Redbird

[Patricks Dad]

no way!

[doe4rae]

... The very first time I saw the Redbird design I thought it was the most beautiful canoe ever designed. I still prefer it over all others I've seen for eye appeal. I let myself be talked out of that design because of the stability factor and I consider myself a fairly experienced paddler. So I decided on the "Cottage Cruiser" plan instead. As soon as I had made that decision I found a post on the forum by another builder that had said the Cottage Cruiser felt "tippy"! So when it came right down to it -- the design I had to choose was the one that I could get out of my basement (the cottage cruiser is 2 feet shorter than the Redbird). It is still a very attractive design and probably a little less challenging to build for someone who has no woodworking experience. The recurve in the bow and stern of the Redbird is pretty dramatic and I wasn't sure I could handle that aspect of the build. All that being said, I think that no matter what design you pick the things that should be priority in influencing the decision should be: your building space, the appeal of the lines of the canoe (aesthetics) and then stability. Those are just my priorities. I really think that no matter what canoe you build, if it is built well, there are things you will be able to do to get 'comfortable' in it. Of course I haven't put mine on the water yet.