Homemade canoe outrigger "How-To"?

[Namekogan]

Greetings - I'm brand new to this site & I've a bunch of questions about building an "Ama" (?) for my 16' canoe. I want to use some rigid foam sheets (blue foam ?) & epoxy. I'm thinking of making it 8' long because that's how long the sheets are. The canoe will only be paddled, not sailed.

1.) Does epoxy (West System 105/207) actually stick to blue foam?

2.) Can blue foam + fibreglass cloth + cover paint hold up to high temps? (sunlight on olive-green paint) - I'm in the midwest USA.

3.) I guess I'm asking for help on design parameters - things to consider before building so one doesn't end up with an expensive "backyard lawn ornament". Calculating bouyancy, best shape, building wood 'outrigger-spars', etc.

Thanks to all

[JimD]

Welcome to the forum, Namekogan. With only one sheet of occume plywood you could build a very strong ama. Then glass it or not. For your styrofoam idea is sounds like you might like to research the way homemade surfboards are done. There's probably plenty on the internet if you googled around. Here's a vid to get you started: http://video.aol.com/video-detail/home-made-surfboard/537461820 . To get the ama size and dimensions about right just look around at others who have come before you.

[JimConlin]

West 207 hardener is their clear coating hardener which is more expensive than their general-use hardeners (205 and 206).

[Namekogan]

Gads, who'd a thunk it. A surfboard. Not something we ponder much here in Cow-Land. Thanks, Jim...I think I'm on my way now. Time to clean the bloody garage!

Holy Crum this is great - I also just saw "Related Threads" below.

[Todd Bradshaw]

You'll want to study this:

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/garyd/quikama.html

And while you're at it, you might want to pick up a copy of Gary's book on outrigger canoe building, which is excellent and a great value for the price.

[G. Schollmeier]

Ditto:
Todd beat me to it. Here is a link for the book.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0071487913?tag=outrsailcano-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0071487913&adid=15H4NSPZFSCM7BRYHS4J&

[Pernicious Atavist]

Also see who can help in Canoe Sailing Magazine, http://canoesailingmagazine.com/index.php/RUDDER-FORUM/

[wtarzia]

Yes, ditto on Gary Dierking's book and ama method. I recently built a plywood deep-V ama, which seemed simple enopugh, but by the time I was done I wished I had tried one of Gary's foam and glass types. My ama ended up being nearly as complicated as building a second boat, and the foam and glass method seems a little simpler (also light, giving you the option to add weight if you want). --Wade