Open Canoes 15'-17'

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OPEN CANOE DESIGNS & PLANS
FOR CANOES 15' TO 17' LENGTH

(PLYWOOD - STITCH & TAPE)

 

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We have 10 designs, some with sail, spar, rudder and daggerboard details - although all could take a sail plan :-

Canoes on this Page

15'10" Wren 15'7" Raven 15'7" Peterborough 15'8" Fisher Prospector 16' Pete
Waterman 16 12'/16' Ranger 15'7" Carrick 15'6" Beaver Canoe/Skiff DW6 Racing

 
NEW We have launched a new site dedicated to canoes and kayaks - go to www.makeacanoe.com where you will find the full range of SFDesign canoes and kayaks plus many more builder's photos of our canoes and  sections specifically on strip planked and stitch and tape canoe construction   - you can order canoe and kayak plans from this site or the makeacanoe site but you will find a lot more info about our canoes on the new site including a very useful FAQ's page on canoe building (costs, building times etc) and a page on canoe "bits and pieces" - ie. rudders, seats, leeboards, rigs etc.

15'10" WREN

The WREN is typical Canadian canoe built using the stitch and tape ply method. Her design was based upon an original Indian bark canoe and simplified for ply construction but without loosing the essence of her beautiful shape. She is very quick and simple to build (taking around 18 hours) and she has a length of 15’10’’ (4.83m); and a beam of 33’’ (0.84m). 4, 5 or 6mm ply can be used giving an average weight of 45 lbs.

15'10" WREN FULL PLANS COST 

UK/EU - FULL PLAN £33 (incl. VAT)          

USA/ELSEWHERE - FULL PLAN £28 ($45)



15'7" RAVEN
Adrian Cabedo (see the Wren) came back to us for a second design. He wanted a slightly more sophisticated design, still of the Canadian type, for long distance portaging and camping in Spain. Basing the new design on the Wren, we increased her beam to 36" and by using 4 planks per side were able to give her section some tumblehome. This has two effects - with the beam at the gunwale less than the beam lower down the hull paddling is easier and with the increased waterline beam, she is a very stable design. A bulkhead is incorporated with some decking at both ends giving buoyancy or stowage space and she uses the stitch and tape method of construction. 3 sheets of 4, 5 or 6mm ply are used and the weight is around 50 lbs with 5mm ply.

The above/left example
is by Chris Newing of
West Wales.

15'7" RAVEN FULL PLANS COST

UK/EU - FULL PLAN £39 (incl. VAT)          

USA/ELSEWHERE - FULL PLAN £33 ($53)


15'7" PETERBOROUGH

The name ‘Peterborough’ was often used to describe any open Canadian type canoe but more especially those with a lightly rockered hull which had a moderate beam and some tumblehome. Our example has relatively narrow waterlines fore and aft to make her quick to paddle and a stable shallow veed bottom amidships with tumblehome to make her stable with a narrow beam.  We have given her 5 planks per side in order to produce a well rounded and attractive hull shape which is not difficult to build using stitch and tape techniques. She will be excellent for lake and river paddling. She has a length of 15’7’’ (4.76m), beam of 32 1/2’’ (.826m) and a midships depth of 12 1/2’’ (.317m). She uses 4 sheets of 4,5 or 6mm Exterior or Marine plywood and weighs approximately 60 lbs when made with 4mm ply.

15'7" PETERBOROUGH FULL PLANS COST

UK/EU - FULL PLAN £39 (incl. VAT)         

USA/ELSEWHERE - FULL PLAN £33 ($53)



15'8" FISHER PROSPECTOR
This is the Selway Fisher version of an old favourite - the Prospector type open canoe. The original Prospectors were originally designed in Canada and known as the "workhorse of the North". They had to have a good carrying capacity for all of the Prospector's gear and they had to work well through white water and wilderness. The bow and stern are relatively full and she has good freeboard amidships to keep her crew dry. The well rockered keel line makes her highly maneuverable and the tumblehome in her topsides makes her both stable and easy to paddle. She is constructed using simple stitch and tape techniques and she has 5 planks per side giving her a well rounded and graceful appearance. LOA 15'8" (4.76m); Beam 2'11" (0.88m); Depth amidships 14.5" (0.36m); approx. weight 65 lbs. (30 kg).

