canoe

[DKW]

Fair point, well presented. I understand that flat bottoms sit very high in the water so the chances of contact with underwater stuff "should" be reduced, as for dropping heavy stuff in I don't suppose it will be worse than a skinned canoe, but not as as good maybe as a solid fibreglass one.

In truth I don't know because this is the first canoe I have ever built and my experiance is limited to kyaks.

Its not to put something down, far from it. I do have much experience with canoeing but never did build one, nor have i been out in a flatbottomed one, so i am interested in hearing how the flatbottomed canoe will last.

In Denmark we mainly have shallow rivers, with loads of treestumps and whatnot just underneath the surface of the water, and i have cracked open an aluminium canoe on one of those, so basically anything can be sunk in this manner.

However what is a concern about the shape (flatbottom vs. standard "bowl" shape) is the fysics. A bowllike shape will withstand pressure greater than a flat shape. No new wisdom there.
So if you take a canoe with flat sides and a flat bottom, wouldn't that increase the risk of failure tremendously?

Just my thoughts. I will look forward in seeing the end result, and hopefully a little review in time?

 

[jojo]

I thought you may like to see one of these in action:

With 4 people on board

Added flotation compartment/seat. I had also added 2 flotation compartments in the ends.

It is a good, quite stable little canoe, but I would really only use it on quiet waters. Because little kiddies were on board, some extra "flotation" were added to the gunnels, in the form of copper pipe lagging.

 

[sapper1]

Excellent build Jojo,I hope mine turns out half as good.

 

[rigger_john]

I thought you may like to see one of these in action:
.

I noticed you have put the rub rails on the inside there. I thought from looking at the plans they would be on the outside.

Is it a choice thing or are they supposed to be on a particular side?

 

[jojo]

I noticed you have put the rub rails on the inside there. I thought from looking at the plans they would be on the outside.

Is it a choice thing or are they supposed to be on a particular side?

If I remember correctly the people who bought it (they are on the pic) wanted something as cheap as possible. So I used ply from the local DIY and soft pine. I think I put it on the inside because the softwood is slightly stronger on compression than tension and made the sides of the canoe somewhat stiffer. At least that was the theory behind it. I made others to the same pattern, and used Oak and Ash for the gunnels, and I think it was then on the outside. Mind you, you can put it on both sides too, sandwiching the ply!

This one was built of much better material, marine ply, Outside Oak gunnels and thwarts, marine paint and varnish. And the seat was proper canned

Another cheap one, with gunnels on the inside, sold on Ebay. You can see the flotation forward.

 

[jojo]

I know some people use and are happy with polyester resin, but I would not personally use it to glue my canoes together. It does not stick well to wood. Much better to use some epoxy, you're sure then your canoe will stay together after it go wet!

If you don't have "proper" wood flour, use sawdust. I have even used flour mixed with white glue to make a filler!

 

[Road Runner]

I built mine last year and I started a website at http://www.geocities.com/cajun_moon2003/
Hope you find it usefull

 

[rigger_john]

I built mine last year and I started a website at http://www.geocities.com/cajun_moon2003/
Hope you find it usefull

Nice job!

 

[wasteoid]

I built mine last year and I started a website at http://www.geocities.com/cajun_moon2003/
Hope you find it usefull

Hi how did you get on with your canoe on the water?

Chris

 

[Stevcho]

Has he been on the water all this time ?
But nice job on the canoe.
Makes my Coleman Canoe look like a toy boat.