I realize that this subject is on canoes, but the message reflects on all strip build craft.

A gentleman e-mailed me a few weeks ago asking advice on building canoes. He was interested in trying it for him self until he read an article about canoes. And because of the article, (I believe) has decided to purchase a fiberglass canoe instead. Which reads as follows

" "stripper" canoes which are similar to the all-wood canoes of the past, except that the thin planks of cedar are covered with transparent layer sof fiberglass. Though homemade strippers are cheaper than commercial ones, they are still fragile and suitable only for careful paddling in quiet water."

Read the article yourself http://www.canoe.ca/AllAboutCanoes/canoe_types.html

While there is nothing wrong with a fiberglass canoe, it concerns me as to how he can up with this conclusion. Strippers are NOT fragile boats that need to be carefully paddled on the calmest day. They can take an enormous amount of abuse. I think the author of that article simply doesn't know any better. I e-mailed him my concerns.

Any one else have any thing else to add????

Derek http://members.xoom.com/cedarstrip