Trailcraft Canoe Plans

Toolman1

New Member
I joined the WCHA specifically to cast a wide net in my search for a set of plans to build a 16' Trailcraft wood and fabric canoe. This particular brand was very poplar with the Boy scouts in the 60's & 70's and they ran ads in Boys Life, Fur-Fish-Game, and other magazines. In their heyday they sold plans, kits, and I believe some complete canoes. They were located in Kansas. Like a lot of people I always told myself that I would build one someday and now that I have decided it's now or never, I can't find any trace of Trailcraft and need some help. I always got the impression that hundreds of these basic canoes were built over the years and surely somebody has a set of plans out in the garage or up in the attic. If you can be of assistance please let me know. Thanks!
 
I joined the WCHA specifically to cast a wide net in my search for a set of plans to build a 16' Trailcraft wood and fabric canoe. This particular brand was very poplar with the Boy scouts in the 60's & 70's and they ran ads in Boys Life, Fur-Fish-Game, and other magazines. In their heyday they sold plans, kits, and I believe some complete canoes. They were located in Kansas. Like a lot of people I always told myself that I would build one someday and now that I have decided it's now or never, I can't find any trace of Trailcraft and need some help. I always got the impression that hundreds of these basic canoes were built over the years and surely somebody has a set of plans out in the garage or up in the attic. If you can be of assistance please let me know. Thanks!

Welcome to the WCHA and to this forum.
If you use the search feature on this site you'll find a considerable amount of related discussion.
Here's a link to a 2008 post that includes a referance to a 25 page instruction manual and a comment from Trailcrafts owners son....
http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?2731-Trailcraft-dimensions/page2&highlight=trailcraft

Treewater is the one who owns the manual. He still posts here fairly regularly.
The Trailcraft links seem to be deadends now....
Good luck.
 
Trailcraft 16'

Welcome to the WCHA and to this forum.
If you use the search feature on this site you'll find a considerable amount of related discussion.
Here's a link to a 2008 post that includes a referance to a 25 page instruction manual and a comment from Trailcrafts owners son....
http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?2731-Trailcraft-dimensions/page2&highlight=trailcraft

Treewater is the one who owns the manual. He still posts here fairly regularly.
The Trailcraft links seem to be deadends now....
Good luck.

Evening MGC,

Thanks for the welcome and the information. Have just sent an inquiry to Treewater to see if he has plans. If anybody else has plans please let me know.

Thanks!

Toolman1
 
Welcome to the WCHA.

If you are determined to build a Trailcraft for sentimental reasons, go to it -- but I think there are much better skin on frame canoes and canoe plans available today.

I built a Trailcraft kit canoe more than 40 years ago, when I knew very little about canoes and canoeing. If I were to build a SOF canoe today, I would NOT try to replicate that boat. I used it for taking a few day trips on the Housatonic River in Connecticut and similar waters, and a canoe-camping trip in Nova Scotia at Kejimkujic Park (which focuses on canoeing and canoe camping). The canoe was fairly crude, heavy, a bit tender, with none of the advantages that can come with a tender boat -- speed and responsiveness. I gave it away after little more than a year of using it. I remember that canoe somewhat fondly -- first canoe, first canoe camping trip, and I learned quite a bit building ans using it -- but none theless, I would not recomment it to womeone else.

Here are some sources for SOF building techniques and plans:

You should get your hands on Robert Morris’s book “Building Skin on Frame Boats” -- unfortunately out of print, and usually quite expensive in the used book market. But you should try your local library and inter-library loans -- this book is worth the trouble, in part because it contains plans for a nice SOF canoe.

Another book to get is “Fuselage Frame Boats: A Guide to Building Skin Kayaks and Canoes” by S. Jeff Horton.

Going back a bit in time, but still good, is Percy Blandford’s “Canoes and Canoeing” which is available used, and has plans and instructions for SOF boats -- his “Teal” looks like a nice canoe

Dave Gentry has plans and kits for three SOF canoes -- http://gentrycustomboats.com/NewHomebuilderplans.html

Look at Monfort Platt’s Geodesic Aerolite Canoes -- plans for a number of canoes are available
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=geodesic+boats&* .

Kudzu Craft has a couple of SOF canoes on their list -- http://www.kudzucraft.com/web/

Dreamcatcher Boats has downloadable plans for a couple of SOF canoes --
http://boat-building-plans.com/boat-plans/

Check your private messages

Again, welcome to the WCHA.

Greg Nolan
WCHA President
 
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