Wood Strip Canoe Kits
In addition to offering finished canoes we can also offer a kit for you to make your very own strip built canoe!
Our Canoe kits are made up to order according to customers requirements. This means for example some people purchase a set of bead and cove strips and will make the rest of the parts themselves. Others will commission a hull that is glassed and ready for fitting out. I am happy to do as much or as little of the work as you wish, timing it and pricing accordingly.
In order for you to decide how much you wish to do yourself and how much you wish me to do I recommend you purchase a copy of Canoecraft by Ted Moores (opens in a new window). This will also form your instructions and contains several different designs. I am on hand via phone and or email should you have any questions during your build. I can supply the Strongback parts and forms if required (see below) or you can make your own, the choice is yours.
Choose some or all of the options below to make your very own canoe!
1. Bead and Cove Strips
A set of 70 bead and cove strips can be made from Cedar, Pine or a mixture of the two in order for you to make a stripey hull or you might like to have a pale bottom in Pine with the rest in cedar or vice versa. Some opt for just a single light or dark strip with the rest in the lighter or darker timber. The choice is yours. Price around £650-700.
2. Gunwales
Gunwales are usually made from Ash but you may prefer spruce for lighter weight or Sycamore for smoother texture.
You might like us to supply them complete with scuppers cut out, and tapers and edges shaped or we can supply square section stock for you to shape yourself. Price cut out and shaped around £260 or plain square edged stock around£140
3. Decks
Decks are custom fitted to your hull so it is difficult for us to make them in totally completed form but we can make up blanks for you to shape and fit or provide you with timber to make them from. Blanks glued up around £200 or planed timber to make your own around £100.
4. Strongback
If you wish me to make you a Strongback (the bench on which your forms are fitted) I can, but once assembled this is quite awkward to transport so as an alternative I can make up the parts for you to assemble yourself for around £300. If you require the forms to go on your Strongback these can also be supplied. If it is a design I have already made forms for (listed below) then I can supply these for around £200. If it is another design that I have to plot and draw up then these can be supplied for around £350.
A. Classic Peterborough 16ft Designed by the Peterborough Canoe Co.
B. Sunnyside Cruiser 16ft Designed by Walter Dean.
C. Dabchick 14ft (my own design).
D. Kingfisher Solo 12ft (my own design).
When it comes to things like keel strips, resin, adhesives and cloth I can point you in the direction of suppliers.
Please allow around a month from placing your order to completion of your parts (this may take longer if I am particularly busy).
N.B. Please note these prices are only a rough guide and are subject to variation.
If this sounds a little complicated you will find the information in the book will clarify it for you and if you have any questions please feel free to email me or call. The easiest way to approach it is to read the book and then decide which parts you would like made for you and which you can make yourself, make a list and let me know.
I recommend you collect your kit using a car with roof bars or rack and fit it with 4 inch drain pipes (from a builders merchants). You can put your strips in these so they won’t get damaged. If you are unable to collect then I recommend you try a service like Shiply.com (opens in a new window) and arrange delivery that way, though this can be expensive as couriers tend to be expensive for such long delicate packages!
If you have any questions about doing a kit build then please get in touch.
