BWCA Plywood Canoe Boundary Waters Gear Forum


BWCA Messageboard

BWCA and Quetico Park Books and Magazines

Find Outfitters for the Boundary Waters Quetico

Boundary Waters (BWCA) photo gallery and individual photo journals

Boundary Waters Message Board and Forums.

username

password

Remember Me

River Point Outfitting Co.
Site Search
	Contact Us
	Route Guide

Chat Rooms (1 Chatting) | Search | Login/Join

* For the benefit of the community, commercial posting is not allowed.

View BWCA Photo and Trip Report Contest Page

Poll: What is your favorite month in the BWCA/Q?
(517 responses)

2012 BWCA Photo Contest Results

Boundary Waters Quetico Forum

Gear Forum

Plywood Canoe

View Boundary Waters Map Locations

Route Guide

Campsaver.com

Last Visit: 05/25/2013 10:33PM
Sort by

Author

Message Text

Soulwind

Guest Paddler

03/21/2010 09:30PM

My wife and I are planning a BWCA trip this summer with another couple. I have been once before and this will be my wife's first trip. We are fully equipped with most of the camping gear but we missing a critical item: the canoe. I've done a bit of research online just to check out all of our options (buying, renting, building) and I am truly intrigued by some of the plywood canoe plans/designs I have seem. Building one of the boats would be right up my alley, I love a new project. I'm just looking for some feedback on the durability and practicality of use for BWCA. I think the weights look great, and I can pick w/e length to build to suit our needs. Just looking to see if anyone has any specific experiences good or bad about building and using a plywood boat for the BWCA. Thanks in advance!!

Reply Reply with Quote Print Top Bottom Previous Next

Savage Voyageur

03/21/2010 09:34PM

Good luck on your project of building a canoe. I have always wanted to do this. Do you have the time to build this before the trip? Have fun on your trip.

"So many lakes, so little time."

Reply Reply with Quote Print Top Bottom Previous Next

L.T.sully

03/21/2010 09:56PM

Have fun, if it doesn't leak it should work, weight may prove an issue though.

The creation of a thousand forests is in a single acorn- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Reply Reply with Quote Print Top Bottom Previous Next

kanoes

03/21/2010 09:58PM

stitch and glue! i too have also wanted to build one. go for it!

i think bigfoot is blurry. (mitch hedberg)

Reply Reply with Quote Print Top Bottom Previous Next

mwd1976

03/21/2010 10:07PM

Should work fine. Not much different in function than a cedarstrip. Glass with a wood core. Go for it!

good resource

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children -Chief Seattle

Reply Reply with Quote Print Top Bottom Previous Next

kanoes

03/21/2010 10:12PM

the scarf joints will be the trickiest part.

i think bigfoot is blurry. (mitch hedberg)

Reply Reply with Quote Print Top Bottom Previous Next

bear bait

03/22/2010 03:39AM

my first build was a lapstrake plywood canoe from CLC. very seaworthy and very heavy. stitch and glue is faster and easier then planking the hull.

Reply Reply with Quote Print Top Bottom Previous Next

Bannock

03/22/2010 09:00AM

Generally plywood canoes are not as seaworthy and are very heavy. Plywood is generally better for kayaks. Kayaks can get away with harder lines while canoes need more of a curve, that is why strips suit canoes better.

For boat/kayak/canoe building, special plywood is needed. It can not have any voids in any of its layers. If you are looking to save money, building a canoe, especially a plywood canoe, is not the answer.

Generally plywood canoes cost more for materials, but strip canoes are more labor-intensive.

If you really want to try building a plywood canoe I recommend the lapstrake method and recommend the book The Canoe Shop .

Bannock

Reply Reply with Quote Print Top Bottom Previous Next

mwd1976

03/22/2010 10:39AM

Actually Bannock, a stitch and glue canoe is no heavier than a cedar strip. The solo I started building should come in aroun 38-40lbs. And after building a cedarstrip, I'd argue a stitch and glue style is cheaper and less labor intensive. Plus there are molds or forms to make, no strongback needed, etc...

Bob Brown, who designed boats for Bell and Wenonah, paddles his stressed Plywood/stitch and glue canoes all the time. I've paddled one of his and thought it was a fun, fast canoe. He likes the method because he could design and build a new canoe so fast.

The problem comes when you want to build a tandem. You can't build one out of 2 sheets of ply, you need four and at that point costs become a bit prohibitive.

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children -Chief Seattle

Reply Reply with Quote Print Top Bottom Previous Next

soulwind

Guest Paddler

03/22/2010 04:08PM

I appreciate everyone's responses! I'm still undecided on my plans but will be sure to post results if I decide to go forward with them.

I have found some plans online and it looks like weight shouldn't be a problem from what I have seen, so that isn't in issue.

My main concern was durability and it sounds like that probably won't be a big issue either.

We aren't out to set any speed records this summer but probably will fish a fair amount so something stable would be nice.

Thanks again for the input and any more would be appreciated too!

Reply Reply with Quote Print Top Bottom Previous Next

BWCA Messageboard