| Project by lobbster | posted 743 days ago | 1875 views | 2 times favorited | 24 comments | ![]() |
![]() |
I built this canoe over a 3 year period while we lived in the desert of Southwest Texas. It was inspiration to get out of the place we were living and to the Pacific Northwest where I could use the thing.
At the time, Redwood was readily available at Home Depot in 1×6 stock. It was the best lumber I could find at the time short of custom ordering cedar or spruce. I bought what I needed and milled up the 1/4×3/4 inch strips for the body. The gunwales are ash. The bow and stern pieces were made by steaming 3 strips of ash and bending them over a form. The decks are oak. The moon and star carvings were a gift I received when traveling in Eastern Africa. The symbol is one that is displayed on the sides of Dhows (traditional Arab sailing vessel). I took many trips by dhow while I was traveling. The seats are canvas. The canoe is 17’6”.
The whole canoe is sealed in fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin then finished with spar varnish.
I have to say I knew little about woodworking and even less about boat building when I started this project. I was with my wife at Barnes and Noble perusing the woodworking books when I came across a book called Canoecraft. It has several different canoe designs as well as kayaks and rowers. My mother taught me at a young age that I could do whatever I wanted and there was probably a book to tell me how. That was one of the best lessons I ever learned.
-- lobbster, Oregon, www.michaellobby.com
































24 comments so far
Todd A. Clippinger
home | projects | blog
5639 posts in 993 days
posted 743 days ago
An excellent project. Truly beautiful and well executed.
-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com
Peter O
home | projects | blog
1019 posts in 768 days
posted 743 days ago
I love strip-built boats, and this one is absolutely beautiful! Great work!
-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --
TomFran
home | projects | blog
2513 posts in 888 days
posted 743 days ago
Wow! Nice job. That looks like it would have been a complex woodworking project to say the least.
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
Karson
home | projects | blog
25793 posts in 1294 days
posted 743 days ago
A great looking boat. What does it weigh and how does it handle.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
lobbster
home | projects | blog
24 posts in 755 days
posted 743 days ago
It weighs about 55 pounds, I can easily portage and lift it on to my truck by myself. I had no idea what I was doing as far a the shape of the boat and it’s performance. If I do it over I will make the bottom more flat for a more stable ride. When I paddle alone I’m fine ‘cause I’ve learned how it handles. My wife and I, on the other hand, have discovered that it’s best we don’t canoe together. With two people, one always thinks the other is leaning or tipping too much. It is fast though.
-- lobbster, Oregon, www.michaellobby.com
Karson
home | projects | blog
25793 posts in 1294 days
posted 743 days ago
Thanks. Especially for the size. A husband and a wife in a canoe really tries a marriage.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
CharlieM1958
home | projects | blog
7623 posts in 1112 days
posted 743 days ago
Beautiful canoe! I’ll bet the neighbors in Texas thought you were crazy building a canoe in the desert.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
mrtrim
home | projects | blog
1698 posts in 774 days
posted 743 days ago
its so sweet id have a hard time useing it afraid id scratch it very well done
SPalm
home | projects | blog
948 posts in 776 days
posted 743 days ago
Beautiful job. Good for you for having the confidence to try whatever you wanted to.
Steve
-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon
dennis mitchell
home | projects | blog
3789 posts in 1208 days
posted 743 days ago
Beautiful!
-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com
miles125
home | projects | blog
1419 posts in 899 days
posted 742 days ago
That just looks like it would be fun to build. I don’t know about availability of Redwood in other parts of the country, but here in Alabama its not too difficult to carry a thousand dollars worth in your arms!
-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""
PanamaJack
home | projects | blog
4447 posts in 971 days
posted 741 days ago
FANTASTIC job! Wonderful placement on all those grains of wood.
-- Carpe Lignum - Seize The Wood,
Thos. Angle
home | projects | blog
4013 posts in 856 days
posted 740 days ago
Just great! I love these canoes and some day I’ll make one as well.
-- Thos. Angle
mot
home | projects | blog
4901 posts in 930 days
posted 740 days ago
Wow!
-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)
Chip
home | projects | blog
1058 posts in 986 days
posted 740 days ago
Beautiful.
-- Better to say nothing and be thought the fool... then to speak and erase all doubt.
Copperjock
home | projects | blog
120 posts in 692 days
posted 658 days ago
I think your canoe turned out awesome… (I also just picked up my copy of canoecraft.) A tip about stability: In the plastic canoe I have I put sandbags in the bottom center (140 lbs total) and that brings the center of gravity way down to the point I can easily stand up while another person is in the canoe. And I should mention that it really doesn’t paddle any different with the extra weight.
-- All the test cuts in the world won't stop you from cutting the outside when you meant to cut the inside. doh!
Billp
home | projects | blog
329 posts in 1094 days
posted 641 days ago
Holy Cow, thats one sweet looking canoe. Looks like it will glide through the water.
-- Billp
HallTree
home | projects | blog
2041 posts in 661 days
posted 641 days ago
Very nice. Well done. Those of us who have built canoes know that we have to take very good care of them. If anyone is thinking of building one, just remember that you cannot handle these canoes like an aluminum canoe and run them up on the shore and then step out on dry ground. You have to get your feet wet and then lift it out of the water
-- Ron in Osseo, Minnesota
trice
home | projects | blog
33 posts in 449 days
posted 449 days ago
Very nice, I am very interested in boat building and construction. One of my goals is to build a small wooden cat boat similiar to a beetlecat sailboat and teach myself to sail.
Cov
home | projects | blog
49 posts in 441 days
posted 440 days ago
Very nice – I want to build wood strip boats too! I think I might start one this Fall – great job – she’s a beut!
-- Cov, Loomis, CA, http://www.covingtonwoodworks.com
buckfill
home | projects | blog
8 posts in 242 days
posted 242 days ago
Looks good. Is this your first? I have started my first RedBird. Hope it turns out as nice as yours.
http://building-cedar-strip-canoe-vs-buying.blogspot.com/
http://bucks-cedar-strip-canoe.blogspot.com/
Buck
lobbster
home | projects | blog
24 posts in 755 days
posted 242 days ago
Yes, my first. I have this habit of seeing something I like or want to try and not thinking too much about it before I dive right in. This canoe is the perfect example. At the time I had a cheap table saw and a router and a few basic tools. I saw the book, thought “I could build one of those” and dove right in. I was pretty proud of my accomplishment but look back at it and think about how much better I could have done. After many years of building and learning and building furniture, I realized my standards of craftsmanship have increased dramatically.
I hope you enjoy making your Redbird…take your time, have fun, and you will learn more than you ever thought.
Michael Lobby
www.michaellobby.com
-- lobbster, Oregon, www.michaellobby.com
buckfill
home | projects | blog
8 posts in 242 days
posted 207 days ago
Thank you Michael
I am continueing to build my Redbird. So far, it has been lots of fun. I have completed the stripping and most of the outside sanding. I am not in a big rush but it has taken me 3 weeks to get to this stage. Can’t wait to see it finished. I have started a web site to show my progress. Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think. http://buckfillier.webs.com/
Buck
Robin1976
home | projects | blog
20 posts in 187 days
posted 186 days ago
Absolutely stunning! I hope that I develop my skills enough some day to attempt such a boat!