Outrigger canoe and kit for making the same

Abstract

The invention provides a kit for constructing a boat, such as an outrigger canoe, which a user can build into a complete outrigger canoe. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the kit can include a plurality of precut wooden panels, wooden spars, metal hardware, composite parts, manufactured parts, fiberglass, epoxy, and a set of directions.

1 . A kit for building an outrigger canoe, the kit comprising: 
 a) a plurality of preformed pieces for forming a main hull of an outrigger canoe; and    b) a plurality of pieces for forming an outrigger pontoon.    
   
   
       2 . The outrigger canoe kit of  claim 1 , wherein the pieces are formed at least in part from wood.  
   
   
       3 . The outrigger canoe kit of  claim 1 , further comprising cross sectional bracing members.  
   
   
       4 . The outrigger canoe kit of  claim 1 , further comprising wooden spars.  
   
   
       5 . The outrigger canoe kit of  claim 1 , further comprising epoxy for assembling and treating the components and composite fabric for reinforcing the components.  
   
   
       6 . The outrigger canoe kit of  claim 1 , further comprising hatches for permitting access into the hull of a boat constructed from the kit.  
   
   
       7 . The outrigger canoe kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a rudder for steering a boat made from the kit.  
   
   
       8 . The outrigger canoe kit of  claim 7 , further comprising foot pedals for steering the rudder.  
   
   
       9 . The outrigger canoe kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a seat.  
   
   
       10 . The outrigger canoe kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a paddle.  
   
   
       11 . The outrigger canoe kit of  claim 1 , further comprising manufactured crossbeams to connect a hull of the canoe made from the kit to a pontoon made from the kit.  
   
   
       12 . A method of building an outrigger canoe hull from an outrigger canoe kit, the method comprising: 
 a) providing a plurality of preformed pieces for forming a main hull of an outrigger canoe;    b) applying adhesive to the preformed pieces and arranging the pieces to form substantially flat sides of the hull, wherein none of the pieces are as long as a boat made from the kit;    c) constructing a keel of the hull by attaching the sides of the hull along a bottom of the sides; and    d) attaching a deck to the top of the sides.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a) pulling the sides of the hull away from the centerline; and    b) wrapping the hull with at least one elongate member to shape the hull.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the boat is constructed using stitch and glue construction techniques.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising constructing a pontoon from a plurality of pieces of wood.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising attaching the pontoon to the hull with at least one crossbeam.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one crossbeam is attached to the hull and the pontoon by way of a removable connection.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the removable connection includes bolts.  
   
   
       19 . A method of building an outrigger canoe hull from an outrigger canoe kit, the method comprising: 
 a) making a canoe-shaped form;    b) attaching strips of wood to the form along a length of the form;    c) gluing adjacent strips to each other along the form;    d) removing the glued strips from the form together as formed hull.    
   
   
       20 . An outrigger canoe formed according to the method of  claim 12.