plans/kits for building a canoe?

[slick2526]

How hard is it to build a canoe? I have some pretty decent mechanical skills. I used to a be a plumber and have had experience as machinist. I have the room the build a canoe at a relatives. It is not climate controlled though.

Do you need to have the area your working in a certain temperature when working with the molding and epoxy/resins when coating the canoe?

If any one could would you explain the basics to me and what would be need to build my own canoe? Wood, fabric, epoxy, and tools?

If I dont end up just buying a used one I would like to build something in the 17-18ft that would be light enough to portage in the BWCA but still have a decent weight capacity. Mainly it will be used for fishing rivers and lakes but I am close enough to the BWCA that I would like to make a portaging trip yearly. Thanks for any information.

[delcecchi]

What do you have in mind, and what is the reason?

Back in the day I recall meeting some boy scouts who had made canoes using fiberglass from a mold off an aluminum canoe. The U of M canoe club had some molds too.

A friend took the class on building a cedar strip canoe that is taught in Grand Marais.

Check out the Minnesota Canoe Association.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

I second the MN Canoe Association. They are the go to guys for building a canoe.

[flyfisher03]

Check out Northwest Canoe in St. Paul. My brother got a kit from them. Came with everything needed. At the time I think the kit ran about $600. Probably higher now.

[MyFishHasRabies]

I plan on doing this myself very soon.

Check out Michael Storer's "QuickCanoe".

Because forum policy restricts me from directing people offsite, that's all I can say. Use a popular search engine that rhymes with frugal and search for "Michael Storer QuickCanoe"

He's from Australia, but again, because forum policy restricts me from directing people offsite I can't post the URL of the person who distributes his plans in the United States.

I'd like to make it real easy for you, but I can't.