11.6 ft pirogue.. build pics(+launch) | SouthernPaddler.com

11.6 ft pirogue.. build pics(+launch)

JammyJ

Active Member
Nov 27, 2009
42
0
Belfast, (but from killyleagh)
Finally got around to uploading some pics.
Been building this in the "back store" to get out of the office at lunctimes and make the most of the hour break.
While building i kept a tool bucket in the boot of the car and brought it in each lunch.
This meant i had to take a few short cuts with the finish etc as i had to finish very quickly at times to be back in by 2:00!
Still need to have first launch but the whether is poor and lakes have an inch or two of ice. should be clear in week or two.
(All info of how to go about building (epoxy etc)came from reading others logs on the forum - thanks!)
Design bespoke... to suit main use of taking kids out to fish in small ponds where you need to carry boat across a field or 2 (i float tube fish these) so needed to be seriousily light weight.
also had to be seriousily cheap... everything done as cheap as possible.

(have made pics small as possible for load speed.)

Starting out....
My Father is a timber salesman so managed to get some decent exterior ply at a good rate.
cut out the ply to size and but jointed together with a small butt strap
boxes of bolts and some stainless glazing bolts used for the weights
insulation as a table and some cable ties to attach the parts:
bpic1.JPG

marked, cut out and attached bottom
Just before i had done this i came out to find some site guys using my ply as a table for rolling out zinc !!!
lucky there was very little damage.
bpic2.JPG

Spacers tied in to hold the natural shape.
bpic3.JPG

Fitted and glued stems... had to loosen the ties a little... these really stiffen it up.
bpic4.JPG

found that horse shoe packers work great for clamping on the gunwhales and was lucky as there
were 1000's of these in the store.
also raided the stationary cupboard for some paper clamps
bpic5.JPG

had to buy a set of spring clamps for the inwhales etc... so this added to the build cost so at least i will have them for the next project :)
you may be able to see part of my large "Dont use my plywood" sign i had to put to stop some of our site guys coming in and nicking the parts. :shock:
bpic6.JPG

Used the chop saw to cut some spacers.
I wanted to do this as i had seen some pics onlibe and thought is looked cool and also thought it would be realy useful for fitting and fixing gear to etc...
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Best buy by far was a stanley surform shaving tool..... £4 which is loads cheaper than a plane £34 which i don't have and it is a remarkable little tool... used it for a new bath panel as well.
worked an absolute treat for the paddle handle...photos to come
bpic8.JPG

In whales (is that the name?) fitted and glued.... really taking shape now.
 

JammyJ

Active Member
Nov 27, 2009
42
0
Belfast, (but from killyleagh)
Re: 11.6 ft pirogue.. build pics.

some more pics...
bpic9.JPG

shaving and sanding the bottom and ties removed
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Fitting spacers to hold the shape.
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decks to each end... also to strangthen frame. you can see the little surform tool.
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Decks and hatches to each end.
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Made some paddles... a little smaller for the kids to have, and to get them involved.this is them decorating the paddle blades at home
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forming the handles - the surfom wool / the jigsaw and the sander were used. 1 per lunchtime.
bpic16.JPG

really happy with how they turned out.
bpic17.JPG
 

JammyJ

Active Member
Nov 27, 2009
42
0
Belfast, (but from killyleagh)
Re: 11..6 ft pirogue.. build pics.

last upload for the day...
epoxied up and varnished.... base coat / cloth / filler and another coat... then 2 coats of blakes diamond varnish.
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one of my little testers
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rod holder prototype out of plastic pips... these are now made will post some other pics later.
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in the office over the hols for the varnish to cure... way too cold in the store.
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My beautiful assistant.... helped make the tie down straps for attaching to the car.
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roof rack... part 1 = foam blocks and ratchet straps... cost £6
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on the car ... the new baby is coming home.... on the homemade roof rack.
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just need to launch now and add a few accesories....
Cant wait till the better weather.
james
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Re: 11..6 ft pirogue.. build pics.

Really really nice. Make sure those little tykes see daddy wearing his PFD any time he's on the water, and that their PFD's fit and they know how to put them on. Only has to work once to be worth the time and money.

