# Building a plywood canoe. Any suggestions



## crowfoot (Dec 7, 2014)

So i am planning to build a plywood canoe. Does anybody have any suggestions. I have found that i am severely limited on my shooting due to inability to retrieve. I have no dog and no boat. I would like a canoe and not spend a lot of money and not take forever to build. So i have decided plywood. I hear they can be light and strong plus it won't cost me over $500 that a cheap canoe goes for. I have found a great stash of coot and duck but can't get to them to shoot and if i did i can't go get them. I'm sure everyone has felt this pain.


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## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

Start here: http://makeacanoe.com/

I've built a canoe, it not easy or all that cheap. If you are a skilled wood worker, then it could be a good way to go.

If it does not work out, then go here:

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=32741186&cat=&lpid=&search=canoe&ad_cid=4

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=30578232&cat=&lpid=1&search=canoe&ad_cid=1


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I see Coleman and Old Town Canoes on KSL all the time for $200-$500. Cal Ranch has canoes new for under $400. Unless you absolutely want to build your own you may want to consider a plastic canoe just because they are so lightweight.


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

You will be money and time ahead to try to find a used canoe, like other guys have said. If you want to build a canoe that will last more than a season or two then you are looking at buying good plywood, epoxy, and fiberglass that will add up to $500 or more pretty quickly. Do you have a plan or design in mind?


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## crowfoot (Dec 7, 2014)

hey guys. I will have to say that I am pretty good with wood work and even with simple tools I can turn some amazing things out. I am leaning towards this design. http://www.storerboatplans.com/Eureka/Eurekacanoespage2.html I'm going to go a little bit more heavy duty. This one weighs like 35lbs i'm just looking to keep it under 150 lbs. What do you think? would you pay for something like this? I figure if you wouldn't pay for it, then it is not worth building.


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## SlickWeo (Nov 21, 2014)

If you build one that looks that good, floats, and doesn't have any leaks, you could probably make some good money.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Fowlmouth said:


> I see Coleman and Old Town Canoes on KSL all the time for $200-$500. Cal Ranch has canoes new for under $400. Unless you absolutely want to build your own you may want to consider a plastic canoe just because they are so lightweight.


There's a huge difference between a Coleman and an Old Town. If you can find a good Old Town for $500, buy it.


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

crowfoot said:


> hey guys. I will have to say that I am pretty good with wood work and even with simple tools I can turn some amazing things out. I am leaning towards this design. http://www.storerboatplans.com/Eureka/Eurekacanoespage2.html I'm going to go a little bit more heavy duty. This one weighs like 35lbs i'm just looking to keep it under 150 lbs. What do you think? would you pay for something like this? I figure if you wouldn't pay for it, then it is not worth building.


 That's a great looking canoe, but the Okoume ply that guy is using is going to run you close to $500 alone. I'd say build it by all means but I would budget around $1000 for the materials to build it right.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Thanks for a whole lot of nothing Crowfoot! That link you posted just up and distracted me for the entire freaking day! I've been wanting to build a boat, and with my pending move to eastern Idaho, I've been looking at doing a drift boat. But a canoe like those on the link would be a great starter project. Looks like a lot of fun for sure.


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## fish-n-fool (May 26, 2009)

paddler213 said:


> There's a huge difference between a Coleman and an Old Town. If you can find a good Old Town for $500, buy it.


The decision should be determined on if your motoring it or paddling it. The old town wood and plastic design will not hold up to the abuse a mud motor will put on it. neither will the new scanoes with the cheap molded in transom, if you get the scanoe go with the old 1997 or older models, I just gave away my 1982 last week to a friend that is going to run a small longtail on it. But if your just going to paddle it like paddler does then the old town is hard to beat for it's weight and the way they track when they are paddled. The coleman is much heavier but does track well when paddled but they will not slip well in current do to the three ribs on the bottom. If you can find an old coleman for $300.00 buy it.

Maybe I can take you for a ride in my scanoe paddler it may change your mind on what you think about them.


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## crowfoot (Dec 7, 2014)

For a duck hunting canoe i think i will just use regular plywood. I doesn't need to be fancy. I does look like it will cost roughly $300-$350 for materials. maybe i will make it a spring project. I think i may be a little late starting it for waterfowl season.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Seriously? That canoe only weighs 35 pounds? I don't think I'm believing that when a large plastic Jet Sled weighs 40 pounds. :? If it does that's super light for a canoe that size.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

paddler213 said:


> There's a huge difference between a Coleman and an Old Town. If you can find a good Old Town for $500, buy it.


 There were 2 on KSL last week the guy was selling for $200 each. If I remember right they were 16 footers. This guy has a smaller 12' for $400.

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=32405832&cat=&lpid=&search=old town canoe&ad_cid=2


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

crowfoot said:


> For a duck hunting canoe i think i will just use regular plywood. I doesn't need to be fancy. I does look like it will cost roughly $300-$350 for materials. maybe i will make it a spring project. I think i may be a little late starting it for waterfowl season.


 My advice is to not skimp on the plywood-if you think about it it's the heart and soul of your boat, no matter how nice a job you do building it a lot of good work can go to waste if your materials let you down. The problem with inexpensive ply is that the cores will have voids in them, and even if they are totally sealed on the exterior the voids will collect condensation and break the lamination down from the inside out. I use either BS1088 Okoume or BS6566 Meranti ply for all my boat building, to meet either standard the plywood has to have a void-free core and be laminated with waterproof glue so it will maintain its integrity even if your glass and epoxy get breached and the core gets wet.

Also I really advise that you stay away from poly resin and go with epoxy-it is a thousand times better for boatbuilding.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

paddler213 said:


> There's a huge difference between a Coleman and an Old Town. If you can find a good Old Town for $500, buy it.


 If you can. Get a green one. And get one of those fancy Italian paddles lol


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Fowlmouth said:


> There were 2 on KSL last week the guy was selling for $200 each. If I remember right they were 16 footers. This guy has a smaller 12' for $400.
> 
> http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=32405832&cat=&lpid=&search=old town canoe&ad_cid=2


The fiberglass looks relatively heavy for length, 12' long and 56#. My Penobscot is 16' long and weighs 65#. The better canoes use Rolalex Oltanar, the cheaper models use Crosslink, which is heavier. The Stillwater is the only Old Town I've ever seen made with fiberglass, and it's discontinued. The Colemans are very cheaply made, a single layer of plastic that is so flimsy that it requires bracing to maintain its shape.

Nice photo, Jerry!


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