How long does it take to build a stitch and tape canoe?
Depending on how many planks are involved, your skills and available tools, anything from 35 to 60 hours – for a typical 16′ open canoe (a Raven or Waterman) l reckon on a Saturday morning and part afternoon marking the plank shapes onto the ply by hand – the remainder of the afternoon to cut the planks out. Sunday morning to plane the plank edges to shape, the afternoon to do the glass tape butt join to join the 2 parts of each plank on one side of the planks and to mark and cut out the temporary centre mould and any bulkheads. Monday evening gently turn the planks over and do the other side of the glass butt join. The next 2-3 evenings to stitch the planks together (this is the fun bit!) and run in the first epoxy fillets to lock the planks together. The next Saturday to tape the inside of the chine seams, Sunday to fit the inwale and outwale turn the hull over and tape the outside of the chine seams. Monday evening sees the seats made up and fitted – Tuesday the decking and bottom r
