Any Cedar Strip Boat Builders?

[Woody333]

To get a taste for the process, YouTube has three videos, among others, that are enjoyable watching:

Last fall actor and woodworker NIck Offerman (NBC's Parks and Recreation) found himself with some time to kill in New York City while his wife was working on Broadway, so he decided to build a couple of Bear Mountain Boats canoes. After reading Canoecraft, Nick produced this canoe building video as a companion to Canoecraft.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D1_PcQ7jEM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa1FzPJUfp0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7qiXZqrvfI

Besides his acting skills, Offerman is also a well respected woodworker. Fine Woodworking magazine recently published his article on flattening large slabs of wood for table tops.

Enjoy the research. That is always half the fun.

Roger (a fellow sailor)

[Oldragbaggers]

@pchast, that is a pure work of art. I wish I lived close to your woodworking club. That's a class I would love to take. Thank you for sharing your pictures with me. They are very inspirational.

@corwinc, your brother's canoe is gorgeous. I am sure yours was also. Did you ever build anything else in cedar strip after your canoe? Did you enjoy the process?

@woody333, Roger, thank you for sharing all of this information and the links. I knew this forum would be a great place to post my question, even though it is not teardrop related (although my boat will be somewhat of an "accessory" to my teardrop) because everyone is so helpful here.

Right now I am finding the hardest part to be settling on one plan to build. There are so many beautiful ones. It's sort of like picking out my teardrop profile. You have to get past that hurdle before you actually start to build anything.

I ordered one of Nick Schade's books today. I will check out every link and book that has been recommended to me here. Will be good reading while I am relaxing at the campground this summer.

[Juneaudave]

I built a cedar strip canoe using BearMountain Boat plans. The book Canoecraft is a classic must read for builders and their website has a good builders forum. I think you will really enjoy building one!

[Oldragbaggers]

Thanks Dave. I was looking at Bear Mountain's site this evening. I will check out the book also. Between your boat and your teardrop, you must spend a lot of time giving tours!!

[atahoekid]

Hey Becky,

I "finished" my Road Foamie in October last year, came back from the maiden voyage and have a punch list of things I want to re-do, improve or add, but I too am looking for my next hobby or project. I considered hydroponic gardening since our planting season in the Sierra is way too short. I wanted to grow real herbs and tomatoes. not "herbs". Just have never been into that! I also thought about bonsai gardening, but I'm not patient enough for that, so I came back to strip building a kayak. I had thought about it prior to building the Road Foamie. I've been looking at Rob Macks at laughing loon kayaks. He puts forth the theory that most "strippers" are too heavy and he offers a solution to the problem. His 18' North Star comes in at 40#. My problem is finding cedar suitable for strips. I actually have his manual and am pretty sure this will be next summers' project. I'm looking at building a 21' Twin Star since my wife hates paddling on her own. I know tandems are called "divorce" boats for a reason but...

From watching your build, I'm sure you'd build something spectacular.

[Corwin C]

@corwinc, your brother's canoe is gorgeous. I am sure yours was also. Did you ever build anything else in cedar strip after your canoe? Did you enjoy the process?

My canoe doesn't look bad, but it's utilitarian rather than for looks. I'll have to see if I've got a good picture of it. You can see in hanging on the side of the cargo container in this picture.



It's the one that gets the cargo in it, or the firewood, or the stuff that would bang up the inside or scuff the bottom. I don't cringe if it gets bumped or banged around. I'm amazed at the strength. Mine is 16' 6" long and 32" wide in the middle. It has easily carried well over 1000 pounds on several occasions, and yet I can pick it up and move it around myself (I'm guessing around 65 pounds.) They're made from cedar fence boards that were ripped into strips 1/4" thick and then glued together over a set of forms that gave the canoe its shape. It then had a reinforcing layer just on the bottom outside, another layer covering the whole outside, and one layer inside. All the layers were 6oz. plain weave fiberglass and RAKA epoxy. I didn't fill the weave in the inside, thinking that the texture would keep it from being slick. My brothers is the same except for the aspen and red cedar accent strip and his gunwales and seats are ash (mine are white oak.) He was much more particular with the color and consistency of the wood than I was.

