[.ca] Featherweight Boatbuilding (ISBN 0937822396)

It is a jewel:
This book is both inspirational and practical. The plans and procedures are as detailed as you would like, and the methods described can be applied to other projects as well. The author's personality really comes through. After reading this book, I really want to build this canoe. The only question is how do I explain to my wife why I am building a one-seater?

I built this boat!:
I would, with out hesitation, recommend this book. Mac does a very good job of relating all the information needed to build this head-turning canoe. Although I built this canoe in just five weeks, Mac provides encouragement and inspiration along the way to keep your motivation high to the end. I built the 12 foot Wee Lassie and have been in that canoe many, many times in the past two years (and caught many fish in her, too!) The only "hard" part of the process was ripping, beading and coving the strips. The actual boatbuilding part was a pleasure. Build one and you'll be yearning to build another... I am! ...

Good book but not enough details:
This book is great to get you excited about building a canoe. The basics are all there but there are details that are missing that would be helpful. It is definitely worth having in your library before you start your first canoe.

Best book for concise specifics:
Along with the author's heartfelt love for canoeing, this book contains kernels of experience and information not found in any other book on strip-built craft. His detail on wood selection and milling, and stripping methods are worth five times the price of the book. I am using this book as my guide for building larger boats using his methods. Buy it.

Add it to your collection:
If you are thinking about making a strip canoe this is a great book to have. But I don't think it is the only one you'll need to embark on the project. It has some useful tips you may not find elsewhere and gives another perspective on how-to-do-it; but it is a slightly featherweight book padded with some extraneous diversions into the joys of canoeing the rivers of Florida, Adirondaks, etc. It attempts to be a complete guide and includes information on paddle making and sailing rigs, as well as plans. It is worth getting but, if you're inexperienced in the techniques, be prepared to add another book, eg. "Canoecraft" by Ted Moores, for the full picture.