• Happy International Mermaid Day! 🧜🏼‍♀️

First post, Hello all

First of all I appreciate the opportunity to join your community.
I live a Dayton OH. Boats have always held a special place for me, wood ones in particular. I have paddled a canoe most of my life but have been only a day paddler up to this point. I hope to have more time to pursue longer trips in the future. The boundary waters have always been a goal. Woodworking is also a passion for me. After completing a couple home projects I plan to start a strip- build canoe project or two. I am currently looking at plans from Bear Mountain and CLC.
I forward to participating with you and hope I can contribute as much as I gain

Tim Pond
 
Hi Tim
Glad to see another Daytonian. I consider the Stillwater my home river though I paddle all over the area.

Mike
 
Welcome Tim !

Always great to hear of another builder ! Just Know you CAN do it ! When you finish that first canoe, You will gain a Deeper understanding of your self ! I Guarantee !

There are several Canoe Designers out there. It's really hard to pick one. My best advise is to try and paddle one of the designs you are interested in, before you lock in on it !
I know it's easier said than done ! Maybe you will get lucky, and find one near by !
Again Welcome
 
Welcome to the forum.

I was offered a position at the University of Dayton 29 years ago and have often regretted not taking it. I recall scouting around for rivers and lakes in the area and vaguely recall a covered bridge.
 
Tim,
Welcome!! Planning to build a stripper? The very fact that you can form and type intelligent sentences already tells me that you have half of the required skills. And from the sounds of it, you have the use of some of your limbs, that's the other half of the requirements.
As far as waiting to start a canoe until you complete some home projects...don't wait!
The key to successful home ownership is to have as many unfinished projects as possible. If you accidentally finish one, start two more!!
Any home project (well, almost) can wait until you get a boat done.

As far as design, pick a simple hull from J Winters or David Yost. You didn't mention if you're planning a solo or tandem build, but either way, your first build will likely not be your last. You can use the first build as practice, not just the building skills part, but also as a way to feel out what you want in a canoe.
For the cost of a single, modern, quality canoe, you can build 4 or 5 boats. Maybe you will.
There's quite a group of us here, and while we don't all agree on specific techniques, we all do believe there's no better way to get a quality boat.
 
Welcome! I spent three months in Dayton in 2004 and have great memories. I have built one canoe and would like to build another. I used Gil Gilpatrick's Building a Strip Canoe as my guide and built one of his designs in that book (a 16 ft tandem call the Wabnaki) and I have been very happy that I did. Get going now sow you can be paddling by Spring/Summer!
 
Welcome aboard. I'm in SW Michigan, not too far from you
 
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