Building the Six-Hour Canoe: Designed by Mike O’Brien

A guide to building a canoe that contains scale plans, specifications, a tool list, step-by-step instructions, and even a helpful explanation of how to paddle the canoe. All the building operations are clearly illustrated with photos and sketches. The canoe is constructed from a single 4'x16' (or two 4' x 8' sheets) sheet of marine plywood and a few pieces of dimensional lumber and, with epoxy glued seams, is watertight from the moment it hits the water. When completed, the canoe is 15'3" in length with a 311/2" beam. Inexpensive to build using ordinary tools and materials, the canoe gives everybody access to boatbuilding and a boat.

William Bartoo, Richard Butz, and John Montague founded the watercraft studies program at Buffalo State College. They have all been involved in boatbuilding for decades. They all live in Buffalo, New York.