Trying something completely different from what I've built and seen in the past. Doing this on the complete CHEAP and quick method as a test. Not going out of my way spending tons of extra time or money..(which I don't have anyways)

The idea is a cedar strip built as light as I think I can. With very little glass added to stress points for strength. And a final covering of ballistic nylon as a skin. Like ocean skin on frame kayaks are being built out in the northwest.

I've seen pics of ultra light canoes built in this method with skeleton frames. Being covered in nylon and sealed... Problem with those that I see, are comfort in paddling.(my opinion never seen one in person of that method) (most set on the floor, not an option for me)

And I really doubt a skeleton frame would have the strength needed to hit big quetico lakes on a white cap windy day fully loaded..

So I'm coming up with my own design. The canoe I'm using as a form replacing the strong back method. Is a douglas fir 15'5" 28 1/2" wide 9 1/2" deep solo we built in 2000 for a trip to quetico.(as seen in my survival video from nym to ely.

It sat outside for a few years after giving it too my dad. And it incurred some weather damage. Mostly too the gunwhales. Which were pine and the sealer had been scraped off in many places..

The idea as I removed the gunwhales. Steam bent ribs over the hull and screwed them to the gunwhale area. Oak 1/4" thick ribs where my seat area is too be.

1/4" pine ribs for the rest for weight savings.

My steamer broke on the 3rd day. And no money to fix at the moment. So I had to float the last 4' on the rear of the boat. Stitching the strips together with staples..(not my preffered design or method. But it works. I'll steam and put those ribs in after the hull is laid up.

Also I was going to put in hardwood ends. But with the steamer broke I had to change gears, midstream and finger weave the ends together. I've used that method in the past on a few boats. And it works fine. I just glass over them after for strength and back fill the inside a bit with fiber thickened resin as a buffer.

I plan to finish laying in the hull. (not bead and cove, but straight cut. I'm not worried about tiny imperfections. Or the extra glue on the outside. (or I would have washed it off as I went like normal) But the outside will be quickly sanded with a belt sander and random orbit to smooth things out.

In the mid section where it's ribbed. I only glued too the ribs and let the between areas float..

I'm going to lay glass over the ends. And the bottom water line 4ounce cloth. And rib glass the upper portion. Not worrying about sealing it with glass. Just adding it lightly for strength to tie the strips together.

Then I'll stretch ballistic nylon over the hull. Similar to a canvas canoe is done.. The whole hull inside and out will be coated with spar varnish before canvasing. To seal all the wood from the weather and water.

Again this is a quick build mostly as a test in doing things way different.

Also building it on top of the douglas fir canoe. Because these will nest together for traveling to take up less room on the rack.

( I know it looks like a cobbled mess. But it will clean up quick and decent I'm sure)

The doug fir canoe has hickory ribs and glass inside and out and weighs 46lbs.. I'm hoping this canoe will be less than 40 when done.

http://s31.photobucket.com/albums/c384/wagouche/?start=0

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c384/wagouche/IMG_3029.jpg
Photo album

Tried to make clickable links. The link function doesn't seem to be working.

Spell check neather.

More upgrades? Or my work computer is being stupid again.

Hahah yeah I have no idea how to make a link hot on this forum. Others no problem? And I reposted the same thing up in listening post. And corrected some of my grammer errors. I type real fast lol.

Link 1

Link 2

Hope this works. I am interested to see how this turns out!

Thanks, Got it all sanded out in about two hours tonight just hit her with a belt sander with 50 grit. (again this is not your average cedar strip) And not being built for prettiness.

But it all came out smooth with the lines I wanted. Going to lay glass on the water line tomorrow evening and some strips running up the free board like outside ribbing...

Once that's done I'll pop it off the other canoe. And lay up a couple more strips along the gunwhale areas and build my ends up a couple inches higher.

Hope to get my nylon ordered this week. Dying to try it out. But here's what she looks like today. I updated the photo album with about a dozen pics today too. Link at the beginning ;]

So far I think I have over a period of 6 days about 18 hours into it.

Got the ends and water line all glassed in today. No exspense spared here lol.. Auto zone and hardware store small cans of resin. And automotive size pieces of glass. No idea what weight.. 3'x2' sheets of clothe.. My buddy stopped by last night and gave me a scrap of red clothe he had. So I made a quick makeshift canadian maple leaf and put it across the bottom..

When all is set up. I'll random orbit sand the whole outside with 220. Then a light coat of spar varnish before the nylon..

Next you'll be gettin' a maple leaf tatoo........

Never know ;]

Well got the glass on the outside mostly sanded out today. Took the last couple screws out of the ribs holding it to the other canoe. And she lifted right up off the other canoe with one hand!.. Surprised the hell outta me. Thought for sure they'd of stuck a lil bit, but nope.


Haven't put her on a scale but I can hold it in one hand away from my body easily. Guessing it weighs just over 20 lbs at the moment. Can't be much more.


I still have to add the nylon, gunwhales, thwarts, handles and seat and spar varnish. Have no idea what the actual weight of all that will come to, till it's all on. Think I'm going to keep to the cheap route and finish it all out with the left over 2x4's I have. Just rip them down and seal it all.


I added a few more inches to the gunwhale areas today. I'll sand them out tomorrow and start adding inner gunwhales hopefully.