All Wood vs Fiberglass

[Fritz Koenig]

I am interested in constructing an all wood canoe but want to understand some of the pros and cons of just using varnish rather than fiberglassing over the wood.

 

[Dick Persson]

Hello Fritz,

There are many construction methods for building a traditional all-wood-canoe; lapstrake, feather-lap, wide-board rib & batten, wide-board flush batten, wide-board metallic joint, cedar-strip, cedar-rib, etc. The mentioned construction methods were traditionally varnished or painted, but will not work well or at all with a fiberglass covering.

However, with the development of epoxy resin glues a variation of strip-building has became popular. This method has no rib frame work but instead relies on a sheet of fiberglass cloth set in epoxy resin on both the interior and exterior side of the wood-strip core material, to give the watercraft the necessary structure and strength. I assume this is the method you are thinking of. If you remove the fiberglass you have to add a rib frame work for structure and strength.

Cheers
Dick Persson
Headwater Canoe Company

 

[Fritz Koenig]

Fiberglass

Thanks Dick! That is what I was after.