The Canoe Shop: Three Elegant Wooden Canoes Anyone Can Build [Paperback]

Chris Kulczycki (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 2001

A lavishly illustrated, user-friendly guide for novices and experienced boat builders alike, The Canoe Shop provides plans and building instructions for three graceful and rugged touring canoes—a 12-foot double-paddle canoe, a 14-foot solo canoe, and a 16-foot tandem boat—that virtually anyone can build directly from the book. Following the same critically acclaimed format found in his classic, The New Kayak Shop, leading North American boat designer Chris Kulczycki walks readers through the entire building process for each boat. One standout feature of The Canoe Shop is a revolutionary, simplified approach to lapstrake construction which makes this traditional technique—considered by many to be the finest method of wooden boat construction—available to amateurs for the first time. - Features three original designs from one of the most respected small-boat designers - Contains dozens of illustrations and step-by-step building instructions

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The Canoe Shop arms you with complete plans and step-by-step instructions for building three graceful and rugged touring canoes, including a 12-foot double-paddle canoe, a 14-foot solo, and a 16-foot tandem. You needn't be an experienced boatbuilder to get the most out of this book. All that's required are a few common tools and the most basic woodworking skills. The secret is Chris Kulczycki's original LapStitch approach, which combines traditional lapstrake boatbuilding with the simplicity and ease of modern stitch-and-glue construction. With the help of 170 photos and illustrations, Chris walks you through the entire process for all three designs--from reading the plans to painting or varnishing your new canoe.

Praise for The Kayak Shop

<"Recommended reading for anyone contemplating going paddling in a kayak of their own creation."--Sea Kayaker

"This is a very useful book, clearly written, well illustrated, fully explanatory. . . . You will be sold on building your own wood kayak."--Atlantic Coastal Kayaker

About the Author

Chris Kulczycki is the founder of Chesapeake Light Craft, Inc., the largest boat-kit manufacturer in the world. He is also an instructor at the WoodenBoat School. His articles have appeared in SAIL, Sea Kayaker, Cruising World, Ocean Navigator, and Fine Woodworking magazines. He is the author of The Kayak Shop (1993) and its best-selling update, The New Kayak Shop (2000).

Product Details

• Paperback: 161 pages
• Publisher: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press; 1 edition (March 30, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 007137227X
• ISBN-13: 978-0071372275
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #122,411 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Nature Travel > Adventure > Canoeing
  • #14 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Canoeing
  • #98 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Boating

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not unique!, May 6, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Canoe Shop: Three Elegant Wooden Canoes Anyone Can Build (Paperback)

This book is a "How-To" manual to build the Sassafras Canoes from CLC. If this is the canoe you want to build, then it is excellent and you should buy this book. If however, you want general information on building wooden canoes, don't bother. There is nothing unique in this book (for the generic canoe builder) that you cannot get from other books, or indeed by just browsing on the internet.

The one thing that I did learn was that I do NOT want to build this design. So for the price of the book, it saved me from making an expensive mistake. This is not to suggest that there is anything wrong with either the design or CLC, just that the construction method and the look of the finished canoe are not to my personal taste.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Suitable as building guide? No!, April 13, 2006

By 

Hans van Poelje "Hans" (Holland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Canoe Shop: Three Elegant Wooden Canoes Anyone Can Build (Paperback)

I started building the Sassafras 12 with the help of this book and regret to say that it was not a succes. After having spent a good 20 hours in measuring and cutting the planks I found that the two halves which formed each one plank, did not match. There simply was no way in positioning and bonding them into a smooth curve. I have build small boats before and have checked and rechecked every step, to no avail. E-mail contact with publisher and writer learned me that it was advised to use complete and updated full scale drawings rather than the book, although they denied the inaccuracies that I have found. For me, the book turned out to be worse than a waste of money. In the end I bought complete plans of a similar design with another design firm. Sorry to write such an unhappy review, but this is the way it is!

Hans van Poelje

5.0 out of 5 stars Was exactly as Described, May 25, 2010

By 

John Harris (MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Canoe Shop: Three Elegant Wooden Canoes Anyone Can Build (Paperback)

I received this slightly used book within two days after payment even though shipping said 5-10 days. It was exactly as it was described, wrapped in plastic and even though it said used it looked like it was nearly brand new. As far as content anyone who know the author knows this is a great book. The directions are easy to understand and the pictures fill in any blanks you may have. Because this is a slightly older book I do recommend that you check on the web for updates to the lofting charts. On a boat builders forum I found there was a mistake in the lofting charts for the 16 footer but since I am building the 12 it was no big deal. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to build a lapstroke canoe. I further highly recommend Amazon as the place to buy it. They re the best in the industry, hands down!!