build my shop first....... a place of dreams and one you can call your own.

Good luck.

Some history, Al Gustaveson founder and former owner of Northwest Canoe was the building director for the MN Canoe Association. He wrote the book for himself and the MCA. Al would give you a copy of the book if you bought a canoe kit from him at NWC, or you could by it seperately.
When Al sold NWC to its present owners they decided to offer it as a free download to promote building.

By the way there was a great article about NWC in Sundays Pioneer Press,sports section. Focused on the big 24 footers they are building for Wilderness Inquiry and the US Park Service.

CB

WOW! Thanks for all your insight. Obviously there is no shortage of experience here. I would love to start this now and have a boat in the water for a fall BW trip but I am about to start a new job and with that comes a 250 mile move. I think this is my year to research and start collecting some of the tools I need.

I think I will have to make a point of stopping by NW Canoe the next time I am in the cities and wander around in awe with wide eyes and dropped jaw!

CB- I am familier with the big boats that Wilderness Inquiry uses... I guided for them a few years back. I didn't spend much time in those boats but did get to take them down the Mississippi through the locks around Mpls. Very cool. I was sent out to Maine to lead trips out there. Certainly an experience I will never forget!

I have to ask again since they would be my closest option for getting some hand on experience and face to face advise.... Does anyone know anything about Burly Canoes in Duluth?

I have no first hand knowledge of Burly canoes, but I've been going to their web page periodically for the last few years. I haven't noticed any changes or new photos since my first visit. I'd say give them a call and see what they're up to. I'm kind of curious myself.

"02/14/2011 08:52PM
Some history, Al Gustaveson founder and former owner of Northwest Canoe was the building director for the MN Canoe Association. He wrote the book for himself and the MCA. Al would give you a copy of the book if you bought a canoe kit from him at NWC, or you could by it separately.
When Al sold NWC to its present owners they decided to offer it as a free download to promote building.


By the way there was a great article about NWC in Sundays Pioneer Press,sports section. Focused on the big 24 footers they are building for Wilderness Inquiry and the US Park Service.


CB "

Cedarboy,

You are partially correct in your history! The history of the Minnesota Canoe Association and it's building program goes back much further than than what you stated. I have a book that was published by the Minnesota Canoe association way back in 1968. I acquired my copy when I joined the Association. It was a collaborate effort and the forward was written by Karl Ketter. This was to my knowledge the very first attempt at documenting the strip canoe building process. Later in 1998 the book was updated by another group headed by Bob Brown and published as loose leaf binder which I also have. I have had the opportunity in the past to meet both of these people as well as Al Gustafson. They all had a lot of knowledge to contribute to our present day building methods.

Dick

Dick

Thanks Dick
I have the 98 version from Al. This book is the bible for building.
I knew He and Bob had revised it in 98 from the earlier version.
It might have been 97. I remember because I started building when my wife was on bed rest with our first(she was born in Nov 97). Summer of 97 got the plans from Al and the book and supplies for my first Cruiser. Wow time flies.
CB