"Tim" wrote in message
oups.com...
unfortunately my legs have caused me issues with my kayaking life
(especially if I want to keep my shoes with me...) and therefore I want
to build myself a cheap canoe for fishing, canoeing & travel - just to
muck about in.

I can't afford to buy my own, but don't mind building my own now the
winter is here. I've seen a couple of cheap canoe plans

http://www.bigdamfish.net/ccanoeM.PDF seems pretty indepth and cheap -
but will it be stable for someone my size for the activities I want to
do, or should I be modfying the length?

Help :- ( preferably from someone who'll stop me from making an
expensive mistake!


I built a variation of that Cheap Canoe and am pretty happy with it. I
differed from the plans, making it longer and using chine logs rather than
stitch and glue. I also added some floatation chambers.

You mention "someone my size" - I'm just under 6' and 240(ish) lbs and my
boat works well for me. With a second person in it putting the weight over
300lbs it does get a bit tippy. I built a seat by nailing a 3/4" board to
some 2X4s on edge and find that works fairly well for my less than limber
body. Sitting on the bottom is pretty uncomfortable.

http://www.floatingbear.ca/PirogueBuilding.htm

--
Andrew Butchart