Momma can fry whatever fish they catch, and they eat'em.
"Fishy, fishy in the brook.
Come and bite upon my hook.
Momma fry you in a pan,
And I'll eat you like a wo/man,"
 

JammyJ

Active Member
Nov 27, 2009
42
0
Belfast, (but from killyleagh)
Re: 11.6 ft pirogue.. build pics.

Kayak Jack said:
Make sure those little tykes see daddy wearing his PFD any time he's on the water, and that their PFD's fit and they know how to put them on.

Cheers jack... definately will do. a risk not worth taking.
Got 1 for the kids off ebay 2 months ago and the play about wearing it for dress up ... they really enjoy wearing it so come taking them out it shouldnt be an issue.
mine is a snug fit so i dont mind wearing it... keeps you cosy :D
just a pity we have had the coldest december in 30 years... cant wait to take it out.
really hope it floats.
I have some foam blocks for the seats / knee rests so should be sitting low down.

With building it a lunchtimes I haven't even had time to log on and update as i have went along.
registered a month ago and only getting to post now.

Its been a real learning curve, especially with the epoxy etc.
being limited to the hour created a few issues as well but i'm real happy with how its turned out (went in a few evenings... till 2am for the glassing)
the office is only 15mins drive through town so not too bad.

james
 

Steve

Well-Known Member
Re: 11.6 ft pirogue.. build pics.

JammyJ, first off, never got around to posting on the other thread. . . so, welcome aboard. . . .

Secondly. . . great job on the pirouge. . .

Thirdly. . . beautiful kids. . . you be one lucky man. . . .
 

catfish

Well-Known Member
Feb 7, 2007
996
3
jesup, ga.
Re: 11.6 ft pirogue.. build pics.

nice looking boat jammy yea your kids are just the right age to get involved.make sure they have a reel apiece. :wink:
 

dawallace45

Well-Known Member
Re: 11.6 ft pirogue.. build pics.

James

Nice looking boat but are you sure it's going to be big enough for you , now I don't know how big you are but when I built one about 10 years or so ago it was 14 ft and only just big enough for me and a bit of gear , of course I'm sort of heading to the large economy size and can't be considered petite and boats are one thing where size does matter

David
 

JammyJ

Active Member
Nov 27, 2009
42
0
Belfast, (but from killyleagh)
Re: 11.6 ft pirogue.. build pics.

dawallace45 said:
Nice looking boat but are you sure it's going to be big enough for you ,

Hi David,
I'll get back to you on that when i get in on the water :|
hopefully i don't get in and the water comes up to an inch from the top.... or even over.

I weigh 12st ... which google tells me is 168lbs.

about 10 years ago i used to have a little kayak that i could actually trasport inside a small 3 door hatchback with the back and passanger seats down.... although i once closed the back hatch to hear the front windscreen crack.... :oops: felt like a muppet.
(I still went on the trip anyway though)
I used to go up river with a tent etc. and some camping gear in this... and i,m guessing the displacment area of the bottom of the pirogue is quite a bit bigger so hopefully it should be ok.

It also seems alot bigger than the float tube that ive been using for a number of years.

As its my first build, it was really a learning expericance and I suppose the size etc was to meet a specific purpose...easily transportable on a car top, fishing with the kids (while they are small) in some ponds that you have to walk across a few fields to get to... with maybe 300- 400 yards from the launch point to the "hot spots".

hopefully will get to try it soon..
James.
 

dawallace45

Well-Known Member
Re: 11.6 ft pirogue.. build pics.

James

Yours may well be all you need , I'm 240 lb and about 6'2" So I need bigger

When you decide to build some thing new have a look at one of the Percy Blandford designs for skin on frame kayaks , they are great

David
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Re: 11.6 ft pirogue.. build pics.

Jammy, when the kids get too big for both of them to be with you, take only one ..... and build another boat with the other one. :wink:


See how easy it is to solve that problem? Wasn't any work at all for me.
 

islandpiper

Well-Known Member
Re: 11.6 ft pirogue.. build pics.

