Canoe Project 2!

[jon r]

Thats great! thanks! Ive got some upholstery nails which should look pretty nice to secure the webbing to the wood.

 

[jojo]

Here is my work of art Once glued it would be quite strong.

 

[KAE1]

thanks jojo.

 

[jon r]

Im making good progress with the canoe! Ive permenantly glued all the ribs in place and now im starting to permenantly tie all the ribs to the longitudinals where they cross. There are 7 longitudinals and 21 ribs in the canoe this means if i tied every place where the ribs and longitudinals cross i would have to tie in 147 places! Thats a lot of binding material and a lot of knotts! Is it necisarry to tie every place where they cross?

Thanks once again!

Jon

 

[jojo]

If you are tying them individually that's a lot of work!! I'll try to remember how to do a continuous tie by tommorrow. Hang on, for another drawing!!!

 

[jojo]

The vertical bit is the rib, the horizontals are the longitudinal battens. The lashing starts at the bottom of the drawing. The string you use needs to be fairly strong and as far as possible put it on the side of the rib, not between the rib and the canvas and try to avoid on the inside so it less easy to catch and wear out.

 

[jon r]

Thanks for the diagram jojo! You are being very helpfull with my projects! Thankyou!

Ive done loads more to the canoe. Ive tied all the ribs in place to the longitudinals. It took ages! My back is still acheing now from bending over for all that time!

I,ve added floorboards too.

To tie all the ribs and longitudinals i used short sections of tent guyline fibers. It worked really well i think, althoughi couldnt use the continuous tieing technique that you showed me jojo! However that diagram is fantastic and will be great for future reference!

The whole structure of the canoe is really solid now and feels as strong as an ox!

The canvas arrived today although i have still got a lot to do before i fit that!

Ive also been making the seat today. i will post pics of that when its done.

 

[mr dazzler]

I lived in south london at one time (early 80's) for a while just off the old kent road (ambulance station, amery house). We did exhibitions concerts gig's etc. A bloke made a umiak type canoe from pallets and lorry tarpaulin. It was just superb I can still see it now, it was so well made with beautiful lines you wouldnt know it was made of crude material's. He even had the option of putting a mast and sail on it if he wanted to. It was fastened with cut nails and wire and bits of rope out of surrey dock's that he unwound to get thinner cord's. Like a Bill woodrow or tony cragg sculpture that you could actually use! I wish I had a picture of it

You'll have seen Harvey Golden's kayak site have you?

http://www.traditionalkayaks.com/

Cheers Jonathan

 

[jojo]

That look the dog's xxxxx Are you going to use what i call the false gunnels? It would make it look really good, with the raised ends like an indian canoe.

 

[jon r]

Yea, ive seen his website before! His work is truely amazing. I cant beleive how many kayaks he has made!! And all of them are perfect!

 

[jon r]

That look the dog's xxxxx Are you going to use what i call the false gunnels? It would make it look really good, with the raised ends like an indian canoe.

Thanks! and yea thats what im going to do!

When fitting the canvas to you tack it on the inside of the canoe or on the top of the outside edge and then hide the canvas and tacks with a strip of wood? I know its a while till i fit tha canvas but im just interested and planning ahead.

Thanks

 

[spamel]

Will you end up with a visible overlap front and rear aswell? If so, I suppose an extra strip of thin wood over the join as a rubbing strip would hide any seams.

I would love to have a go at making a canoe, but I would have a bit of trouble getting the resources other than shop bought sawn wood, which I think wouldn't have the right feel to it.

 

[jojo]

I think I would probably tack it on the top edge, simply because it probably would be easier to pull the canvas tight and tack it. Then put a strip of wood on top to hide the nails and protect the canvas.

Spamel, I am not sure I agree with you there. Wood is wood, wherever it comes from. At least you would be giving it back more respect for the natural materials you are using by building a canoe and using it, this would have a lot more "spirit" because you are putting so much effort into it. Jusy my opinion, of course

Just thought you could even use bramble for the ribs! Should not be too hard to find!

 

[seany boy]

Jon r,

just wanted to say thanks for posting this, been watching this for a while now and you're doing a cracking job :You_Rock_

Love the way this thread is evolving and the contributions from everyone are great, an example of this forum working at it's best


Thanks guy's

 

[spamel]

Bramble! Surely not! I take it you need to get the really thick stuff, in which case I may give it a try. There is loads of bramble here abouts, I was gonna give cordage a go with it as I haven't tried with bramble before, but the fibres will be really long so less messing about than with nettles.

I saw the lobster pot done with brambles in another thread and may give that a go aswell.

 

[jojo]

I haven't tried it yet, only saw , probably the same lobster pot you did, and just thought : that should work for ribs too! No reason why they shoudn't work, may need a bit of experimenting with the size to see how hard it becomes when drying in the right shape.

I seem to remember that it's been used for making arrow shafts as well. So it's worth trying I think. Plenty of the the things about, they can get very long and the diameter more or less constant. Just get some very good gloves

 

[jojo]

I just had to try this!

A bramble rib, about canoe size, 1/2" diameter for most of the length. Perfect . I think you have to go for old bramble (well, old ish) the new bits are way too soft. I am sure also you could use long lengths for the longitudinals. Once dried in shape it'll be hard as nail. I would still use soft wood for the gunnels, because it's more rigid, chosing them carefully for no knots or only little hard ones. Probably also you could find some inexpensive fabric from market stalls or the like. Does not matter if strippy, once painted you would not see it, at least on the outside

You could build a nice light canoe for next to nothing.

 

[spamel]

Is the bramble green or seasoned?

 

[mr dazzler]

Probably also you could find some inexpensive fabric from market stalls or the like. Does not matter if strippy, once painted you would not see it, at least on the outside

I have often wondered if you could use curtain side for a kayak. Not that I have ever built a frame and skin one, only a chemical fibre glass one over 30 years ago but when I saw Harvey golden's boats the thought ocurred to me. Curtain side is tough waterproof, already coloured and durable (I made ecxellent drum head's from it, it reaches a limit and doesnt stretch or sag any more as far as I can tell) It might even shrink wrap with heat? I dont know

 

[jon r]

Canoe ribs from brambles! Never heard of that before. Im guessing you have to get really thick brambles!!

Jojo, in that pic, is that rib made of bramble?!

Ive been working hard on the canoe again today! Ive made really good progress! Ive made the seat and fitted it too.

Some of you may not like the red colour of the seat but i like it so Im thinking of painting the canoe red when its done so the seat will look inkeeping.