Merlin - She's WET!!!

[Pogo]

Yep, that's the cue to shout me down, good job, right on schedule. In the meantime, a guy recently built an 80 lb pirogue and then sold it because it was too heavy. The only reason we know it to be a fact is because he had the backbone to talk about it as openly as if it had been a total success, pretty admirable.

I'm not worried about Toby here, I've already seen what he can do. But I cringe to think of how many S.S. Dust Collector barges get built every year that nobody will ever see or hear about.

[TexaRican]

I'll chime in. To me and for the kind of paddling I do, the weight only matters when the boat is out of the water. I'm taking my kid 10 or 15 miles up a bayou, I'd rather have a boat that won't take on water the first time we hit a stump.

BTW - it was 75lbs and I think I broke even when I sold it

[bowgarguide]

Pogo
You just dont get it do you, if you had made the statement you did and added for my use to it, I would have no problem with that at all, but to make a blanket statement that all solo boats should be under 50 lb pounds
I have a problem with that, you have no expertise in river running or the kind of use I have for a boat tripping and fishing so your weight limits are sure not going to be regulate how my boats are built. I dont have a problem with your boat weights being ideal for your usage ,but I dont try to ram my criteria for a boat down your throat and your blanket statements come off as telling everyone that is the limit for that style boat and that is bs.
I didnt shout you down ,I notice you went off on a tangent but didnt answer the statements I made about my boats.
Come up here and make a three day trip with me then we will look at the boats and see which one fairs the best,opps I forgot you dont do contest you just tell us how to do it.
Oh bye the way I have an 80 lb boat ,my first one, that is going out this weekend.

Ron

[bowgarguide]

I am going to add this and then shut up
There have been several statement on here about light boats, I dont have a problem with light at all as long as they are heavy enough to not leave you stranded or need a lot of repair.
I have had it ramed down my throat that light was better faster the holy grail and that I dont agree with.
Last year I went on a trip with a couple guys,one was paddling a s@g 14 ft canoe that weighed 30 lbs, he builds them light because of heart problems and a weight restriction.
The other gentleman was paddlina 14 ft bell that was 29 lbs ,a 2500.00
dollar boat ,now I am in my T-V loaded total load around 500 lbs ,they were loaded much lighter. They had to be very careful and did have some minor damage to there boats, I was running rapids they were lining and had no damage . Later that day we hit a high head wind ,they could not make it and had to get out and line there boats ,i was just trucking right along no problem. So on that trip the lightnes was a
negitive not a positive, now in the five minutes it took to load the boats they had the advantage,in the three days on the river my heavier boat wore them out.
To sum this up build to suit your own needs and usage ,dont be governed bye one persons opion are blanket statements.
Oh the guy that built the 30 lb s@g is the only guy I know that has 50 or better boats under his belt like Gerald does.
Ron

[Dogpaddlin]

I am I gonna have to come sit between the two of you?

[bowgarguide]

Toby
Sorry for jacking your thread ,your boat looks great.
Ron

[Pogo]

Well, I'm not about to read any of that, just more shouting me down. I won't be run off, though. Only wanted to say sorry about that, Toby. I never have problems on any other forum I'm on, only this one......

[bowgarguide]

Pogo
I dont want to see you leave. I wouldn't have anybody to pic on
You make a statement like you did that covers all solo boats I am going to disagree with you ,lets folks see both sides of the coin.
Ron

[Dogpaddlin]

I have been meaning to post this for some time now, I guess there is no time like the present. I have been using Titebond II for darkwoods. I found it at Lowe's after I started stripping the hull. I am hoping it will help hide my some of my sloppier bevels.


Here is a shot of the glue after it has dried. I think it will blend very well with the dark colored cedar after it has a coat of epoxy on it. The top glue line is the Titebond II for dark woods and the bottom line is original Titebond II.


One other thing I have done, I ran the strips down past the forms one full strip. I did this so when I start sanding I won't be as likely to round over the edges of the sheer line.


I needed a longer white strip for the pinstripe but I did not want a highly visible joint so I used a scarf joint to make it. For all other joints I have used a simple 45 degree miter for all other joints on the hull. I am using a random pattern for the strips and I wanted clearly defined lines between each strip.


