Joan,

We will be uploading more pics as we work on the canoe. This can be viewed by the public.

thanks,
Mark Klunder
Technology Studies Teacher
Peninsula Shores District School
Wiarton, ON

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Hi Bear Mountain:

I have been building my canoe for 6 months. Last week I was finished that work and had a launching ceremony. Is very difficulties to found the material in Taiwan to building my canoe. However I finish it.

My canoe is my proud of. I am first one strip canoe builder in Taiwan. It is very beautiful useful and durable.

Regards
Jack Lu (Chia-Cheng Lu)

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I just wanted to let you know, that I finished my Endeavour 17, which I had listed on the builders/projects page. I put it in the water (with much anxiety) for the first time in May. Although it’s only been paddled in sheltered waters since then, what I’ve seen so far of its performance has really impressed me. It’s lightning fast, and both tracks & turns fast. All-up weight of 50 lbs, with no rudder, and built from 1/4″ Western Red cedar, & Cherry.

Attached is a photo of the boat, in case you’re interested.

Thanks for providing a great design!
Andrew Greenlaw, Advanced Verification Group

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Hello… thought you might like to add this photo to your photo gallery. This Rob Roy was built by my dad (Gary Toffelmire) using your plans. I just moved into a townhouse, and don’t have a garage, so the canoe is now stored in my living room… and doubles as art work.
Terry Toffelmire
Calgary, AB, Canada

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Enclosed is a picture of the boat I completed from your book and “Nomad” plans. I purchased the book in ’87 and finished the boat last year. (The boat only took 5 months to build, the dreaming about it took 16 years…) My family and I took it to the Boundary Waters this summer where it performed better than my expectations. It is a great, stable, and quick boat that took a huge load and drew lots of compliments. Thank you for providing the top quality book and plans.

Dean Smoll

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I finished this a couple of years ago, and I have enjoyed it immensely. It seems very light, so at the tender age of 56 I can load, unload, store and all that by myself with ease. Tracks beautifully. Picture is in Upper Sardine Lake, Lakes Basin Recreation Area in California. Thanks for the nice plans!!! Pic doesn’t show it very well but the seats were slightly contoured with the same teakettle and PVC pipe I used for the stem, then woven.

Sandy Ford

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In March of 2003 I bought a new copy of Canoecraft and started a 15 ft Ranger.I completed it in June and have paddled it quite a bit over the summer and fall.I built the Ranger because of the availability of 16 ft lumber.The boat paddles nice,is very stable and carries a good load.I live in upstate New York a couple of hours from the St Regis Wilderness area in the Adirondack Park and it is a canoe paradise.My wife and I have made 3 trips to this area this Fall with our Ranger and love it.Thanks Bearmountain for making this possible.I’ve attached a couple of pictures of our Ranger on the shore of Follensby Clear Pond.

Craig Harvey

Took my 15ft ranger out for the first time last night.I love it.In 1988 I bought the Canoecraft book and built the Hiawatha.My wife and I paddled many miles in it and recently decided we wanted something with a little more volume to it for camping.We bought the updated version of Canoecraft and built the Ranger.It is larger,more stable and seems to paddle just as easy.Thanks Bear Mt for a great book.

craig harvey

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Hello, my name is Bob Linton.

I have been building wood strip canoes as a hobby for 6 years now. It the first time I had ever herd of the stability factor. I know abought initial and final stability and how to adjust the two for the desired effect. How does one measure stability?

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Hi my name is Kyle Hammer and I live in Canandaigua NY and I am in the beginning stages(setting up the molds)for your rob roy design in Canoecraft with my teacher Rob Clark.

I was wondering if i could send you pictures and info at the end to post on your site. I would just like to say that your book is wonderfull for my teacher and I to learn from and you guys do a verry good job. I was also considering becoming a profesional canoe biulder and I was wondering if you had any advise for me regaurding how to actually become a professional.

Thanks for your time.

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I really appreciate the personal touch via the telephone call yesterday morning concerning my plan order, and the recommendation to change my project to a Champlain 16′. When you asked me what I was going to use the canoe for and I told you pond and lake use – that was not the entire story.

Actually, I am 64 years old and basically I have decided on this canoe project as something for me and two of grandsons to do together. They live down the street from me, one will be 15 in March the other 12 in July. So my main idea was to give them something wholesome and interesting to do, passing on basic building skills, and hopefully the final project will become a family heirloom.

Another son who lives about 26 miles from me, harvested a fair amount of eastern red cedar last winter which he has been using to build some furniture for his cypress log house he and I built together about 8 years ago. Our Georgia cedar is so beautiful with its white and purple coloring, that I decided to beg off from him some left-overs from which to cut out some strips for a canoe. I have another friend who has some mahogany which I think I’ll use for the decks, in/out wales. I don’t know when I’ll actually get started on this project, but once I do I’ll keep you informed.

Thanks again Joan for the personal touch!

Belton Hollums

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