Books & Videos on How to Build and Repair all Types of Boats and Canoes
 
Repairing & Restoring | Building from Scratch - Canoes and Kayaks | Building from Scratch - Other Rowing and Sailing Boats | Designs | Other Books and Videos
 

Repairing & Restoring

• Restoring Your Cedar Strip Boat - DVD By Don Husack
  Provides you with step-by-step instructions on restoring your cedar strip runabout. Covers everything you need to know such as stripping off old paint and varnish, removing and repairing ribs, steam bending, installing a transom, sanding the outside, making and installing ribs, painting the bottom, varnish and final assembly. Techniques for using epoxy are also covered. (Item E1c)


• Painting & Varnishing
  Painting and varnishing is part art and part science. No matter the standard of finish - utilitarian through show quality and anything in between - the keys to success are a well-conceived plan of action, the correct choice of tools and materials, a careful preparation of the surface, proper application of the coating, and a "feel" for what you are doing. (Item E43h)


• The Wood and Canvas Canoe by Jerry Stemlock & Rollin Thurlow
  Written by experienced builders, this book gives a summary of fascinating lore and a guide to the canvas canoe's construction and repair. Scores of drawings, sketches and photographs illustrate the principal steps of building and restoration. Includes fold-out plans with offsets for a 15' solo canoe and a 17' guide canoe designed by Rollin Thurlow. (Item E1)


• How to Restore Your Wooden Runabout Vol. 1 by Don Danneberg
  A complete guide to restoring wooden runabouts. With 300 photos and clear instructions on surveying, disassembling, repairing, and reconstructing. Also covers topics ranging from engines and electrics to instrumentation and upholstery. (Item E1d)


• How to Restore Your Wooden Runabout Vol. 2 by Don Danneberg
  Covers a wide range of subjects to enable the restorer to complete the project begun in Volume 1. Includes running gear, upholstery, wiring, instruments and maintenance. Additional material is also included on lapstrake hulls, hardware and materials. (Item E1d2)


• London Goes to Sea: Restoring & Sailing an Old Boat on a Budget by Peter J Baumgartner
  London Goes to Sea is Peter J. Baumgartner's candid and captivating account of restoring a wooden sailboat over the course of four years and then reintroducing it to its native New England waters. His precise records illustrate every trial and triumph of the restoration process, and his careful attention to errors made along the way provides crucial insight for anyone considering a similar project. (Item E51)


• Planking & Fastening, Peter Spectre, Editor
  Another in a series on wooden boats, this one deals with the techniques for planning the hull and fastening the planking to the ribs. (Item E43g)

Building from Scratch - Canoes and Kayaks

• Stripper's Guide to Canoe Building by David Hazen
  Covers how to strip-plank a canoe or kayak with resin and fibreglass. Comes with full sized templates for building seven canoes and two kayaks, including a fast down river canoe and a recreational two-seater kayak. Plans included. (Item E2) (see also Stripper Kits & Canoe Supplies)


• Canoecraft by Ted Moores and Merilyn Mohr
  Building the "Bear Mountain" canoe using the wood strip and epoxy method. With a minimum of carpentry tools and wood working skills you can choose from 7 canoe styles and follow Ted and Merilyn's photographs and drawings. (Item E3)


• Building the Maine Guide Canoe by Gerry Stelmok
  A definitive guide to building this classic watercraft written by the acknowledged master of these fine boats. Many photos and clear, detailed explanation of every process in its construction. (Item E5)


• Featherweight Boatbuilding by “Mac” McCarthy
  Build the Wee Lassie Canoe One or Two. Complete step-by-step instructions, pictures and diagrams, add materials and it’s all you need to build a sleek and elegant lightweight craft. (Item E4)


• Building the Sweat Dream - An Ultralight Solo Canoe by Marc Pettingill
  Complete plans and illustrated building instructions for this lightweight, simply constructed, handsome solo canoe. Constructed of plywood and intended for single or double paddle, an ideal first boat building project. (Item E22)


• Building the Six Hour Canoe by Mike O’Brien
  Contains scale plans, specifications, a tool list, step-by-step instructions for a quickly and simply built canoe. Ideal for beginners and school/community projects. Illustrated. (Item E43c)


• The Kayak Shop by Chris Kulczycki
  Build three different plywood kayaks, a 16', 28lb single; an 18', 38lb expedition single; and a 20' touring double that weighs less than 52 lbs.160 pgs (Item E10)


• The Strip-Built Sea Kayak by Nick Schade
  Build three rugged kayaks that have the same beauty and elegance of the strip canoes. Complete with easy to follow instructions and plans for solo or tandem kayaks. (Item E11)


• Kayak Craft - Fine Woodstrip Kayak Construction by Ted Moores
  Designs by Steve Killing. Includes the 17' Endeavour, the 14' Sport Kayak, a 16'6" Touring Kayak, and a 20'6" Tandem Kayak. Provides lines and offsets and techniques for making the cockpit coaming, hatches and decking. 185 pages. (Item E21)


