julie--

I've built three canoes and a bunch of kayaks. I find the Ladder type strong back quite good for canoe building. I suspect it is easier to attach the forms to than any box beam would be. It is easy to make using 2x4's and nails or long sheetrock screws. Use good quality 2x4's for the long legs or the ladder if they are straight is simplifies your work of aligning the forms.

I've had no problem with the strongback sagging when held by two saw-horses. attaching the end forms is alittle tricky but not difficult. I notched the last two station forms to accept the notched end forms like an egg crate.

for kayaks, I use a strongback made from two peices of fir decking laminated with glue or screws to make a stable and straight 2"x4" beam. and proceed as per nicks book. I do one thing differently though. that is to notch the ends of the strongback to hold the end forms for one foot of their length.

> Now that I'm stitching the hull of the Coho for my stepfather's daughter
> (for those of you who remember the discussion from last month-- the
> acetone wash & scraping did remove the epoxy resin he'd put on the
> panels, and the butt joints came out fine)..... my thoughts are turning to
> my 'next project' -- a woodstrip canoe. I'm well supplied with books --
> I've got Nick's book on kayak construction, plus both Canoecraft and
> Kayakcraft by Ted Moores, and Building a Strip Canoe by Gil Gilpatrick.

> I'm wondering about the merits of strongback designs: Gilpatrick shows a
> strongback that is shaped like a ladder (built of 2x6 lumber sides with
> 2x4 "rungs") laid across sawhorses. The other books describe a
> box beam construction from plywood, and you build legs to support it.

> Your thoughts/experiences about which is better? Other designs? Drawbacks?
> Things to look out for? I'm not looking to build the "ultimate
> strongback" (i.e. I'm not looking for one that will become living
> room furniture or convert into a dining table!)-- ease of construction (I
> did NOT take shop in high school), versatility (if I build more boats, I
> only want to build one stongback), and functionality are the key.

> Thanks --

> Julie