Coated and curing… there’s nothing like the ghost white of a new skin. UV rays interact with the polyurethane coating on skinboats, causing them to yellow over time, which is why I stick to warmer earth tones with my dyed boats. After a summer of paddling, these boats will be more of a cream...
"Canoe build 2: Coated and curing"Continue readingCategory: Building Notes
Canoe build 2: Skins and outwales on
Skins and outwales are on canoe round 2 (aka prototypes 6 and 7, but who’s counting?) Really interested to see how these paddle, and getting closer to a truly scalable rib measurement system. At least one more round of prototypes ahead, a few other variants, and then a final build to film the instructional...
"Canoe build 2: Skins and outwales on"Continue reading
Canoe build 2: Ribbing action shot
Ribbing action shot. Stringers and keel get tied on today, then it’s oil the frames and get them out in this heat to dry. Working with adjustments on multiple variables in this iteration on frames, I already have a new list of changes to make, but it’s worth finishing out these builds to see...
"Canoe build 2: Ribbing action shot"Continue reading
Canoe build 2: Final ribs going in canoe prototype number seven
Final ribs going in canoe prototype number seven. Shape looks good, we'll see how it actually paddles......
Canoe build 2: Second full set of ribs for the day, ready for the burn pile
Second full set of ribs for the day, ready for the burn pile. I'm getting closer to working out the rib length system for the new canoes. Another day, another hundred dollars of really expensive finely crafted firewood....
Canoe build 2: Developing rib length systems
Developing stable reproducible rib length determining systems is the hardest thing I do. Basically the idea is to identify a series of mathematical relationships between the width of the deck and the appropriate hull shape. When this works it means that you can completely rib the canoe perfectly in less than an hour and...
"Canoe build 2: Developing rib length systems"Continue reading
Canoe build 2: Temporary spreaders in place
Day 2, canoe round 2. Temporary spreaders in place, stems on, keel in place temporarily to check rocker. This is how I build, and how I teach: no molds. You can see the mortises lining the underside of the gunwales- ribs will be cut to size, bent to shape and fitted into each mortise....
"Canoe build 2: Temporary spreaders in place"Continue reading
Canoe build 2: Gunwales prepped
Gunwales prepped for canoe build round 2, and an off-the-cuff video on the why and how of laminated gunwales for skinboats posted to the YouTube channel....
Video: Dangerous curves
Dangerous curves. These sexy little cvg Douglas fir foils are exactly the sort of thing that can only lead to trouble.......
Video: Dangerously close to real woodworking
Dangerously close to real woodworking, cutting foils for the new canoe rudder. This was hard but maybe worth it??...
And here are all three solo canoes, complete, unnested
And here are all three solo canoes, complete, unnested, with the removable thwarts in place. From left to right: 10′-6″ long, 25″ wide, 9″ deep, 14lbs, 11′-2″ long, 27.5″ wide, 10″ deep, 16lbs, 30″ wide, 10.5″ deep, 19lbs. There’s so much to say about these designs- you saw the nesting, and I had a...
"And here are all three solo canoes, complete, unnested"Continue reading
Skinned and coated
Skinned and coated. We'll let these sit up and cure for another day, and then get them on the water tomorrow to see how they paddle....
Skinning action shot
Skinning action shot. After the ends are stitched, the skin is wetted down and the sides are stretched and stapled to the gunwales. Here, we're clamping ash strips over the staples. These strips will be screwed down, clamping the skin, and the skin will be cut flush with the top edge....
Gluing wedges on the canoe ends
Gluing wedges on the ends to continue the line of the gunwales. Lots of little details get cleaned up before the skin goes on. New video posting to our YouTube later today showing part 2 of the build and lessons learned....
Finishing touches on the canoe frames today
Canoes are lashed; finishing touches on the frames today and then skin goes on tomorrow. I can already see a hundred changes I want to make to these designs – particularly changes to the stronger locations to better strengthen now and stern. But it’s worth finishing out these boats for some field testing next...
"Finishing touches on the canoe frames today"Continue reading