• Ultralight Boatbuilding by Thomas J. Hill
  Hill describes ultralight building from start to finish, using a skiff and canoe as examples and numerous step-by-step photos and drawings. He includes a selection of ultralight designs to choose from that don't require lofting. Hill also explains how to adapt any small-boat design to the ultralight method. (Item E43a)


• Wood and Canvas Kayak Building by George Putz
  Guides even the most inexperienced woodworker through the whole process of building a 17 or 18.5 foot sea kayak evolved from an ancient Inuit design, with plans developed especially for this book by naval architect and canoe and kayak builder Spencer Lincoln. (Item E12)

Building from Scratch - Other Rowing and Sailing Boats

• Rip, Strip and Row by Brown, Pickett and Hartsock
  Complete with full sized plans and well-illustrated instructions for a 14' foot pulling boat (the Cosine Wherry). Uses strip plank construction techniques. Only basic tools are required. Building time for a novice is approximately 200 hours. Plans included. (Item E6) (see also Stripper Kits & Canoe Supplies)


• 25 Woodworking Projects
  Projects for the novice and the expert. Projects for the shop or on board. Here are the best woodworking projects shown in Wooden Boat magazine. With plenty of photos and drawings. (Item E50)


• Building the Nutshell Pram by Maynard Bray
  An easy to follow manual for building the Nutshell Pram. Using plywood and simple tools, a perfect project for the beginner. Compliments the plans listed in this catalogue. (Item E9). Video also available (Item E28)


• How to Build the Catspaw Dinghy
  A detailed manual on the building of a superior rowing and sailing dinghy. A modified version (carvel instead of lapstrake planking) of the famous Herreshoff Columbia dinghy, this measures 12'8", and makes an excellent project for the boatbuilder with intermediate skills. (Item E43i)


• Building Small Boats
  This book is destined to become the text of plank-on-frame and lapstrake boat construction. Ideal for the under 25-footer crowd, and ideal for folks looking to have some of the mysteries of the building process peeled away. (Item E43)


• How to Build A Wooden Boat David C. McIntosh
  Here is everything you need to know to construct a carvel planked cruising boat with no more than a set of plans, a pile of lumber, and determination. David C. "Bud" McIntosh – a designer, builder, and sailor of large and small wooden cruising boats for more than 50 years. (Item E41)


• Clinker Plywood Boatbuilding Manual by Iain Oughtred
  A fully detailed study of the methods of building open boats of all types in glued clinker or lapstrake construction. These boats have gained a world-wide reputation for their elegance of line, sound construction and execellent sailing performance. Provides highly refined designs and detailed plans. (Item E39)


• How to Build Glued Lapstrake Wooden Boats by John Brooks & Ruth Ann Hill
  A quality builder, John Brooks teaches at the WoodenBoat School. The construction technique described here is durable and low maintenance. Ruth Ann Hill grew up on the coast of Maine. A writer, boatbuilding assistant, naturalist, and graphic artist. (Item E35)


• How to Build the Haven 12-1/2 Footer by Maynard Bray
  A keel/centerboard variation of the famous Herreshoff 12 1/2 footer. Each step in the unique process is carefully explained and illustrated. A stable and elegant boat. (Item E43i)


• How to Build the Shellback Dinghy by Eric Dow
  Construct this 11' 2" dinghy following the step-by-step instructions of builder Eric Dow. This is a modern classic that rows, tows, and sails beautifully. Eric Dow not only builds and repairs boats in Brooklyn, but also teaches boatbuilding. (Item E43d)


• How to Build the Gloucester Light Dory by Harold H. Payson
  A manual on building an exceptional rowing dory. Designed by Philip Bolger, this dory is fast, seaworthy and a delight to row. Simple plywood construction. (Item E43e)


• How to Build the Ocean Pointer by David Stimson
  A 19' 6" Outboard Skiff, based on the Alton Wallace 18' round-bilged outboard skiff known as the West Pointer, the Ocean Pointer is a bit larger, and drier able to accommodate a 25-75 hp outboard.He is a sailing charter captain during the summer, and designs and builds boats at Stimson Marine, Inc. in Boothbay. (Item E43f)


• New Plywood Boats by Thomas Firth Jones
  And a Few Others. Detailed accounts of exciting new building projects from row & paddle-boats to multihull prototypes. A book full of inspiration Tom Jones is a professional boatbuilder, designer, and writer. (Item E52)


• Building the Weekend Skiff by Richard Butz
  Four sheets of plywood plus a weekend's work combine to make a useful skiff for sailing, rowing, or powering. (Item E43cs)

Designs

• Clark Craft Plans Manual
  One of the world's largest listing of boat plans and patterns. A fully illustrated catalogue of hundreds of modern and classic designs from 8' to 70' including powerboats, hydroplanes, cruisers, duck boats, canoes, kayaks, dories, sailboats and multi-hulls. (Item E7)


• Designs to Inspire: Selections from the Rudder (1897 to 1942) by Anne and Maynard Bray
  A compilation of design gems hidden away in old issues of The Rudder magazine with lots of line drawing and illuminating captions. Equally divided between power and sail. (Item E33)