The above (lower) example is by Mike Cambray.


Prospector
To see Adam Plourde's Prospector go to http://www.webcdi.com/Prospector/

15'8" FISHER PROSPECTOR  FULL PLANS COST 

UK/EU - FULL PLAN £41 (incl. VAT)          

USA/ELSEWHERE - FULL PLAN £35 ($56)

Note - drawings are now available for a strip planked version of our most popular canoe design - the Fisher Prospector - and the plank shapes for a 17' version are also available.


16' PETE

PETE is a lovely 4 planked canoe (4 per side) on similar lines to our Little Kate design for stitch and tape or stitch and epoxy construction. She has classic lines and uses just 3 sheets of 4, 5 or 6mm ply and depending on how she is fitted out she will weigh approximately 65 lbs. The drawings show an optional gunter sail plan with details of the leeboard and rudder. Length 15’6’’ (4.7m); Beam 36’’ (0.92m); Depth amidships 13’’ (0.33m).
The example left is by Martin Padbury.
...and sailing with a rig similar to the Prospector rig.

16' PETE FULL PLANS COST

UK/EU - FULL PLAN £37 (incl. VAT)         

USA/ELSEWHERE - FULL PLAN £3USA/ELSEWHERE - FULL PLAN £3


WATERMAN 16


The Waterman canoes are more than simple open Canadian type canoes; they are a complete canoeing experience - from simply being a family open day canoe to a camping/sailing/portaging craft capable of being used to explore normally impenetrable rivers and creeks. The Waterman 16 canoe, like it's smaller sister is really a Guide Boat and has a beam of 38’’ and a central hull depth of 13’’. Being wider than the typical Canadian canoe, she is a very roomy stable craft with the capability to carry a good sail area and to be used to carry a lot of baggage or to fish from. The hull design has 3 chines allowing a wide bodied design for stability whilst at the same time having a low water surface area. This boat will take 3 or 4 adults. The plans show a simple sailing rig with removable leeboards. If a simple ridge tent is slung over the gunwales one person can sleep comfortably on the bottom of the hull. Additionally, the hull could be made in 2 halves for easy transport or for construction in a really confined space. Buoyancy can be built-in at each end if required. Construction is simple stitch and tape using 4 sheets of 5 or 6mm ply and around 30 hours will see the canoe ready for painting. Weight is approximately 75 lbs. when using 5/6mm ply.

Above is a version of the Waterman 16 built by Charles Pecats in Australia which was featured in the Australian Amateur Boatbuilder recently and which Charles uses in the outback for fishing.
An nice example by Scott Herrick

WATERMAN 16  FULL PLANS COST 

UK/EU - FULL PLAN £37 (incl. VAT)          

USA/ELSEWHERE - FULL PLAN £31 ($50)


12'/16' RANGER
12'/16' Ranger

The Ranger is a simple multi-purpose canoe design for first time or young builders who want a quick, simple and low cost boat to get them onto inland waterways. Although a single chine design she still has graceful lines and she can be built both in 12' and 16' versions either as a simple open canoe or as a decked kayak with built-in buoyancy and stowage spaces.  Beam in both versions is 32" (0.8m) and 2 sheets of 4 or 6mm Exterior ply are required for the construction.  The plans come free as part of our Manual of Ply/Epoxy Construction Techniques or may be purchased separately.

Please note - the basic Ranger 12/16 plan is supplied free with our Ply/Epoxy Canoe Manual. the full plans, which you can purchase here include the basic 12/16 plan along with several additions and modifications which include details for a float/outrigger, 8' version, 17' V bottomed version, 16' version with small vertical transom and a 24' version.