I am seriously considering some of the techniques for my tear build (if I can ever get it started.) I've fiberglassed numerous other small projects with what was left over from the canoes. I don't know that I enjoy the process, but the results are easily worth the effort. It's not difficult, but it does take all of your time, attention, and concentration while you are doing it, and once you start, you have to finish. Personally, I do everything with a squeegee or a double gloved hand. I never could get brushes, rollers, etc. to work for me.

[pchast]

Becky,

John Michne was the instructor for our class. his web site is http://michneboat.com/Web%20site%20home.htm

He used a slightly different method of building. We used bungee cords.

It was a ticklish technique. A wrap every 6-8 inches avoided the use of all but a few tacks to the form. Too tight and the strips would 'fold' away from the form. TB2 for glue...

Mixing and applying the epoxy was not difficult using a clear measured disposable cup with the mixing cup inserted into it. We never mixed a batch larger than 6-8 oz total. It was normally less than 1/2 that unless there were 3-4 of us to spread it. We used Nitrile gloves.

[Kokomoslow]

I just went back to finish my wee lassie. Lots of fun , not that hard. But as with any boat build there is much more than meets the eye. If you plan to build a wee lassie I still have the building frames. I could send them to you. If you have any questions please pm me. Kokomoslow

[tac422]

You can buy the strips already cut and routered to make the process faster.

I've been watching this thread w/ great interest
I'm curious where you can buy the strips from ?

[prohandyman]

Here is one source...

Bear Mountain Boat Shop
P.O. Box 191
Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
K9J 6Y8
Phone: 1-705-740-0470
E-Mail: [email protected]

You might also try ....
Chesapeake Light Craft, LLC

TEL » 410.267.0137
FAX » 410.267.5689
1805 GEORGE AVENUE
ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND
21401 USA

[grantstew8]

As i'm building smaller rather than larger trailers I thought a one sheet stitch and glue was my next project.
http://www.tdem.co.nz/links/one-sheet-boat
Lots of links and some designs are really pretty.

[Larry C]

You can buy already milled strips. However, I find that only works best for the wealthier than I. I have milled miles of my own strips at fraction of the cost of store bought strips.

Here's an example: One supplier charges $.60 ft. for Western Red Cedar strips, a common boat building wood. The average strip built kayak uses about 1300' of strips. At $.60 per foot, that's $780. Add Truck shipping say $100= $880.

You say you don't have the tools to make your own.... How much does a really good table saw cost, $500? $880 less $500=$380. Cove and bead router bits: $40. $380 less $40=$340. Don't have a router? $150 gets you a good one. $340 less $150= $190. Don't have a router table? I made mine with cheap MDF for less than $10. $190 less $10= $180. $180 should buy all the lumber needed to make all your strips.

Last weekend I milled one 1X6 (7/8" X 5-1/2") Basswood board into 1/8" strips to use in my Tear. I wasn't concerned with getting the most strips from the board, so I ripped the strips at 3/16" or bit less. I ran them all through my thickness planer (not necessary for boat strips) to 1/8" nice smooth very bendy strips Even with all the unnecessary waste, I ended up with 180' of strips from one 10' board. The board cost me $21.

If you have the $ resources, and want to save a little time, by all means buy your strips. They are not overpriced, a lot of work goes into them. I am suggesting you can make your own for less if your poor like me

[oakinteriors1]

I have built about 15 boats in the past 3 or so years....S&G, Cedar strip,Skin-On-Frame.....
http://s147.photobucket.com/user/scrawf ... t=3&page=1

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mo_kayaks/sets/

I built a couple of kayaks using old cedar fence pickets.....
http://www.blueheronkayaks.com/phpBB2/v ... f=5&t=2414


My first kayak was modeled of an old town tandem I measured at Bass Pro shop....I had no plans....
http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/foru ... 73&start=0

Since then I have modified boat plans and designed my own using Kayak foundry.....

The lightest cedar strip was the 15X29 pirogue at 32lbs....The Challenger 16 footer is 40 lbs....The Skin boats weigh arround 30 lbs and are up to 17.5 foot long...

[Juneaudave]

That Old Town Tandem built without plans sure turned out nice!

[tac422]

[quote="Corwin C] They're made from cedar fence boards that were ripped into strips 1/4" thick and then glued together over a set of forms that gave the canoe its shape."

I like this idea... it'd be easy to cut the strips. Do they have to be routered ? and to what shape ?
Thanks !