> Thanks for the responses, guys. Paul, what kind of tools were you refering
> to? I have anearly complete woodshop. My interest in alternate methods is
> mainly financial. I just finished a woodstrip canoe that ended up drawing
> from the household budget. In our home these projects should be financed
> by 'my custom woodworking projects but I'd rather be building boats. The
> cheaper I can build a boat the less time I have to spend building for
> someone else. And believe me after the first one the bug has really set
> its teeth in deep. [The good news is that after paddling the first, my
> wife is as anxious as I to build at least one more!] Thanks again.

> Tom

Take a look at these sites/books. Tom Hill's "Ultralight boatbuilding", covers a very practicle method for glued-lapstrake boats. His canoe plans range from a 11'6" double-paddle Wee Lassie type to a 15' tandem canoe. Marine grade ply No Glass!) is used. Overall cost should be less than a stripper. I built a stripper from Mac Mcarthy's book, and am going to have to build more.....my family really enjoys the boat....my wife has taken it away from me 'til I can get her one built. I've considered trying glued-lap from either Hill or Iain Oughtred's (you can out his plans on the databoat web site) plans. I think building would be faster and I like the lapstrake looks. Another ply design that turns out a good looking hull is from www.by-the-sea/stillwaterboats. He uses four panels to get out a round bilge shape. He has a small kayak, a double "kayak" with one large cockpit and a couple of canoes. These would build faster than lapstrake at a reasonable cost. One last place to check is Geodesic airolite boats (there is a website, but I can't remember the address). They are a higher tech skin on frame...Very Light, fast to build (supposedly), and should be cost effective, depending on how elaborate you get with materials. Plans are inexpensive too. I've thought about buiding one, mostly out of curiosity (he has a Herreshoff based "kayak cruiser" that looks nice for easy inland water). If I do, I'll use a very tough coating over the dacron or use a double layer of the recommended fabric.

goodluck, garland