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(Jtown2354) wrote in
:

Greg - I built a 16 foot - 36 inch beam canoe in the '60's of wood and
fiberglas. This was a design of mine - scaled from a Canadian canoe
design. Mine weighs 56 pounds - and I have taken it down pretty good
rapids many times.
One person can easily pick it up and walk off with it.

There was a wood-strip canoe design published in Popular Mechanics if
I recall correctly. I had a friend who made one from that design -
which I don't partularily like because of the low stem. It is also a
bit narrower than the 36 inch beam on mine.

Materials: I suggest using polyester resins - but that also depends
on other factors. I made test sections using foam (urethane), wood,
cardboard, epoxy and polyester resins. From these tests, I made mine
(two to be exact) using wood strips and polyester resin. Making from
scratch, the cheapest and probably the best is wood strips and
polyester resin. Realize that with fiberglas, there are compatibility
considerations.

Many do not realize the strength of fiberglas. That is, I am an
engineer (well - retired) and have used fiberglas on many items -
including a pressure vessel.
On mine - at the keel area (10 inches either side of the keel), I
have
(outside) 3 layers of 6 oz cloth, the wood and 2 layers of glass
(inside) : remaining bottom - and extending maybe 8- 10 inches up the
side - 2 layers of glass, the wood and 2 layers of glass and the
remaining side area - 1 layer of glass, the wood and 1 layer of glass.

I know of others who made the Popular Mechanics canoe and it weighed
108 pounds - as I recall. I forget how many layers of glass that they
put on that thing.

Let me know if I can be of further help. Jerry/Idaho

DON'T USE POLYESTER RESIN...... Use epoxy resin w/ a coupla coats of
varnish to inhibit UV.

--
EvilTwig

"A common mistake people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete
fools."---- Douglas Adams