Snow Shoe 14 SOF | SouthernPaddler.com

Snow Shoe 14 SOF

swampwood

Well-Known Member
Aug 6, 2010
276
2
Bayou State - Louisiana
This is a Geodesic Aerolite SOF design canoe.
14' long, 33" beam, 1 1/2" rocker and around 27lbs.
All white oak strips with Black Walnut seats, thwarts & Breast hooks.
It will be finished with Kevlar thread diagonally wrapped and Dacron cloth.
 

mike

Well-Known Member
Jun 29, 2009
694
9
TEXAS!
I'll bet that impact wrench in the second photo came in real handy during this build. :shock:

Seriously, though, please keep us updated on the build - it looks very interesting.

Mike
 

texastom

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2013
184
4
Dallas
Looks great! I check out the Geo Aerolite website from time to time and have wondered how they worked the Kevlar. Thanks for posting your build.
 

beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
Looks more like a boat now that you have it right side up. Will you have to turn it over again to stretch/weave the kevlar? Is that the next step?

beekeeper
 

swampwood

Well-Known Member
Aug 6, 2010
276
2
Bayou State - Louisiana
texastom said:
Looks great! I check out the Geo Aerolite website from time to time and have wondered how they worked the Kevlar. Thanks for posting your build.
The Kevlar is weaved in a diagonal pattern and held in place with hot glue tape. This build is not like the other SOF builds on this site, because there is no sewing involved. The Dacron is held in place with hot glue tape and then heated to make it shrink.
 

swampwood

Well-Known Member
Aug 6, 2010
276
2
Bayou State - Louisiana
beekeeper said:
Looks more like a boat now that you have it right side up. Will you have to turn it over again to stretch/weave the kevlar? Is that the next step?
beekeeper
I am working on the supports for and the floor boards. Then flip it over and start the Kevlar.
 

swampwood

Well-Known Member
Aug 6, 2010
276
2
Bayou State - Louisiana
Kayak Jack said:
I was a bit surprized to see black walnut in there. That's pretty much a northern hardwood, I thought.
Although there are a few scattered trees around. I would imagine they were planted. It is not native, but they do seem to grow down south. This BW actually came from Iowa.
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
It was my Dad's favorite wood to work with. Three of his tables are near me as I write this. And, black walnuts are still my favorite nut to eat.
A skin on stick boat is where early aircraft construction came from. Everything up to metal aircraft emulated them. When we switched to aluminum, the pieces were still pretty much the same design, but metallic.
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
SW, would you want a reinforcing brace under the existing longeron that supports the seat? Say, about a foot and a half to two foot long?

Just looking and thinking of a fellow slipping, and coming dow harder than planned.
 

swampwood

Well-Known Member
Aug 6, 2010
276
2
Bayou State - Louisiana
Kayak Jack said:
SW, would you want a reinforcing brace under the existing longeron that supports the seat? Say, about a foot and a half to two foot long?

Just looking and thinking of a fellow slipping, and coming dow harder than planned.
They show gussets under the seat frames. I made the seats wider than was called for, so I thought about screwing them into the ribs. They are also epoxied.
 

swampwood

Well-Known Member
Aug 6, 2010
276
2
Bayou State - Louisiana
Kayak Jack said:
That's a good sized boat!
I was looking for something light to haul on top of my tow vehicle. Finally bought a 36' motorhome and have been re-modeling it and hope to do some traveling.
Plan to spend some time around Lakes Superior and Michigan, been a long time since I have spent some time there. Around 50 years.