Look forward to seeing the cleat application. I am also pleased to see the "Beefed Up" application. There are options and weight savings to boot!
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Happy National Blueberry Pie Day! 🫐🥧
My First Canoe Build
- Thread starter dcloots
- Start date
Look forward to seeing the cleat application. I am also pleased to see the "Beefed Up" application. There are options and weight savings to boot!
Wow! Looks great on the inside DC. Good job!
When I sat in the front of my Madriver 15,6 I felt like I just didn't have enough foot room. When I go solo I sit in the bow seat facing back. So when I made new seats for it, I positioned the bow seat a little further back. This gave more room for the bow paddler, and put me a little closer to center when I go solo. I moved it back 10 inches. It doesn't seem to effect the performance or anything.
When I sat in the front of my Madriver 15,6 I felt like I just didn't have enough foot room. When I go solo I sit in the bow seat facing back. So when I made new seats for it, I positioned the bow seat a little further back. This gave more room for the bow paddler, and put me a little closer to center when I go solo. I moved it back 10 inches. It doesn't seem to effect the performance or anything.
Gil's book calls out 40-45" from the bow and stern placement for the seats. I too paddle from the bow seat in my Mad River 14' Tahoe. The beam on that boat alone is 4 inches wider than the Wabnaki. I am looking closely at leg room to the carrying yoke and will most certainly be moving the seat to approx 47" minimum. I do like to have plenty of leg room as there are times where I like to straighten my legs out for a good stretch and any more than that than I think I may compromise my comfort level. I am 6'2" and my knees will lock up pretty good over time. Straightening the legs is critical for me. College sports didn't help the fact that my knees lock up sometimes like they do.
I like the curved seats like Jim Dodds and that last picture of Cruiser's. The first seat i made I bombed miserably. I used Black Ash that was from a tree in my neighbor's yard, and I got it a bit to thin in center. White Ash is more sturdy, I can't think of the proper terminology, but Black Ash is more brittle. I ended up making the seats out of cherry, and sometimes I question if I made them to thin.
Attachments
Here is my latest video. https://youtu.be/sk0J3j0nWqU
Carrying Yoke build, Gunwale install and Canoe deck install.
Carrying Yoke build, Gunwale install and Canoe deck install.
That looks excellent! You made that look smooth going.
Nice job DC
Taking on the Mighty St. John river with my Father next week. Then a couple weeks off which should give me plenty of time to finish up the canoe. The Wabnaki will be making its maiden voyage on a solo trip in Northern Maine. Probably a 5 or 6 day solo trip depending on what mother nature throws at me.
Aw back at it. I have trouble believing epoxied attachments can hold that much weight. I don't doubt Cruiser's work, but that is really something. Have you decided on the seat constructions? Glad you had a great trip.
I'm sure if the hole is drilled close to the seam of the extension, maybe into the gunnel edge, you will be fine.
Jim
I had a gunwale disaster over the weekend! While poling, I fell/sat hard right in my seat and split one inwale. It epoxied back together fine but I think If I were doing it again, I'd make a little extra thickness under the gunwale.
Yes, I build two seats for a tandem. I positioned the bow seat more towards the center of the boat approx 55 inches from the stem to assist with solo paddling when used as a solo. The stern seat is positioned somewhat normally approx 38" from the stern stem. I decided on webbing vice cane for the seats. I will be webbing the seats with a brown webbing. I thought this would blend much better than the sharp contrast than the typical black webbing.
We had a great trip Roybrew. Planning on another run next year!
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Jim, I will be drilling approx 1/8" into the gunnel edge. Epoxy never fails to amaze me but the true test will indeed be when I sit my 240lb frame on the seats for days on end.
Alsg, did you screw or glue your gunwales. I do not remember. Glad you got her all patched up and back in action.
Since I am active here on the board, quick question for those that have webbed seats in the past. My seats are 1 1/2" x 3/4", mortised and tenon construction and of course epoxy glued. The wood is ash and I will need to staple the webbing to seats. I intend to use stainless steel staples but not sure of the size. I do not have a pneumatic stapler so who would like to offer some advice on the best attachment method for the webbing for the seats? I am all ears.
Basic idea is that glue joints are stronger than the surrounding wood, Epoxy is stronger than wood glue .... so an epoxied joint will be stronger than the surrounding wood .... the wood will break long before the joint does. I think SG posted his testing of a cleated joint and at 300#s the wood broke, not the joint.
I used 3/8" gunnels on my Freedom 17, and added 1/4" addins for the seats and thwarts, it has been on a few trips now and nothing has let go ... you can them here near the bottom of the page http://buildersforum.bearmountainboats.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2244&start=15
Brian
Brian, i didn't mean any insult in any way. This epoxy work is all new to me.
Screwed. And the split exposed 2 of them. But I'm happy to report that there was no discoloration or evidence of rot. It was strictly a matter of a 200-plus pound weight (me) dropping from several feet onto the seat.
Now about seat placement... I see you are planning on putting the bow seat about 55" from the bow. I think that's a good idea. I used Gilpatrick's recommendation, which is 48" from the bow, and I have always regretted it. It was too close to the bow when tandem for the bow paddler who had no storage space up front of him/her and when paddled solo backwards from the bow seat, it was too far from the center to make a good solo paddling position!
After repairing my gunnel I had the option to put the seat back in its original spot. I have no doubt that the epoxy repaired gunnel is as strong as ever and would be fine. But since I was never happy with my bow seat placement I have decided to rehang my bow seat closer to center. (This will necessitate building a new seat that is wide enough to hang from that position).
During research I came across this schematic of a Chestnut Pal, which has very, very similar dimensions to Gilpatrick's Wabnaki -- the canoe I built and that you are building. Notice the bow seat placement! 58" back from the tip of the bow! 28.5" from center. Now, the Pal's seats are only 9.5" deep as shown in this schematic and the Wabnaki seats are 15" deep (if you build to Gilpatrick's specs. So your proposed 55" placement from the bow should put the back edge of the bow seat 2.5" inches closer to the center at around 26" (close is better for solo paddling) while still giving ample leg and gear room in front of the bow paddler.
Our own Robin solo paddled a Pal for years, I believe, and I would be interested in hearing his views on bow seat position for the Pal.
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