• GLEN-L Book of Boat Designs
  Containing 176 pages of more than 240 designs from 6' to 55' including kayaks, runabouts, rowboats, kid boats for plywood, stitch-n-glue, strip, cold moulded and fibreglass. (Item E8)


• Thirty Wooden Boats
  These 30 designs include: 6 powerboats, 6 daysailers, 11 cruising boats, 2 canoes, a kayak, and 4 small sailing/pulling boats.  Also included is an article by designer Joel White on understanding boat plans. (Item Ea)


• Forty Wooden Boats
  These are the newest designs added to WoodenBoat's collection since the publication of Fifty Wooden Boats and Thirty Wooden Boats. Designs include: 5 kayaks built using a variety of methods (including a double kayak), a canoe, 2 peapods, a catamaran, daysailers, a single and double rowing shell, skiffs, mahogany runabouts and many more. (Item Eb)


• Fifty Wooden Boats
  The first in the series, this catalog contains study plans for 50 designs - which range from a 7'7" pram to a 41'3" schooner. In addition there are drawings that identify the parts of a wooden boat, a bibliography, a guide for the selection of various woods, and instructions by Weston Farmer on reading boat plans. (Item Ec)


• Lofting by Allan H. Vaitse
  Lofting is the process of drawing lines of a boat full-size, to get the shapes and patterns needed for building. An experienced builder leads you through the process so you too can build your dream. (Item E38)


• Small Craft Plans: 15 Complete Designs by the Benford Design Group
  Taken from Benford's original drawings & reduced in scale, the plans are nonetheless complete and ready for lofting full size. The boats range in size from 7-18 feet. (Item E23)

Other Books and Videos

• Story of the Chestnut Canoe by Kenneth Solway
  The Chestnut Canoe Company began in Fredericton, NB in 1897 and its impact was unequaled on the development of recreational canoeing and the canoe itself. Photos and images from the famed catalogues illustrate this intriguing Maritime story. Kenneth Solway, noted canoe builder and writer, continues to build Chestnut canoes at his small operation in Baltimore, Ontario (Item E27)


• Canoe Paddles: A Complete Guide to Making Your Own by Graham Warren and David Gidmark
  Long-time canoeist and woodworker Graham Warren presents detailed blueprints for making paddles that you will cherish and use with confidence. Topics include the selection of the best woods, adhesives and tools. You will learn how to make a paddle with a single blade, a bent shaft or double blades; how best to protect a paddle with oil or varnish; what to look for when test-driving your paddle; how to decorate it; and how to care for and repair it. (Item E44)


• The Art of Paddle Carving (30 min. video) by Bearmountain Canoes
  This 30 minute video shows you all the aspects of paddle making, even how to sharpen the tools. Follow these clear and simple instructions to carve your own canoe paddle. Patterns and written instructions included. (Item E45)


• The Canoe: A Living Tradition, edited by John Jennings
  Beautifully illustrated with over 400 stunning photographs, The Canoe is an intimate and absorbing history, written by 12 experts in the field who have created a definitive book of the canoe, past and present. Conceived and edited by John Jennings, a specialist in frontier history and Vice Chair of the Canadian Canoe Museum, The Canoe explores how the development and many transformations of the canoes, kayaks, dugouts and Inuit umiaks of various regions directly affected the history of North America. (Item E48)


• Expectant Father's Cradle Boat Book by Peter Spectre and Buckley Smith (paperback)
  This is a guide for anyone who wants to create something unique for a new baby. Inspired by a series of cradle boats featured over the years in numerous issues of WoodenBoat. (Item E49)


• Confessions Of A Boatbuilder by James Douglas Rosborough
  This book reveals the unexpected trials and triumphs involved in the author's design, construction, outfitting, and operation of the beautiful vessels he designed, as well as the character of a self-determined boatbuilder who grasped one of the last windows of opportunity before the wooden boat-building industry bottomed out. (Item E26)


• Chris-Craft Boats 1922-1972, by Anthony Mollica Jr & Jack Savage
  This information-rich text is illustrated by a combination of color photographs of restored classics and black and white archival photos of original boats. Charts 50 years of Chris-Craft powerboat history. The book is broken down into chapter headings of: Chris-Craft story, runabouts, cruisers, the utility, kit boats, Cavaliers, sea skiffs and engines. Includes examples of the Sportsman, Super Sport, Racing Runabout, Cobra, Riviera, Capri, Holiday, Continental, Commuting Cruiser, Constellation models and more. Hundreds of models are shown in original black and white and color photos. A great edition to have for fans of these incredible boats and the company that built them. (Item E45b)


• Birchbark Canoe: Living Among the Algonquin by David Gidmark
  Tells the story of building a traditional birchbark canoe and the author’s apprenticeship learning the skills and the language of the Algonquin of western Quebec. Through this experience, he learns how to see the wilderness and relate to it. (Item E36)


• Canoe Rig by Todd Bradshaw
  The illustrations and information in this book might spark a desire to take a close look at how the wind can best move your boat. As Bradshaw explains it, the principles and specs for building sails, spars, leeboards, and centreboards can be applied to a day sailer, or any hull - not just canoes. (Item B34)