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This message came to me a couple of weeks after I sent Poncho a copy of the
pattern for the ultra light canoe hull. I was amazed that he had gotten so far
so quickly. It's taken me over a year to build my canoe!
Anyway please read about his canoe (hopefully pictures will be here sometime soon so I can post them on this web site).
Date:
Mon, 22 Jan 2001 06:42:39 -0500
Subject:
Canoe
Hi Grant,
Sorry to have not updated you. I've become so engrossed in the canoe
building I've almost become lost.
To start:
The canoe is within spitting distance to being completed. Too bad the
creeks are frozen.
A few things I've found.
Quarter inch luan plywood works without steaming. A little tearing in
the outer shell was noticed between the junction of seam 1 and 2. It
was easily covered with fiberglass and resin.
Sewing: I started out using 22 ga galvanized wite at a uniform 2 inch
spacing. This was overkill. two inches are necessary for seam 1 and
junctions with this seam on 2, 3, & 4. Along the straighter stretches
of those other seams, stitches every five or six inches are adequate.
Also baling wire, also known as binding wire is preferable. Its
cheaper, larger gauge (18), softer (mild iron), and can be sanded flush
with a belt sander.
Fiberglass and resin: I bit the bullet and used West system epoxy.
Its
less offensive than polyurethane resins. It's drawbacks are expense
and
slow curing time. The fiberglass I'm using is mat I purchased from a
local boat shop. That was another non critical mistake. Four inch
wide
woven tape is available, next time I'll use tape. I taped both sides
of
long chine. I double taped the prows. The ends of seam one end up
with three plies of fiberglass and resin on the outside and two on the
inside.
Structural:. I included two plywood bulkheads into the canoe. Each
bulkhead is three feet back from the stems. At the gunwales these
bulkhead battens provide for a 16" beam at those sections. A small
triangle at the bottom of these bulkheads protects and hides the
junction of all the seams on the hull from the inside. I sprayed
expanding foam inside the prow volumes to provide strength and
floatation (if that's necessary with a wood boat).
I also staggered the side and bottom panels when I joined the two boat
haves together. I think it would be handier if the panels were scarfed
and joined prior to sewing. When I build the next boat, I'll try that.
Accruements: I stumbled onto six 12' white oak battens 1/2" by 2".
Two
were used for the outwales. Another two were cut into four five foot
sections and used on the inside bottom of the floor, both to
structurally bind the two boat halves and to provide some hull
stiffness along the hull. In retrospect this is probably overkill, the
hull seemed to have had sufficient stiffness without these battens, but
they also provide a place to keep shipped water to slosh without
becoming a nuisance.
I then used the other two strips to make and attach the seat. I always
wanted a solo canoe with a continuously adjustable seat, so I built a
track and a seat truss. Then, before I drilled holes to mount the seat
to the boat, stumbled onto a set of skateboard wheel bearings and hit
upon an idea of making a sliding seat. That way I wouldn't have to
lean
forward to reach the cooler and provides for turbocharged paddling on
flatwater..
Left to Do: Sand, sand, and sand. I have to do the final finish. I
also would like to band the keel line from stem to stern with metal.
I'm thinking of using 1/2" hard copper pipe after I split it open from
lengthwise. I'll attach the flattened pipe using construction adhesive
and screws. Then I'll coat the edges with resin.
Additional Notes:
The boat could be lighter but I'm building it for creeks. It's bottom
will be dragged across rocks. It weighs about 60 lb.. It about 14 1/2
feet long. It has very little rocker and the stems are very sharp.
Using less taping, I think the resin use would be significantly
reduced. To about a gallon. Additionally with the hard chines and
the shallow vee bottom, it would make an outstanding sailing canoe.
I'll be sending you some pictures.
Poncho
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