The Stripper's Guide to Canoe-Building

"The Stripper's Guide to Canoe-building" is unusually crammed with information and inspiration for the first-time boatbuilder. It comes with six full-size template drawings from which it is possible to make at least nine different wood-strip (hence the name "Stripper") and fiberglass canoes and kayaks. The drawings are basic designs for recreational, cargo, and flatwater racing canoes, as well as a two-place kayak that can be made in a recreational, broad-beam version or in a narrow-beam version for the more skilled paddler.

A wood-strip canoe is a ribless boat made from narrow wood strips covered with clear epoxy and fiberglass inside and out. This laminated construction produces a rigid, light weight, sleek, and beautiful boat. A canoe project, the author estimates, would take an amateur 150 man-hours of work. Even mediocre craftsmanship can produce a boat superior to most factory-made boats.