Breeze

“Breeze” is a 10′ (3m) double paddle canoe. Two sheets of plywood needed. Stitch and glue construction using 3″(75mm) fiberglass tape in epoxy for all seams inside and out. The deciding factors when designing the boat were mostly the same as with all my designs - seaworthiness and lightweight. “Breeze” weighs 33lb (13kg) if made of 1/4″ (6mm) pine plywood available at any Home Depot. If she is made of Okoume, that weight could be reduced even more. Easy transportation, storage and inexpensive to build were the other things which dictated the development of the design. With most people's busy schedules nowadays, lightweight and ease of transportation are crucial about how much actual use the boat will get. “Breeze” is always available for a quick paddle after work to relax and clear your head. This time around I decided to add one more factor — speed. It is fun, especially for the younger generation. In order to achieve this the hull had to be more streamlined. “Breeze” has the narrowest beam of all my designs. She feels a bit tender initially. Once the secondary stability (provided by the bilge panels) kicks in, “Breeze” is like any other canoe or kayak out there. As she picks up speed the feeling of stability and comfort increases even more. There is enough plywood left on the second sheet to make and install buoyancy chambers at both ends. The long skeg provides really good tracking. Backrest frame acts as a mid frame (kind of) too. For a seat I use a simple foam cushion but a more comfy and sophisticated seat can be installed. The entire hull is coated with epoxy inside and out which greatly increases the life of the boat. “Breeze” is a very suitable project for a first time boat builder. Nesting of all components of the boat is shown on the plans to make best use of the two sheets of plywood. It’s hard to tell how many hours it takes to build her. It all depends on the builder’s skills, experience and level of finish. I never keep track of this anyways. Last but not least she doesn’t cost much to build — about $400 CAD (2023). Overall I am very happy how she turned out. Me and my son have been using the boat on the local lakes for the past few weeks. Pure joy and fun. Here is the bill of materials:

• Exterior grade plywood 4x8′ (1220x2440mm), 1/4″(6mm) thick - 2 sheets;
• Fiberglass tape 3″ (75 mm) wide by 6 oz. (200 gr/sq.m) – 32 yards (30 m);
• Epoxy resin – 1/2 gallon (around 2 liters) plus hardener;
• Others – bread flour, chip brushes, rollers, fairing compound or filler, paint, sandpaper;

Plans package consists of 3 pages of drawings (metric or imperial) and 40 pages of instructions with a lot of photos. After payment is processed you will receive an e-mail with two PDF attachments—drawing and work instruction. Plans in imperial units are set up to print on letter size paper at the convenience of your home printer. Metric plans are set up to print on A4 size paper. Technical support is available 24/7 by e-mail.