Canoe Making - Western Red Cedar

[Dodge]

Calling all boat builders!!

A friend of mine has decided that he wants to make a traditional canoe using western red cedar and came into my workshop asking some advice today but I have got to be honest and say this is not my area of expertise!

So are any of you boat builders, or have you made a traditional canoe??

The main question is where do you recommend getting the cedar from, obviously there are timer yards here there and everywhere but is there any specialist suppliers that you can recommend through personal experience?? Obviously we call all use google but recommendation is by far better.

Cheers

Rog

 

[Kalimna]

I look forward to replies here, as I have a surfboard as a project somewhere down the line, and I imagine the materials are similar.

Cheers,
Adam

 

[mtr1]

There is a timber yard in Wroxham that supplies some of the boat building activities there, google Tim Collin timber and give him a call.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Dodge]

Cheers Mark,

Yes have used Tim Collins at Hoveton before, nice chap - really hoping some canoe makers come along though !

 

[SurreyHills]

The challenge with getting WRC is that most UK grown stuff that I have come across for my beekeeping activities is not knot free and not as good as WRC imported from the USA. From what I've been told by my local sawmill UK WRC grows faster than USA and trees are harvested earlier and this seems to affect the quality of the wood. For me a few knots aren't a problem but I wouldn't want to build a canoe with timber containing them.

I did contact Southern Timber (not a million miles from your neck of the woods) and whilst they import a large amount of WRC it seems to be in pre-cut sizes and they couldn't supply me with what I was after.

 

[Chrispy]

Hi Dodge, I've just used a bit for for garden furniture, but it's very variable from board to board so for boat building I think you would need to go and select what you need. good luck!

 

[MMUK]

Without wishing to sound heathen, once built it could be coated inside with fibreglass. Then knots wouldn't cause an issue

 

[Rob Platt]

international timber in Salford is where i bought the last lot from.Probably too far from you.
WRC is not a requirement for canoe building neither is knot free for structural but it will make it more difficult to finish prior to glassing over. I previously posted on another canoe thread as to my opinion on 2 books that are worth a look.
some different coloured timbers will provide a pattern potential but the main thing to do is buy lightweight and easy to work hence peoples propensity for WRC.
Probably not much help but the best I`ve got
all the best
rob

 

[rafezetter]

Without wishing to sound heathen, once built it could be coated inside with fibreglass. Then knots wouldn't cause an issue

Having seen a "how it's made" episode several times them making a top end 2 person canoe, they use 1 layer of glass fibre woven sheet (rather than matting) impregnated with resin, and 1 sheet is thin enough that the wood shines through clearly no problems.

Here's a version I found:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKX-DdLTF8g

watch from 6.20 - best to link then give it time to DL. (do your best to ignore the horrific pronounciation of what's supposed to be "gunwales" or "gunnels").

(lol I knew watching these would come in handy one day )

 

[dann]

http://www.cedarstrip.co.uk/
My mate has made one and got materials from here, as have a few others I konw to have built cedar strip canoes ( im well in to kayaking myself!!)

 

[MMUK]

Without wishing to sound heathen, once built it could be coated inside with fibreglass. Then knots wouldn't cause an issue

Having seen a "how it's made" episode several times them making a top end 2 person canoe, they use 1 layer of glass fibre woven sheet (rather than matting) impregnated with resin, and 1 sheet is thin enough that the wood shines through clearly no problems.

Here's a version I found:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKX-DdLTF8g

watch from 6.20 - best to link then give it time to DL. (do your best to ignore the horrific pronounciation of what's supposed to be "gunwales" or "gunnels").

(lol I knew watching these would come in handy one day )

Aye, I've got that episode on the laptop along with most of the others. Have you seen the Clifton planes one?

 

[rafezetter]

I have yes - I have them on often in the background while websurfing - I find it fascinating how much machinery is involved in making something as mundane as a threaded bolt...