The Strip Building Process

Strip building is one of the truly traditional approachs to boat building. Today is has just been updated with contemporary polymers and glass filaments to provide abrasion resistance. It is one of the best methods to build a small one off round bilge hulls.

The strip built hull begins with a series of forms created by offsets of the boats dimensions at stations ranging from 12 to 18” the length of the boat. The forms are lofted, cut out and mounted on a strong back. Stems are made for the bow and stern for the thin strips to land and align. No special plank patterns are created, just many thin strips of cedar that are edge glued to create the hull shape. It is not exceedingly difficult. It is meticulous and time intensive. Strips need to be fastened to one another edgewise and end to end in the case of short strips. Extensive bevels are needed as one gets closer to finishing the hull where the plank ends meet.

Strips ideally are milled to consistent and exacting dimensions and it can take some time to get the set-up for ripping the boards “Right-on.” Often strips are further milled with a bead and cove to create a simplified edge to edge join. Others simply choose to hand bevel strips as they go to conform to the ever changing angles the strips are glued. Because of the thinness of the strips relative to the thickness of the table saw blade followed by routing, as much as 1/3 to 1/2 half of the wood is turned to sawdust so there is plenty of waste wood. Each strip will need beveling and gluing. Cedar often has knots and the long strips are created by scarfing or butt joining strips to get the full length required.

Strip builders have a right to be proud of their boats, as there’s a lot of work involved. Strip-planking has proven as strong as any hull, depending on design and materials used.

The method is ideal for canoes, kayaks, row boats and sailboats.

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