Welcome to our MCA Boat Building page.

If you have questions about boat building, e-mail the Building Director at MCAbuildingXX@canoe-kayak.org   Remove the XX before sending!

 Rev. Aug 09

 

 

MCA Canoe / Kayak building

 

The MCA, Inc. has a 40 year tradition of building canoes and kayaks with wood strips and fiberglass.

 

Hundreds to thousands of canoes and kayaks have been built via this inexpensive method.  The method was pioneered by MCA long distance canoe racers in the 50's and early 60's.  Karl Neal Ketter (son of Karl L. Ketter) first set down the method as a High School writing assignment.  He later expanded that paper into the MCA's first book on how to build a strip canoe (about 1966).  The book has been modified and improved several times by our skilled builders of boats for recreation and competition.

 

Briefly the boat is constructed "upside down".  Plywood cross-section forms are set up on a long beam (the strongback).  Then wood strips are tacked onto the forms and glued edge to edge.  The strips are held to each other by staples while the glue dries.  When all stripping is done, the staples are removed as well as the tacks holding the strips to the forms (sufficient glue remains to hold the strips to the forms).  The hull is then sanded smooth.

 

Next a layer of fiberglass (sometimes Kevlar) cloth is laid over the bottom of the hull and impregnated with resin (usually polyester, sometimes epoxy).  Additional layers of resin are applied.  Then the hardened resin is sanded smooth.  Next the hull is removed from the forms and turned right side up.  The inside is sanded and again a layer of fiberglass and resin is applied.  The boat then has a "sandwich structure" which is very strong given the light weight.

 

Finally the top edges of the boat are trimmed to shape and it is fitted out with gunwales, decks, thwarts, seats and perhaps a portage yoke.  Experienced craftsmen have made boats so beautiful they might be hung up as décor rather than used on a waterway.  Most builders are quite happy to use their very own boat in long service on rivers, lakes or in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Northern Minnesota.

 

We publish this comprehensive book on woodstrip canoe building and it is available to non-members of the MCA, Inc.  Members receive a discount.

Detailed plans for several different canoes and kayaks are also available.  Our experienced builders sometimes teach classes and provide advice on individual boats.

If you have questions about boat building, e-mail the Building Director at MCAbuildingXX@canoe-kayak.org  (Remove the XX before mailing to help us reduce spam from web spam-bots.)

 

For quicker communication, include a phone number in your e-mail.

 

Building Plans

 

Plans for several different canoes and kayaks as well as the Building Book are available.  Go to this link.

 

Supplies

 

When the MCA has sufficient volunteers, we have made building materials available at a savings to our members by maintaining one or more "supply depots".