Free Plans - Coast Salish Style Canoe

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The Coast Salish Style Canoe appears on page eight of Leslie Lincoln’s Coast Salish Canoes. Lincoln writes that it’s the classic style and is housed at the Vancouver Centennial Museum, Vancouver, B.C. The boat measures over 27 feet making it as long as most voyager canoes. Lincoln also notes that the Coast Salish style canoes evolved for use in inland seas. This canoe features an interesting flare along the sheerline. The design works to keep the craft from shipping waves while maintaining a narrow hull for speed. It’s reflected in the bow; where, as Lincoln notes, the upper edge flares to keep out waves, but the lower, narrower section cuts through waves with its fine entry. The cutwater on this boat as shown in the linesplans extends lower than the keel. This increased tracking and helped the canoe travel silently for hunting. Lincoln divides Coast Salish Style Canoes into two categories. The first is freighter canoes that measured up to 40 feet, and the second is hunting style canoes. This canoe falls into the second category.

On a modeling and personal note, this canoe is the penultimate model. One more canoe and I’ve completed my winter project of producing a free canoe or kayak plan each week all winter long. When finished, I’ll have modeled 25 boats. And the plans, designed for cedar strip building, are all free—as in free beer. It is a relief to be so close to finishing this project. I’ll have about five to six extra hours of free time a week after next Friday!

Specifications

Length: 27 feet 6 inches
Width: 3 feet 7 inches
Draft: 8.4 inches
Displacement: 1000 lbs.

Linesplans

Recommended Canoe Building Books to Buy Before Building

The free canoe plans provided are the plan drawings of the canoe. If you want to build from the drawings, you will need instructions. The following books provide great instructions for building.

Canoecraft: An Illustrated Guide to Fine Woodstrip Construction The gold standard for cedar canoe builders. Use this book with the provided free plans and you’ll end up with a great canoe.

Building a Strip Canoe by Gil Gilpatrick A great cedar canoe building book that explains excellent shortcuts.

Strip Built Canoe: How to build a beautiful, lightweight, cedar strip canoe Well written and easy to follow. Every builder should own this.

Canoe Paddles: A Complete Guide to Making Your Own Paddle building techniques included with canoe and kayak building books are typically crude. Follow the directions in this book and end up with a beautiful and functional paddle to go along with your canoe or kayak.