chossing the right Wood | SouthernPaddler.com

chossing the right Wood

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
REALLY NICE! Good going, Keith. And, you sly dog, you hired that handsome movie star fella to double for you.

I'd be very interested in more story and pictures of your dugout. Those guys who invented that set of techniques had real imagination, tenacity, and gumption. We stand on the shoulders of giants.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
boats

That be some fine lookin boats ya got there.

Your craftsmanship makes me want to put a canvas over my boats
 

seedtick

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2006
1,161
7
Denham Springs, LA
Hello Kyak Jack,
My friend Keith asked that I post a few pictures on building a dugout. Here goes.........

First find a suitable log, for us this means pulling up an old sinker cypress

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Get it cut into a cant, be careful to avoid the very center and any shakes

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Outline the top of the dugout based on the shape of the cant and cut to that shape

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Turn the cant over and outline the bottom

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Now trim away anything between the top outline and bottom outline that doesn't look like a dugout

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Do whatever additional shaping to get the lines you want. Remember this is all by hand and by eye.

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With the outside shaped, hog out the middle

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This hole is key to making a dugout from a wet log as it allows moisture to leave the log without splitting the ends

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Continue to remove any wood that you think doesn't belong and you'll eventually have something that'll let you run your traplines

eaf52086.jpg
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Now THAT is a wooden boat. Back channel Old Sparkey & ask him to tell you the story of how we got started - and building wooden boats. You won't believe it.

You make boats like Michelangelo made statues. He took a big piece of marble, and hacked away anything that didn't look like Venus De Milo.

May I suggest to you, that you hie thyself to your local library, and ask them to get shipped in a copy of the book Voyage of the Ant.. You will understand the guy. When you get done, email me & let me know. I'll put you in contact with the author.
 

stevesteve

Well-Known Member
Sep 5, 2006
111
0
UK
Hey Seedtick,
You are indeed a mastercraftsman. How thick do the sides end up?

'Tis a beautiful thing :D
 

bearridge

Well-Known Member
Mar 9, 2005
3,092
4
way down yonder
New Friend Keith,

That iz some mitey fine work. I always figgered a pirogue wuz the big hollowed out log, but I dont recall what Nevada Smith called it. The second pichur of the log set me off on my Beowulf table dream. Last nite I spent a while tryin' ta tell ya'll, but dreams aint eazy ta type.

I got $5 sez ya got a fine table that ya kin put yer feet up on....'n all yer pals kin set a spell 'n tell tall tales.

respectfully
bearridge

Woodrow Call: What do you want legs for anyway? You don't like to do nothing but sit on the porch and drink whiskey!
Gus McCrae: I like to kick a pig every once in a while. How would I do that?
 

seedtick

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2006
1,161
7
Denham Springs, LA
Don't give me too much credit, Keith is the one with all the smarts.

Thickness on the dugout depends mainly on your skill level and the way the grain is running, it's easier to leave it a bit thick than to repair a hole in the side. If it's too thin then it's subject to splitting. Having said all that, 3/4" to1" on the sides and 1 to 1 1/2" for the bottom is good. Trying to get to 1/2" may cause problems.

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eaf21f6d.jpg
 

Bilgerat

Well-Known Member
May 10, 2006
324
1
Texas!
www.bilgerat.net
Keith and seedtick,

You guys make some mighty fine lookin' boats. Wish I had your skills.

I'll be vacationing at Chicot Lake in March. I just might find time to drive down your way.

Mike
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Don't let our resident Eye-tal-yun Jimmie Dorazio (Oldyakker) get around that boat. He'll rub it down with olive oil and garlic, and fill it with salad, thinking, "WOW! Am I lucky! Looka the size of this salad bowl!"
 

seedtick

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2006
1,161
7
Denham Springs, LA
thanks everyone for the kind comments

To Bilgerat and others===========

We welcome visitors and would like to have you come by. Chicot state park is a couple of hours from us. We're just east of Baton Rouge. Let us know before you head this way, 'cause we're easily distracted and may not be around.

contact thru the website www.keithspirogues.com
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
Boy Scouts would have a good time but if this ole fart got there I would be like a kid in a candy store , not knowing which way to go or what to drool over.
I am kicking myself , I have driven thru that area several times and had no idea all of those goodies were there , especially the real , dug out , pirogues. :evil:

Chuck.
 

keith

Well-Known Member
cypress

Hi Chuck, come on by,everybody is welcome. We make all kinds of boats and tables and stuff. Seedtick and I are retired and we have the same interest.We would make boats all the time but our better halfs want bird houses, tables and ect. We like the logging part as well. You never know what you are pulling up, it a surprise each time. A 30 inch log is 800+ years old, all the sap wood is gone when you pull them up ( the largest we have gotten was 6 ft. and they have been underwater for 100 to 500 years ). Thanks and later Keith
 

Mutinousdoug

Active Member
May 7, 2005
33
0
Colorado
Keith,
I'm curious; since the log was a sinker, would the dugout sink if you were to capsize it? Sure would be a shame to lose it for another 500 years.
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
I'll tell you guys a trip I'd dream about. Going to see Keith and Seedtick make these boats. Then, go to the Philippines and see the boats over there too! I just always get this feeling that the simpler and less complicated a boat is, the better it is.

"Moving parts don't, and leak proof tanks do."