Kelly: Since the release of the 2nd edition of Building a Strip Canoe, do you happen to know how many strip canoes you’ve built in your career? Do you have a favorite canoe and, if so, what was special about it?
Gilpatrick: I have supervised the building of over 500 strip canoes. It is interesting, to me at least, that up until my retirement from vocational education, I had never actually built a canoe all by myself. Since that time I have done a few in my home shop. My favorite canoe by far is the 18.5 foot E.M White Guide model. This canoe has the most beautiful lines of any canoe I have ever seen, although I always used the 20 foot White in my guiding business (needed the extra capacity). My favorite small canoe is the 16 foot Wabnaki.
Kelly: You offer a number of hull shapes and plans in BASC and provide the pros/cons of each design, but is there one design that you feel is simply the right design for a first-time builder?
Gilpatrick: The choice of the hull shape, or canoe model to build depends on the builder’s plans to use the canoe. No one is easier or harder to build than another. An exception might be the Grand Laker, which is a little more complicated setting up. But even with this canoe, the process is the same as any other. I think a lot of people make the mistake of building a canoe that is too small. Most non-canoeists are more familiar with boats where a 16 footer is a respectable size. Not so with canoes, 16 footers are a small canoe. (Although there is a smaller one in the book).
Kelly: I have to admit that the fiberglass portion of the project gives me some anxiety — is it a forgiving process or would I be better off trying to find someone who has experience with glassing to assist me or will I figure it out fast once I start? Your book is very encouraging to nervous beginners, but are there any additional words of encouragement you might like to offer a geek dad who is considering building his own canoe? (I count myself in that group.)
Gilpatrick: In this second edition I have tried to incorporate the answers to every question I have received about canoe building over the 30-odd years that the original book was in print. The most intimidating thing to most first-time strip canoe builders is the fiberglassing. This is understandable because the materials are expensive so mistakes are costly and for the most part not reversible. So, I advise to take a little of the materials and try out the process on some scraps. The confidence gained is well worth the small expense. Another option might be to build something small like a paddle to start with. This will use the same materials only on a far smaller scale. Finally, my email address is in the book and I encourage folks to contact me with questions, comments, or whatever.
Of course, if you know someone who has done it before it can be comforting. However, I would want to know that that person had experience with the type of fiberglassing materials that I planned to use. I can only say that since the original book was in print for over 30 years that there must be thousands of canoes built by folks who figured it out for themselves.
Kelly: Do you have a preference over same color strips versus mixing wood types? I’d like to have a single color strip canoe with maybe one or two dark racing stripes near the top edge, but I’m a bit worried that it won’t have that strip canoe look that comes from multiple shades and textures from three or more types of wood.
Gilpatrick: I receive a lot of photos from builders who are rightly proud of their creation. I find that many of them use contrasting feature strips like you mentioned. It just seems to add to the wow factor when others see the canoe. The wow factor is also there even when a canoe is without the contrast. I was always amused as I was preparing my party to run a difficult set of rapids, a bystander often spoke up with wide eyed wonder and ask, Are going to go through the rapids in that canoe? One of the things I like about using Eastern White Cedar is that it has a variety of colors ranging from almost white to a rich honey color. No feature strips needed (in my opinion). However the canoe on the cover of the 2nd edition has two racing stripes of cherry. They are not too noticeable in the photo, because the canoe is relatively new and the cherry will darken with age.
Kelly: You’ve just released a 2nd edition of Building Outdoor Gear which provides plans on building some beautiful items such as a canoe chair and pack frame; I”m fond of the trip box, but do you have a favorite?
Gilpatrick: No favorites in Building Outdoor Gear. The projects are all the result of my trying to make gear that did the job better than anything I could buy. As I stated in the book, one of my criteria was to have the item(s) do more than one job while on the canoe trail. Interesting you should bring up the trip boxes, because they were one of the first projects I built way back when I started guiding. With very minor repairs I still have and use the original boxes. I first described them in a now out-of-print book called The Canoe Guides Handbook. I still remember the thrill I felt when I was on the river and saw a complete stranger paddle by with one of my boxes in their canoe.
Kelly: The canoe chair is a project I’m really wanting to do — the hand-crafted caning in the seat looks great, and I rarely see that kind of seat in stores. How long would you estimate it takes to build and cane the chair featured in the book?
Gilpatrick: Not counting the time required for glue and finish to cure, It would probably take about 8 or 10 hours. Like anything else, the first one will probably be the slower, especially regarding the caning, which requires close attention to detail until the process is fixed in the mind.
Kelly: The Reflector Oven (Baker) is an amazing little design. Is there any benefit (or drawback) to enlarging it and maybe adding second shelf?
Gilpatrick: I have never seen a two tiered baker. I think it would be unwieldy and would probably require a larger fire than would be practical.
Kelly: Have you ever considered a DVD to accompany your books? I’d love to be able to see the assembly of a canoe or any of the other designs before attempting them myself. It’d also be great to hear your commentary as you build a canoe.
Gilpatrick: I would consider doing a DVD providing someone with the qualifications to produce a professional product were to approach me. I would not do one on my own as I would rather concentrate on doing what I know best.
Kelly: Are you still acting as a river guide? How can folks get in touch with your company if they’d like to have you as a tour guide?
Gilpatrick: I have retired from active guiding after about 35 years in the business. This is no doubt more information than you want, but let me tell you about my last year or two of guiding: I was guiding a family from Hershey PA. They were a middle-age couple with a couple of boys in their early teens. The trip went much like any other – I did everything I always did until the subject of my age came up. Never keeping it a secret I said I was 70. After that they couldn’t do enough for me. They didn’t want me to carry my canoe, etc., etc. The second incident was when I was preparing to book a trip for a lady. I knew she was going to sign on and it was just a matter of getting her deposit. She called and expressed concern about her father, who was 70 years old doing the trip. I told her he knew his ability better than anyone and that in fact I was also 70. I never heard from her again! Time to hang it up!
