The Loon Works canoe

[Sdrew22]

Hello, I recently discovered one of Tom's boats up in ME. I could not resist and it is now in my possession. I can not find a lot of information on his boats. I would love to know the specifications for this canoe. Specifically the capacities and materials used. I believe Tom used Dacron for his builds. I am not familiar with this material. The model I found is the "Nakoma" and it feels like plastic rather than cloth. Any experts out there? Any help would be appreciated.

My first canoe was a Curtis Ladybug(Kevlar). I am assuming the specs would be similar?

 

[Boatman53]

Yes the fabric he used was heat shrink Dacron called Ceconite. You are a lucky person indeed.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

According to Charlie Wilson's compare sheet, the Nakoma is 13' long, 11.75" center depth, 28" beam (at max or at gunwales is unclear), 3" symmetrical rocker, and about 35 lbs. Of course, since you have the canoe, you can just measure yourself to confirm these dimensions.

I'm interested in Tom's and Alex Comb's Dacron canoes, too. What color is it? Is the seat a full seat or a half (kneeling) seat? The thumbnail photos don't enlarge and I can't see details.

 

[Sdrew22]

Thanks for the replies! I am aware of the dimensions. I am curious about capacities. The color is Violet and it is equipped with a kneeling thwart (half seat).

Now I just have to wait for the thaw. Two long months away.

 

[yellowcanoe]

While both the Nakoma and the Lady Bug were David Yost designs they are not the same. Lady Bug has a slightly skegged stern for touring. I wonder where you got the boat I may know the prior owner. Violet was not a usual Tom color but he did make that for my friend. She lives in Maine. It is a Dacron skin. I have the same boat in another color and after 25 years there is no checking of paint.. He usually used Pettit marine enamel.
Capacity: from similar volume canoes is about 170-250 lbs. Mine does way better at 170. 250 its a log. Still fun to paddle but slow to respond.

 

[Sdrew22]

Great info. Thanks! This came from the Portland area. The original owner had a pair of these. One Violet with a kneeling thwart and one Raspberry with a traditional seat. The latter was shipped to the Netherlands!

 

[yellowcanoe]

Great info. Thanks! This came from the Portland area. The original owner had a pair of these. One Violet with a kneeling thwart and one Raspberry with a traditional seat. The latter was shipped to the Netherlands!

yep.. I know them both. ,Glad the boats found a new home. Sad that the owners have had to give them up. Old age is merciless.

 

[gumpus]

If you can find the capacity for a Flashfire that's your best reference. Flashfire specs are already hard to find! Northstar Firebird is rated 100-240...Flashfire and your boat should be similar or a touch less. I think you should be good up to about 220-225 pounds and while it will take 250 as mentioned that's pushing it. Congrats...nice boat!

 

[yellowcanoe]

If you can find the capacity for a Flashfire that's your best reference. Flashfire specs are already hard to find! Northstar Firebird is rated 100-240...Flashfire and your boat should be similar or a touch less. I think you should be good up to about 220-225 pounds and while it will take 250 as mentioned that's pushing it. Congrats...nice boat!

Yeah. I was looking for the Colden website. I think Paul is still building FlashFires but the website is not there. I am just going by experience. My quarantine weight makes the Nakoma less fun to paddle than it was 20 years ago... when I was at the lighter end.

 

[Sdrew22]

I think I can get away with an overnight trip if need be. This will be may daily play boat. I also tried the Colden website. It is no longer active. Hope all is well over there in WNY.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Colden Canoe is out of business. Paul Meyer, the owner, is too busy with his day job, which has expanded. The Fire boat molds are going elsewhere via Charlie Wilson, and I've heard that DY has taken the Dragonfly and Nomad molds.

 

[kona]

Had to look up Ceconite, thought this video of the shrinking process and outcome was incredible.

Congrats on your new stewardship of that gorgeous canoe. Please consider posting more pictures when the weather allows.

 

[Turtle2]

i have tripped a lot in my colden flashfire. I am 185# and carry 45# kit. it works fine. Turtle

 

[Sdrew22]

Good to know Turtle. I am the same weight as you.

Thanks for the video link Kona. Very cool.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Good to know Turtle. I am the same weight as you.

Thanks for the video link Kona. Very cool.

not the same boat. Flash is roomier. The ribs take out volume and the Nakoma is an adaptation of the Flashfire . They have different hull shapes to allow the wood to come off the plug.. Unplugging was always interesting in the Loon Works Shop. I spent many weeks there. Flash has a flare all the way to the shouldered tumblehome Nakoma has less degree of flare and tumblehome. Have both Flash Nakoma and their larger cousins WIldFire and Aria.

Frankly I have used the Wild for tripping but I hesitate to use the others mostly because the only person I know that can repair the boat as well as Tom built it is Pam Wedd in Ontario. I do use them for day tripping. Also I believe but the boats are outside in the cold ( its 10) that the Nakoma is just a little shallower than Flash.

Now Tom paddled a 12 foot Button. Designed for paddlers up to 130 lbs he could stay upright even at 6'3" and 180 lbs. Looked hysterical though.

To conclude height and knee spread are more important than weight.. The head if up higher has more of a leverage arm to influence capsizing. And it is most stable as a kneeling boat. Nakoma heels very gently and will nicely fill with water and not turn turtle till its almost full

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

The Curtis Lady Bug was a longer boat at 13'-8" than the Nakoma, and its catalog page is HERE. Efficient capacity is listed at 150-200 lbs. and max capacity (whatever that means) is listed as 350 lbs.

The 2004 Bell Canoe catalogue list the 13'-0" Flashfire optimum load as 110-220 lbs. and 6" freeboard capacity as 550 lbs.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

The reigning expert on using Dacron (aka Ceconite) instead of canvas on a canoe is Alex Comb of Stewart River Boatworks in Minnesota. He published a thorough article on the technique in Wooden Canoe magazine in 2007, which can be found HERE.

I have posted on this forum a number of pictures of Alex shrink ironing Dacron in a series of posts beginning HERE in a thread entitled, Epoxy w/ Graphite Powder on Bottom of Wood Canoe + How a Wood/Dacron Canoe is Made.

In recent discussions with Alex I sense he now has reservations about Dacron and is moving toward a hybrid polyester/cotton fabric instead, which is heavier than Dacron but lighter than canvas. One of the reasons, aside from the tear-strength and abrasion fragility of Dacron, is that Dacron sometimes pulls or bubbles away from the wooden hull planks after a time under certain conditions. He suspects that Tom MacKenzie may have sometimes glued the Dacron as well as shrink ironing it to the hull to deter these issues, but no one can really be sure until they try to remove the Dacron from a MacKenzie canoe. This suspicion may also be wrong.

 

[Sdrew22]

Great info!!