I concur. Cedarstrip with fibreglass is tough as heck. And, if you are
painting it, you can save a lot of time by using staples during the
glue-up phase.

I have a Freedom 17, and strongly recommend it to anyone. Tracks well,
handles big swells beautifully. My advice is to build it using the
staple method, fibreglass it, and then finally, paint it when you
finally get the hull really beat up (in a number of years)

Stick with the 6oz cloth, but you could put a 2" strip down the keel
line for extra strength and durability.

Mike


Jim Conlin wrote:
Of the wooden canoe construction methods, it's hard to top cedar strip
composite for ruggedness. If it's to be painted and I could tolerate a
weight of 60 lbs. or a bit more, Beef up the glass on the outside of the
bottom to 10 or 12 oz. and paint it.

wrote in message
oups.com...

On Apr 15, 12:58 pm, Lew Hodgett wrote:

wrote:

I am looking for a home built canoe design that is about 16' -17'
long. I do NOT want one of those "works of art" beautiful woodgrained
boats that you would be afraid to bang around on things. My boats get
hauled over oyster shells, banged on cypress knees, rammed into things
and generally abused. SO, I will paint it and probably expect to
repaint every two years or so. It should be a lake canoe for flat
water. I really like the old family 18' Grumman aluminum canoe but I
always have to go get it from whichever of my sisters currently has
it. So, something as indestructible would be nice. Suggestions?

Buy another aluminum canoe.

Lew

No, building is fun.