After giving the pirogue to my neighbor, I was still stuck with my heavy
fiberglass canoes that were difficult to handle alone, and more than a solo
paddler really needed.
In late 1999 I started seeing a new style of stitch and glue canoe on the
Internet. This design had a true canoe shape and the fact that it was stitch
and glue meant that it would build fast, be inexpensive and above all, would be
light. The method is sometimes known as “tortured plywood construction”, due to
the fact that the pieces are bent and forced into complex curves and shapes,
rather than just flat panels glued together.
Materials and Tools List
I decided to build one, but I wanted to design it myself. After many online
hours studying photographs and line drawings I decided to go ahead and just do
it.
From studying the online resources, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what
shape the plywood pieces would be - boy was I wrong. I went through MANY sheets
of plywood before I figured out exactly how to shape the pieces.
Read the full story of developing Grant's Ultra Light Canoe.
Once again hindsight is 20/20. It would have been much smarter to buy some
plans and then modify them to suit my needs (but I am too stubborn and too
cheap)!
The hull does have a hard chine, it seems there is no way around this. Plywood
simply will not bend that way. I even had to resort to soaking the plywood in
hot water to achieve the smooth curves of the bow and stern. I think I have
gotten as close to a true canoe shape as I can with plywood.
If you'd like to build one of my ultra light canoes, please select one of the
options
below.
Ultra Light Canoe Plans - Order Online
Download the 11 page instruction manual in digital format,
instantly over the internet
through your web browser!
You will have the plans within 1 or 2 minutes of your purchase!
Click the button above to complete your purchase through your
Paypal
account or
by Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express.
PLEASE NOTE - The PayPal payment page notes that your "subscription" will renew in 3 years. That is false, YOU WILL NOT BE RE-BILLED. If you have any concerns, please contact PayPal Builder's service for confirmation.
My PayPal and eBay records are still perfect after 6 years selling online.
Ultra Light Canoe Plans - Mail Order
Mail a money order by Postal Service and I will email you the plans. Which you
can then download
over the internet
through your web browser!
I will email you the plans the day I receive the Money Order.
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