Jammy, great pics and great looking boat. I'm sure it will be lots of fun, but you won't be standing up poling in this one I don't think. In fact, when you make a seat, KEEP IT LOW to the bottom. Or, take your soap along and enjoy the bath.

piper
 

JammyJ

Active Member
Nov 27, 2009
42
0
Belfast, (but from killyleagh)
Re: 11.6 ft pirogue.. build pics.

Kayak Jack said:
See how easy it is to solve that problem? Wasn't any work at all for me.
pure genious....lol
:wink:

will hope to make another "Proper sized" one when the kids are bigger.

A few months back when i was in the process of making the Kids paddles for this one.... I got a text while in work saying "It looks like your going to have to make another paddle" which was my wife saying child number 3 is on the way.
:)
 

JammyJ

Active Member
Nov 27, 2009
42
0
Belfast, (but from killyleagh)
Re: 11.6 ft pirogue.. build pics(LAUNCH!)

The best thing since sliced bread.....
well thats what it felt like saturday morning.

The temperature here has shot up in last 7 days from -6 degc to 8 degc (for most of you guys 21 to 47 i think)and with some heavy rain the snow has all washed away... but the river is in flood.

So saturday morning... wrapped up and got the pirogue loaded on the car roof and we all set off for a river 5 mins from my folks house.
The Quoile river outside downpatrick.... i used to cross this everyday on the bus, en route to high school.
After calling off at my folks for a toilet break with the Kids and then a visit to Grans... we got to the river around 13:00.
The "foam block, ratchet straps with webbing straps roof rack" worked a treat and its quite quick to load and unload.
When we got there, two guys were just packing up thier ocean prowlers canoes on the roofs and had finished for the day so we had the water to ourselves.
The river was high due to the rain but there was a handy shallow area over the grass for launching.

launch1.JPG


A guy was there with 3 lovely labradors and after looking and enquiring about the boat... he was very pleasent when i asked would he mind moving further down the shore with his dogs as my kids have a bit of a "dog fright" at the minute after a bad experiance in a local park were an over excited dog almsot sent my Daughter Flying.... :| hopefullly they will get over the fear as the Get older.

All geared up we slid the boat into the water and remarkably it floated.... and didnt just topple over.
My wife with video camera and my phone in hand filmed and took some pics as i stood over the pirogue and give it a bit of a shake to test the stability.
I climbed in on my kness and after a few little shakes realised the stability was spot on.
With one of the Kids paddles I did a few turns and then headed off for the far side.
There was a bit of a current due to the flood but the boat seemed to just glide through the water.
I returned to the bank to pick up my first passanger :D
My daughter hoped in and grapped he paddle.
She has been waving this paddle about in the house in a way that wouldnt propel you too far but very quick she realiesed the theory in trying to push yourself through the water and was able to assist paddling a little.
With the two of us... we still could move quite swiftly and my concearns about size were overcome... we still had a good few inches to the rails.

launch2.JPG


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On the way back Emily was able to turn around and crawl to me and give me a kiss which was nice.
Back to shore and after switching life jackets... Euan climbed in and off we went.
Even with him putting in his paddle in the water at some strange angles I was able to move quite easily with some sort of J stroke..... I was only used to paddling with a double paddle in my late teens in an old plastic Kayak I had then.

launch5.JPG


launch6.JPG


launch7.JPG





One thing I need to add is a backrest.... the foam blocks I used work grand for a seat but your back get a little tired and I temporarily used a piece of the roof rack strap behind me from inwhale to inwhale and this helped and made it more comfy.

Back to shore... and Tierna couldnt resist having a go so i give her my PFD and she went for a spin.
She kept out of the current but for someone who has never been in a canoe before.... she done really well.
The kids had another few turns with me then had a bit of a splach about in the shallows and we loaded up and headed back to my folks for some Grub.

launch4.JPG



One of thier neighbours came over for a look at the pirogue on top of the car... and my Mum and Dad were impressed by the photos.
Next time we are going to bring the rods!
It was a great feeling to see it float... and one really special moment was when Emily shouted over from the shore..."I'm really proud of you Daddy for building such a good boat"
I'm Glad they liked it.
Bring on the summer... :D :D
James.