To answer a lot of comments; I know of multiple other “paper canoes” or “paper mache canoes” constructed in the same way. I didn’t invent the name for clickbait, that’s just what they’re called. Yes I used a single layer of 6oz fibreglass cloth inside and out, exactly the same amount of fibreglass as is used in the construction of a cedar strip canoe... which gets called a cedar strip canoe, not a cedar strip and fibreglass and hardwood and bronze screws and bolts canoe. No that’s not “cheating” that’s just how they’re made.
A few weeks ago we went into a lockdown in New Zealand to deal with Covid-19, I wasn't able to work from home so I had lots of time to get on with a project I've been thinking about for a while; a paper canoe.
I'm currently building a cedar strip canoe (15ft Prospector, plans from bearmountainboats.com) and it was at the stage that I had built the hull, faired and fibreglassed it. Which is the perfect time to use that as a form to mould paper mache around. I did about 12 layers of paper (maybe more) and used a copy of a popular canoe building book 'canoecraft' as the inside layer of the canoe, because I didn't fancy having a copy of our local paper on display forever and I thought it'd be funny. I put a layer of 6oz fibreglass on the inside and outside making it completely waterproof and strong enough to be actually used as a canoe. Just like in the construction of a cedar strip canoe.
After fibreglass it was still a bit floppy and I was worried at weather or not this would actually work but once I got all of the wood trim on the hull had a lot more strength and rigidity, still a lot more flexible than a cedarstrip canoe. I added a thin top cap of wood to the gunwales to stop water getting into the paper layers.
I usually go canoeing with friends so I am not usually a solo paddler, this was my first time in a long time solo paddling a canoe so I am not as effective, efficient or graceful as I could be with a lot of practice haha... however I was happy with how it handled as a solo canoe so I think I will install a single seat towards the centre as I'll have two other cedar strip canoes setup for tandem paddling anyway!
I don't know the exact weight of it but its about the same as a cedar canoe, maybe a bit lighter.
If you want to try this yourself it might pay to experiment with paper mache to avoid the lumps that I got, I didn't want to redo the paper mache as I didn't want to waste the book I used on the inside layer and I wasn't 100% sure how this would work!
If you're interested in what I'm up to at the moment I post more regularly on my instagram account / davidbrynparker you should follow me there! And subscribe for more videos like this.
8 май 2020
