My variation of the ever popular 6 hour canoe. I'm not exactly sure whether this is a pirogue, a double paddle canoe, a sharpie, or a dory, but I do know that it was the most successful of the boats I've made so far. And for less than $30 for materials and eight hours of time, it was certainly the cheapest. 

This is primarily a flat water boat, with enough stability to stand in if you are agile enough. It will handle the occasional boat wake well if you turn into the wave, and does surprisingly well in a chop. The sixteen footer has enough capacity for two adults in calm water, in fact, next year I'm taking it deer hunting. It should carry the carcass and me, in the off chance I actually hit one. 

Preliminary plans are online now! Please, if you have comments, questions, or suggestions, drop me a line. 

Lessons learned. 
1) Nobody knows what a pirogue is, or how to spell it. 
2) Ominous cracking in bottom of cheap canoe can be eliminated by adding another layer of plywood to put knee on when getting into boat. 
3) The cheap, disposable boat will be the one everybody likes best. 
4) High stress framing members made up of several pieces of wood should be reinforced with fiberglass at the joint. 
5) A little bit of rocker goes a long way in compensating for low freeboard. 
6) Payson/Carnel fiberglass butt joint is an excellent way to join two pieces of plywood. 

 

 

 

 

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