Is there anything I can put on the bottom of a homemade wooden canoe that can increase its bouyancy/floating?

Question

Right now it can hold 2 very light people. I want to be able to have 2 average people in it with out it sinking too much. Is there anything I can put on it to help out?

Answer 1

Try some light plexy glass and/or fiberglass.

Answer 2

Briefly, no.  There is nothing physically magic about a boat. A boat only floats when it displaces an amount of water equal to its total weight, passengers included. Fresh water weighs about 62 lbs. per cubic foot. Salt water is somewhat heavier, but not enough to make a drastic difference in how high your boat will float.

Answer 3

I would not try to do anything to the canoe, I would buy a bigger one.

Answer 4

add a layer of Styrofoam , add some air tight chambers, fiberglass them to the bottom of the craft

Answer 5

Sounds like you need a bigger canoe.  You would have to increase the size, width and or length.

Answer 6

Nope. You need to make a bigger one.