The Stripper's Guide to Canoe-Building

"The Stripper's Guide to Canoe-building" is unusually crammed with information and inspiration for the first-time boatbuilder. It comes with six full-size template drawings from which it is possible to make at least nine different wood-strip (hence the name "Stripper") and fiberglass canoes and kayaks. The drawings are basic designs for recreational, cargo, and flatwater racing canoes, as well as a two-place kayak that can be made in a recreational, broad-beam version or in a narrow-beam version for the more skilled paddler.

A wood-strip canoe is a ribless boat made from narrow wood strips covered with clear epoxy and fiberglass inside and out. This laminated construction produces a rigid, light weight, sleek, and beautiful boat. A canoe project, the author estimates, would take an amateur 150 man-hours of work. Even mediocre craftsmanship can produce a boat superior to most factory-made boats.

From 6 pages of full-size template drawings and the instructions in this book you can make a recreational canoe with a 34" width in lengths from 16' to 18'; a 36" width, 18' touring canoe; a 48" width, 20' cargo canoe; a 27" width racing canoe in lengths from 14' to 18'; or two models of 2-man touring kayaks, 25" by 20', and 28" by 18'.