Cedar strip transoms

[Robert C.]

Could anybody tell me where I can get plans to build a "stripper",
(15or16), that has a square back or transom?
I just finished a beautiful Bob's Special, and I would really like
to build another with a transom for direct mounting of a small
outboard.
Thank you very much for any help.

[frankolste]

I just finished reading Gil Gilpatrick's "Building a Strip Canoe". It has plans for a 19' square stern strip canoe. It was called the Grand Laker.

[bill.olney]

i am building a 12' strip dinghy from the plans provided by compumarine. you may want to check them out.

[diver1954]

I am also building the compumarine design boat. A great set of plans and book. Well worth the money. I am just putting the strips of the hull together now. I finished two canoes previously. One a 17' prospector and the other a 14' prospector.

Much easier than it appears.

[diver1954]

Well, my boat project is progressing nicely. I started in November and worked on it on and off as time allowed. I have reached the point at which the hull is built and glassed. My sore back attests to the hours put into it already but it is rewarding to look at the results so far.

This first picture shows the stripping process. The next three pictures show the work up to the glassing of the exterior of the hull prior to removal from the form. I thing removing the hull from the form was the most dramatic part of construction.

[diver1954]

This picture shows the stripping of the hull completed. Now the fairing begins. Planing removed the bulk of the uneven surface followed by sanding with a random orbit sander. Sure glad I had the dust extractor in the basement and a fully isolated basement. I have no access to the basement from the home interior which keeps the dust in the basement.

[diver1954]

Now the glassing begins. Always an intimidating part of the job. My wife assisted by being the epoxy mixer and conversation stimulator. We began at 9am and finished at 5pm. This allowed me to completely glass the exterior of the hull and then follow up with a second and then third coat of epoxy without the need to prepare the surface. If the subsequent coat of epoxy is applied within 4 hours no sanding or other surface preparation is required.

I always love this part. The wood leaps out at you through the opaque glass as the resin hits it. My wife did learn a few new words though as the cloth would not sit just right or the resin didn't properly absorb in some areas. All was fine in the end as the blue language always seems to cause the difficult parts work out in the end.

[diver1954]

Last picture for now. The glassing of the hull exterior done I now dream of lakes skimmed over and leaping bass awaiting my landing net. Luckly my wife also enjoys fishing so she also smiles as she envisions fun mornings and evenings on a remote lake awaiting a tug on the line.

The hull still needs to be removed from the form and then the most difficult part and back breaking part begins. Fairing the inside of the hull is difficult mainly because you must lean into the hull and do the sanding and glue removal while bent over at a 45 degree angle.

My cost so far is about $1200 Canadian. I bought my cedar in plank form and ripping into strips then bead and coved it. I used West System Epoxy. Bought the fibreglass in 5' widths and overlapped it and went through countless foam paint brushes to get into awkward places that the squeegee wouldn't. The plastic squeegee is by far though the best way to properly apply the resin to ensure it penetrates the glass.

More pics to come as I make more progress.