Now on to the pin stripe on the bottom...

Ran the strips up the side of the hull as high as I could before starting the pin stripe:


Started laying out the pin stripe:


Finished laying out the stripe and put the first two strips in the small sections to help hold everything in place:


Installed the first two strips in the middle section:


Close up of the intersections:



I am hoping that I will be able to finish the hull this month and fiberglass it next month.

[Light Keeper's Kid]

I have to say I'm blown away by your workmanship Thanks for the glue tip

Mike

[Pogo]

Well, see there? I keep telling you there's nothing to it, but nobody ever believes me.

[bowgarguide]

I think you are really going to have an awesome boat when you finish this one.
Ron

[gerald]

There you go! And see, I learn something new every day. I didn't know they had a darker glue. Just another tool to use when we need it. Canoes are particularly satisfying to build. Easy stripping--though the pin striping makes it a bit tedious--open and easy to work on, good designs, and they look great when finished. I think you're going to like this boat. You do good work.

[Phishtech]

Dang, Dude, that is some awsome work you got there. Great job and can't wait to see the finished product. I got the free plans like you did and turned them over to our Autocad guru who plotted them out full size for me. Got a full set now at home waiting on me to bite the bullet. Again, great work.

[bowgarguide]

I have a question, I think the pin striping is an awesome look. But do you lose strength on the bottom of the boat with all those fits.
THIS IS NOT A CRITICISM IT IS A LEGIT QUESTION.
Ron

[Dogpaddlin]

I am no expert, we will have to wait for Pogo or Gerald for an educated answer, but my understanding is the real strength comes from the fiberglass.

[bowgarguide]

Toby
I figure your right ,but you know me I had to ask
Again awesome work.
Ron

[gerald]

I have a question, I think the pin striping is an awesome look. But do you lose strength on the bottom of the boat with all those fits.
THIS IS NOT A CRITICISM IT IS A LEGIT QUESTION.
Ron

No. You do not lose any strength at all. The wood is simply a core. The strength comes from stiffening the outside edge--which is done with the epoxy/fiberglass.

[bowgarguide]

Thanks .
Ron

[Willy]

Do you have any close-ups of the transition at bow and stern from vertical strips to horizontal strips? Are you planning on an external stem? I am building this same canoe and I'm about five strips behind you and can't work on it until October but was struggling with this step when I had to leave it for a while. Your work is very nice. Enjoying the build.

Thanks,
Will

[Dogpaddlin]

Will,

I will look and see if I have any close-ups of the transition (I am sure I do, if not I will take a few for you). I stressed over the same thing as I was working up to the transition. You will find it is not as difficult as you think. Good luck, and post a few pictures when you get a chance

[Dogpaddlin]

Do you have any close-ups of the transition at bow and stern from vertical strips to horizontal strips? Are you planning on an external stem? I am building this same canoe and I'm about five strips behind you and can't work on it until October but was struggling with this step when I had to leave it for a while. Your work is very nice. Enjoying the build.

Thanks,
Will

Here are a few pictures of how I did it. Once I started the transition I simply ran one strip out past the end of the boat and then marked and cut the other strip to fit. I also temporarily installed a cleat to give me a place to clamp since it is really hard to use tape in such tight quarters.

One other thing I learned the hard way, if you have to plane any material from the mid section of the boat make sure you remove the same amount of material from the ends as well. When I was stripping mine I figured that since the bow and stern areas were relatively flat but the mid section was not, I only needed to plane material off the midsection and not off the ends. As I moved moved closer to the 3" waterline I found that I had nearly on inch of difference between the bow/stern and midsection. This caused me to have to really force the strips into place in the midsection. I wish I had pictures, it would probably make more sense.

[Birke]

On my tub, I used the herringbone pattern on the bottom, and found it easy to do and quite pleasing to the eye....


Overview...


Close up.....


Stem added....


Shaped and glassed....

[bowgarguide]

Birke
Is understating his canoe with the statement ,pleasing to the eye, his boat is one of the prettiest I have seen.
Ron

[Dogpaddlin]

Birke
Is understating his canoe with the statement ,pleasing to the eye, his boat is one of the prettiest I have seen.
Ron

X2, Glad to see you are still around