Outrigger Canoe Accomodation

Traditionally, shelter onboard a Pacific canoe consisted of no more than a light, thatched tent structure. narrow hulls made it difficult to sleep inside the hull, but the warm climate allowed sleeping on the deck while being sheltered from spray by the thatched structure. Most modern builders do not live in a tropical climate (although they certainly dream of it), and I often get requests for a design with a cabin or tent structure to make cruising more comfortable. This has been done successfully by others, but I prefer to specialize in lightweight canoes that can still be dragged up a beach by one person. It’s very hard to make a cabin look like it belongs on an outrigger unless it has only sitting headroom.