The strong back and mold, complete with the 12 stations is the first stage. It is shown here with a supporting strip stapled in place to hold the stations in position.

Gluing on the strips. The trick is to not to use too much and save on the wiping up.

Wiping off the excess glue with wet rag. The better the wipe job, the less the sanding.

The spoke shave is used to fair or reduce the width and change the shape of the stem sections. This is necessary so that the strips will sit flat on the side of the stem as they are stapled in place. This process is repeated as the addition of the strips progress up the side of the hull.

As the planking progresses, the bending of the strip has to conform to different directions at the same time due to the complex curve. It is difficult to both hold the strip in the required curve and staple at the same time.

This photo shows the planking on the sides completed. From this point on it will be necessary to complete one side and then the other.

The first side is now planked. Note the progressively shorter and more exaggerated bends in the strips. Before filling in the first half, matching strips were selected and the mating pieces were put away for the next side.

The darker strips shown at the bottom are the hanging strips and have been done on all four sides. Much of the area here will be cut away to form the sheer curve at the bow and stern ends.

The mid line is now cut straight and true. It is important to cut this line carefully so that the angled ends of the strips on the other side will fit flush.

The second side requires far more work in order to measure the length of each strip, as well as the angle at the ends so that there is a proper fit. The matched strips are put in place here to give the desired pattern on the bottom of the canoe

The bottom is now complete. As the opening gets smaller the placing and bending of the strips gets harder. The last strip is not even a full width of strip and required a custom fit. It is at this point that it you can see how well the strips were measured and cut by how the points meet.

Epoxy filling has been added in the cracks, which were formed due to the bending of the strips around the curve of the hull. The epoxy is also a great means of covering up other imperfections, which somehow seem to enter into the process

The entire hull is spoke shaved & power sanded in order to remove the edges of the planks and to get the smooth shape. Spoke shaving minimizes the sanding, which is a daily affair. As Ron always says “A day with out sanding is a day without sunshine”

=This photo shows the canoe as it is ready to have fiberglass put onto the outside surface. Note the design on the hull, made up from the matching pieces of planking.

The fiberglass cloth is laid onto the hull in one large sheet.

The epoxy is applied . This stage is when the canoe appears to come alive, as the epoxy mixed with the glass cloth shows of things to come. Three coats of epoxy are brushed on and then scrapped off. The whole process is done in one afternoon, with waiting time to allow the epoxy to set up.

After the epoxy is properly set, the fiberglass is trimmed around the edges of the canoe and the entire surface is sanded again. Say goodbye, temporarily, to the nice finish.

The canoe is free at last from the mold. At his stage it is a very flexible and delicate shell, as there is no supporting structure to give provide any stiffness.