Bob Brown and a group of informally recruited volunteers wire-tied 3 or 4 plywood panels into the rough shape of a canoe in what appeared to be a matter of minutes.
Typical construction begins with curved panels carefully cut out of thin, marine grade plywood.
Many designs are built without the aid of forms or molds, although some use temporary forms during assembly, and others incorporate form components into permanent bulkheads or reinforcing members. One company went to great lengths in their literature to assure potential buyers that their boats were not tortured. Of course, boat builders are not without their opinions, and few are reluctant to share them. When forming these curves with narrow pieces of cedar, as in MCA strip construction, the many joints between strips help the pieces to conform to the hull shape with a minimum of twisting, allowing the use of regular wood glue and light clamping pressure. As the width of strips or panels increase relative to the radius and complexity of the curves, increased clamping pressure and glue strength is required to make flat pieces conform to the desired hull shape.