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