: I am trying to find a set of used plans for a 14-16' strip built canoe.
: Please email with any info. Thanks, Clark

One of the joys of modern life is that it is relatively easy and relatively inexpensive to duplicate drawings. So, one person who had a single copy os plans for anything from a brick to an automobile could eaily duplicate the original and sell those copies. The buyer of such plans might later discover that while he had the knowledge to build from, he may not have the permission to do so. That is, the price of the plans does not always include the price of a license to build from those plans.

A designer may decide they want to be compensated for each boat built from their ideas, whether you build 1 boat from a set of plans, or 500, the designer might insist on being paid a fee for each one.

On the other hand, there are several authors who have printed designs for canoes, and they do not charge an addtional design fee, or license fee. If you are looking to savce money on boat construction, I suggest you search these sources instead of looking for "used" plans.

The excellent book by David Hazen has been mentioned. It includes full size plans on lightweight paper for several canoes and a couple of kayaks. You can use carbon paper to transfer these shapes to a sheet of plywood, and then just cut out along the lines. Hazen does not charge a fee for actually using the plans to build from. Obviously, though, if someone made a photocopy of the plans and sold them to you then both of you would be violating copyright laws.

Hazen has plans for a 16 foot canoe, and for longer ones. You can make a shorter canoe from either set of plans by omitting the center forms, (which also gives a narrower canoe) or by spacing the forms a bit closer together. ( For example, if you have 9 forms designed to be 24 inches apart and instead you put them 22 inches apart, a design for a 16 foot canoe turns into one for a boat that is 16 inches shorter, or about 14'8".

Gil Gilpatrick has a book on building strip built canoes, and he includes reduced size plans in his book. These need to be enlarged -- either magnifying them on a photocopier, or by making an enlarged grid pattern directly on the wood you are cutting, and transfering the measurements and lines from the plans by hand. (It is probably more difficult to describe than to actually do it.) I believe Gilpatrick was an instructor at a community college and led classes in building canoes. He discusses re-using the forms for building additional canoes, and does not expect a design fee for his designs. There is probably a good reason for that. One of the designs is for a canoe that he says was developed from lines taken off of an older (MUCH older!) canoe. He could hardly expect to charge for the original designer's design.

Gilpatrick has a design for a 14'6" canoe that he calls the "Puddle duck" I have built one of these and find it to be a very nice canoe. If you are anywhere near the Chicago area, you are welcome to drop by and paddle mine in the local river. I built mine for using with my kids, or for them to use without me. I wanted something light enough for 10 and 12 year olds to handle, and it is fine for that. I used the boat on a 50 mile trip in the boundary waters canoe area, and it carried two adults (larger than average sized ones) and our share of the group's gear, but that was getting to the point of overloading things (somewhere around 650 to 750 pounds total weight -- really pushing the design here)

Frankly, I was a bit worried about the handling on the few large windy lakes we had to cross. We got through without shipping much water, but that was mostly because we took advantage of the rounded hull, and shifted our weight a bit so the boat bobbed like a cork. If I build another I'll make the sides an inch or two higher. Being the shortest boat in the group we would not have won any speed contests, but during the trip we got to our portages only a minute or so behind the fastest in out party, at worst, so overall speed (or lack thereof)was not a big problem.

Hazen and Gilpatrick's books are sold by Amazon.com, or your local book store can order them. Each is just under $20, and considering the wealth of information about the designs, and construction tips, the money is well spent.

Good luck with your project. I still have the forms from my puddleduck. If you decide you want to build that model, let me know.

Paul G. Jacobson