Finally got my solo canoe wet! | SouthernPaddler.com

Finally got my solo canoe wet!

skiabq

Active Member
May 6, 2006
33
0
Albuquerque
This weekend provided me some extra time and I finally got my lightweight solo canoe wet. It is 12' x 29" and is made out of 5.2mm Lauan exterior underlayment plywood because real marine plywood is totally impossible to find out here in the desert. It weighs in just under 34lbs, so it will be pretty easy to portage. This canoe has fought me every step of the way, but I think I prevailed :) It isn't really quite finished yet, it only has 2 coats of epoxy on it in these pictures. It needs some sanding, another coat of epoxy and some varnish to call it done, but I just couldn't resist getting it wet this weekend. I am pretty happy with it's performance, it will make a great little fishing canoe for me.
HC12.JPG

HC12A.jpg
 

skiabq

Active Member
May 6, 2006
33
0
Albuquerque
Well, thats a long story that I will try to make short. No, the plans are not of my own design, I bought them from a web site (not JemWatercraft) and started the project. After I got the 2 chine panels fiberglassed to the bottom panel I stitched the top 2 side panels on and figured out it was NOT the canoe that I wanted. :evil: The bottom and the 2 chine panels are built from the plans I bought. The top 2 side panels my own altered versions from the design. What I ended up with is a 12' symetrical hull per the plans. Not from the plans, I ended up with a 29" beam, 1" rocker, 14.5" bow heights and 11" midship height. Which is what I wanted to end up with in the first place, but it took quite a bit of extra work and some math to end up there. This was one of those projects that came close to ending up in the trash can, but I think I am getting a little more patient as I get older and I don't like to admit defeat :shock:

If I were starting this project today I think I would just email Matt at JemWatercraft and tell him what I wanted. I bought a set of plans for an Iroquois from his site and they look great. So when I get around to it I will build that canoe next.
 

JEM

Well-Known Member
Great work. All the extras you did has made you a better builder. Looks like you did a great job. 8)

Thanks for the compliments too.

BTW: You can say where the boat plans came from. Any and all plans/designers are welcome here. I just happen to post a lot. But Southern Paddler is not owned by anyone but Chuck.
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
JEM said:
BTW: You can say where the boat plans came from. Any and all plans/designers are welcome here. I just happen to post a lot. But Southern Paddler is not owned by anyone but Chuck.

Matt is telling you straight up and true, like he always does....... :D

Southern Paddler is mine (Anyway I get to pay for it :lol: ) but as I like to tell everyone it also belongs to each member so they can say what they like on here about there equipment or boats.......
If you build something or purchase it and it is a dud then say so .... If it is the exact thing you have wanted and looked for then tell us.

We have NO SPONSORS or anyone to answer to as far as products for our recreation,( That is someting I have gone overboard on doing to make sure we are not obligated to anyone but ourselves **) we do have some friends and they are the good folks that we like to support because time has proven there product to be exceptional but if something is wrong with something then say so and do me one favor .... Let that person know also so they can improve on that product.
Just remember ......Everyone has a bad day now and then.

Not getting long winded but we have had some folks get on here with us and list there product. After using it (it was purchased by members) we found it to be UN safe or just junk and at that time I deleted there posts and membership. It is because of the fee I charge everyone to be a member ..... HONESTY about there product.
We have between 2 and 3 million folks looking at this forum every year and the one thing I want them to know is that anything on here is honest , the good with the bad.
The dealers in junk can created there own web sites and you will not see them on here or in my links section.

Chuck.
** I have created items for boating and they are for sale on other web sites , which I was asked to be a partner or get a comission with and refused ... I gave them the plans or whatever for there use so I/we would not be obligated to anyone. There are NO STRINGS attached to Southern Paddler.
The only guy trying to make a buck on here is me with the gift shop and I am my own best customer and they have a good product... that is why it is still here. :lol:
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
oldsparkey said:
... ** I have created items for boating ... There are NO STRINGS attached to ... the gift shop and I am my own best customer ...
The famous (NOTORIOUS) Sparkey Thong comes to mind here. Made of nettle weed and soaked in capsaicin, it is a sure hit at your next party if high courtier is essential.
 

Bullhead

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2005
172
0
Indiana
I do have to admit I bought a tee shirt on this forum and the only problem is answering all the questions of where I got it from...( and the dang thing won't wear out ) just another cross to carry.
 

hairymick

Well-Known Member
Dec 8, 2005
2,107
2
Queensland, Australia
G'day mate,

Thats a real tidy lookin little boat ya got there. I like it a lot.
Got me thinking - all my canoes are big boats - maybe a nice pretty little thing similar to that would make a very enjoyable and usefull project.

Would make a nice gift for my daughter.

Matt, - Will be talking again soon. :oops:
 

skiabq

Active Member
May 6, 2006
33
0
Albuquerque
It's not really a secret where the plans came from. I got them from Bateau.com, it is their Hiawatha design. When I ran in to my complication I contacted the designer and he double checked the plans. Apparently that model was already in the works to be redesigned so he sent me a whole new set of plans at no charge. I really couldn't ask for anything more from them, but I really couldn't stand the thought of starting all over so I figured out how to make what I wanted out of what I had. So my canoe is kind of a one of kind, the plans I started with are no longer being sold and the new Hiawatha plans are very different from mine.

Now as far as the gift shop goes I have been there and have come very close to getting a t-shirt. I did see the thong, but I think it might have a tendency ride up on me and be a bit uncomfortable :wink: but if you guys like to wear that sort of thing that's fine by me :D
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
skiabq said:
... Now as far as the gift shop goes I have been there and have come very close to getting a t-shirt. I did see the thong, but I think it might have a tendency ride up on me and be a bit uncomfortable :wink: but if you guys like to wear that sort of thing that's fine by me :D
Only Sparkey wears the thong, well, maybe Swampus Crackus too - but only in public. Jimmy the Yak and me, we're Straight Arrow.
 

Obie

Active Member
Mar 15, 2006
27
0
Wisconsin
wet at last !

nice job ! looks like you put in some good sweat equity. a good size, i'm in the starts of a little one too---you give me some inspiration, thanks !
Obie
 

skiabq

Active Member
May 6, 2006
33
0
Albuquerque
Obie, you are from my part of the country. I grew up in Madison. There is some great quiet water canoeing around there, and northern Wisconsin has some great canoeing water too. I don't really miss the mosquitoes or shoveling though :D

Nobucks, I bought a set of plans for the 14' version of Matt's Iroquois. I am torn between waiting and plopping down the money for marine okuome to build it out of or just using the same Lauan stuff that I built this one out of. I did a boil test on this stuff before I built this little canoe out of it, but some people say it may still check over time and that I wouldn't have that problem with the good marine stuff.

I have checked out your Black Dog kayaks, VERY cool! How many hours do you think an average builder would have to put in on one those before they could be paddling it?