Any Literature on Early Strip building?

[Scot T]

I have a Peterborough Row Boat in the shop at the moment for a re-varnish. As I'm cleaning it up I'm wondering how these were built.

Anyone know of or have any info as to the methods used in the construction of this type of craft and the early all wood strip planked canoes, rowboats etc.? I have a little info from a buddy of mine, namely that they were production built on a big solid form with grooves in the form for each rib and each strip was rabbeted into the next and a few other tidbits. But I'd like to find out more.

Is there any literature out there that I can be pointed towards?

I don't really plan on building one but find the methods used in the past (and present) very interesting.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Gary Willoughby]

Peel Marine in Lakefield still builds them. You can see the ones they build on there web site.

 

[Scot T]

Thanks Gary. I might just email them and see if they are willing to pass any info along.

I was hoping for some article, book, old wives tales...anything that might make some good reading on the building techniques involved. From what I can tell from working on the one in the shop it would take a little more than a reasonable bit of work for a "one off". But if one were to be into production of a number of them then making the solid form wouldn't be at all that bad. I figure the form would be similar but quite a bit more involved than those for a cedar/canvas craft.

Anyways, I'll keep looking.

 

[Dan Miller]

Look for some threads on these forums from canoebuildermark - he's built several strip canoes as well as he may be the only one to have built a wide-board canoe since Walter Walker built his last one...

The forms for a strip canoe are similar to those for a canvas canoe, except you do not install metal bands, and you need to leave a groove down the centerline to hold the keel.

 

[Scot T]

Thanks Dan! I'd forgotten about him. He hasn't been around for quite a while. Must be too busy building those all wood canoes.

 

[Mark Adams]

I have a DVD that is a copy of a VHS that shows Walter Walker building a cedarstrip. It goes thru all the steps. It is of pretty poor quality, but it is informative.

 

[Scot T]

Mark, that's the kind of thing I'm looking for. Where could one get a copy of that VHS?

I checked on line and couldn't come up with anything except films of the "American Actor Walter Walker". Didn't know there was such a fellow.

 

[Rob Stevens]

Apparently the original of that film is in the archives of the Peterborough Centennial Museum & Archives;
http://www.peterboroughmuseumandarchives.ca/

I don't know if they might send out VHS or DVD copies.

 

[Jim Okkema]

Look for some threads on these forums from canoebuildermark

I haven't seen Mark much lately, but I see that he's making canoeing and building videos. You can see them on his website or you tube.