12'/16' RANGER FULL PLANS COST

UK/EU - FULL PLAN £25 (incl. VAT)          

USA/ELSEWHERE - FULL PLAN £21 ($34)


15'7" CARRICK ASYMMETRIC RACING
Carrick Asymmetric The Carrick open canoe was designed for Tyrone Boats specifically for sail racing. She is certainly fast but is also very handy when paddled. She has 5 planks per side giving her a nicely rounded shape with a wide waterline beam for plenty of stability. Construction is stitch and tape and she will take any of the sail plans from our other canoe designs. Plans consist of the hull panel shapes, construction details and a sailplan that the builder may choose from any of our other designs. LOD 15'7" (4.75m); Beam 37" (0.94m); Depth 12" (.305m); Approx. wht in 4mm ply 45 lbs (20.4 kg).

15'7" CARRICK FULL PLANS COST

UK/EU - FULL PLAN £52 (incl. VAT)         

USA/ELSEWHERE - FULL PLAN £44 ($70)


15'6" BEAVER CANOE/SKIFF
Beaver Canoe/Skiff The BEAVER is an ultra modern open canoe skiff using the latest methods of construction to make building time as short as possible. She has the same shape at both ends and each half of the boat is made in one piece of ply with simple darts cut into it at the chines. This means that the sides actually blend into the bottom as one unit at the fore and aft ends. Each half of the boat is stitched together along the fore/aft part of the centre seam and the part of the chine towards the centre of the canoe. The shape produced has a gentle curve to the bottom at the middle of the boat which runs into a ‘U’ shape as it goes towards the bow/stern. The single chine at the middle of the hull eventually disappears towards the ends with the bottom blending into the topsides in one continuous curve.
This makes an easy riding shape with plenty of stability but low wetted surface area. Marking out, cutting, stitching together, taping the seams and fitting out takes only 35 hours and the canoe uses just 3 sheets of 4mm Exterior grade ply plus some Pine or Douglas Fir for the gunwales. She can be made in 2 halves and bolted together or in 1 piece and the length can be reduced easily by a couple of feet to meet your individual needs. Being able to build her in 2 halves means that your building space can be very small although you must still check that you can get the 2 halves out of the door and up the passage - one client didn’t whilst building in his lounge and ended up having to make major surgical alterations to our design leaving him with 2 very useful motor skiffs but not the canoe that he had wanted !
As drawn she is 15’6’’ (4.7m) long with a beam of 37’’ (0.94m) and a depth amidships of 13’’ (0,33m) and a very light weight of 60 lbs. The drawings come with details of a simple gunter sail plan and yoked rudder with detachable leeboards.

Beaver

15'6" BEAVER FULL PLANS COST

UK/EU - FULL PLAN £30                          

USA/ELSEWHERE - FULL PLAN £26 ($42)


DW6 RACING CANOE
DW6 This open canoe has been designed as a simple low cost solution to taking part competitively in the Devizes Westminster race. The hull has an asymmetric shape with a narrow entrance angle to the forward waterlines and with additional buoyancy aft. he hull has a ‘V’ bottom and two chines per side. Construction is stitch and tape. She has buoyancy chambers fore and aft and carrying handles for portaging and her overall weight is going to be around 80 lbs. She uses between 5 and 6 sheets of 5 or 6mm Exterior or Marine plywood. Her length is 19’10’’ (6.066m) and her beam is 2’11’’ (.894m).

DW6 RACING CANOE FULL PLANS COST 

UK/EU - FULL PLAN £40 (incl. VAT)          

USA/ELSEWHERE - FULL PLAN £34 ($54)


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POSTAGE & PACKING (SHIPPING)
Please note - the plan prices do not include P&P charges which will be added to your order.

The maximum P&P charges for plans are :-
UK - £1 per plan (sent by 1st class Business Post.
Europe - £2 per plan (sent by Airmail).
USA & Elsewhere - £4 ($6) per plan (sent by Airmail).

See the Postage Charge Table (via the Home Page) for further details.


FOR DETAILS OF THE STITCH & TAPE
AND CEDAR STRIP PLANK
CONSTRUCTION METHODS SEE THE HOME  PAGE


For further details of our designs write to :-

SELWAY FISHER DESIGN
15 KING STREET,
MELKSHAM, WILTSHIRE, SN12 6HB,
UK

Tel/Fax UK    01225 705074
International    +44 1225 705074

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