I've never done a canoe but I built a kayak from a kit that I really like a lot.  It really moves along and I get compliments on it every time I take it out.  They have plans for a canoe too and Eric is great to deal with:  http://www.shearwater-boats.com/index.html

I've heard good things about the Pygmy kit too:   http://www.pygmyboats.com/mall/taiga.asp

I am building a pine strip canoe and have been working on it off and on for about 3 months it is a very time consumig project.(But definitley worth the time) This is my first and is finally begining to look like a canoe! To me there will be no greater joy than paddling down the river in the canoe I built!I would like to see some pics of yours when you get it finished

Al, Go to southernpaddler.com and then go to Sparkeys Forum. Those guys are very helpful. It's like Trad Gang, except in the water. I'm looking for someone that can help me on building a dugout canoe. Good luck ! Make sure to show us pictures of the canoe and the ones with your big buck in it.
DR

Last night on the discovery channel was a show called "Assemblie Required". They showed how a wooden canoe was being made. Very interesting, the braces are made from white cedar and the planking was made from western red cedar. They would steam the brace slats (white cedar) to around 260 degrees, and place them on a form and nail them down. The planking took 3500 brass tacks. The tacks would go into the wood and hit a steel mold and turn over. Next they covered with fiberglass that turned transparent and you would still see all the wood grain and pattern. Look's like a lot work but could be a lot of fun trying. Mark

the great thing about strip-built boats is that if you screw up you can pull a few strips off and go at it again. Stitch and glue plywood forces you to have to get it right the first time.        

 

this totally sounds like something Ron LaClair would be interested in.

Thanks for all the posts and links fellas, something for me to look into and do some homework.

I'm more leaning towards the canoe as I've just watched a DVD on Ray Mears building one from scratch outa birch bark, he also did a canoe journey up north.


AK.