Cedar Strip Canoe Project

For the past few months I have been reading quite a few blogs and testimonials from people who had built their own cedar strip canoes. It is something I have wanted to do for a long time but wasn’t sure when I would get a chance. After researching the process and reading a few books I decided to finally start one of my own.

I started by reading through Canoecraft by Ted Moores. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to start a canoe of their own. It is extremely thorough and very easy to follow along with. After finishing the book it was now time to choose a design. I chose the 15’ Prospector Ranger from Bear Mountain Boats. I had met a few people who had built canoes and they all recommended a set of plans from Bear Mountain Boats.

When using Bear Mountain Boats you receive full size plans (along with carbon paper) and a step by step manual which is basically an abridged version of the Canoecraft book. Having the full size plans is great while making the station molds for the boat.

The pictures/descriptions below should show my progress. Check back for updates!

Building the Strongback

The strongback is basically a rigid beam/table used to hold the forms in place and provide a raised level work surface. It is made from 3/4" plywood.

Cutting Out the Station Molds

The station molds are made from 1/2" plywood. After tracing the mold patterns onto the plywood, I used a bandsaw and a jigsaw to cut the molds out. I cut the molds about 1/8" above the patternline and used a disk sander with a squared fence to fine tune the shapes. In total there are 15 molds: 1 Bow, 1 Stern, and 13 Station Molds.

Setting Up the Station Molds

It was extremely exciting setting up the station molds. You can finally begin to see the shape of the canoe.

Making the Stems

The stems are basically the bow and stern of the boat. I decided to use cedar for the inner stem and maple for the outer stem. I soaked the wood in the tub for a few days before steaming it and bending it over the molds. To steam the wood I used an electric kettle and a piece of 3" PVC pipe with rags in each end.