Thoughts on this way of building a pirogue | SouthernPaddler.com

Thoughts on this way of building a pirogue

seedtick

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2006
1,161
7
Denham Springs, LA
very similar to the method friend Keith and I use, he uses more power tools than we do

the rabbeted rail is to cover the exposed edge of the plywood side. It's a good idea to cover it but a lot easier to lay an extra rail on top instead of cutting and fitting a rabbet. We always attach the nside chine to the flat sides before bending

Looks like he's been taking boat building lessons at the Madisonville Museum and started his webpage from that
 

jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
40
South Louisiana
Yeah, tick, I was thinking the rabbet might be a little fussy to fit. A flexible cap would probably be easier to install.

I've been thinking about the cross section shape of the chines. Seedtick, you and keith told me y'all cut them into a diamond shape at approx. the angle of the flair of the sides. This sounds like a great idea, because that would cause them to angle down away from the sides and not allow water to collect there while paddling. I noticed on the pirogues I built , the square cut chines leave a little ledge for water to collect on. I figure any time you can channel water away from a joint, the better off you'll be.

chine.jpg
 

beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
jdupre' said:
Any thoughts on .......................... fitting and attaching the chines while the sides are still flat?
Joey

Works fine if you have plans, a model, or a pattern to know how much arch to cut in the sides befor attaching the chines. If not you may not have the rocker you want.

beekeeper
 

jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
40
South Louisiana
Plans??! ( In my best fake Spanish accent) We don't need no steeenking plans! :wink:

Bee, I figure 4 to 4 1/2" swag cut out of the bottom of the sides ought to give me the rocker I want. I'm not real caught up in getting the rocker to the nearest 1/4" or the side flair to the nearest degree. The aluminum pirgoue came out pretty close to what I want as for as flair and rocker. After figuring a good ballpark measurement for the bottom curve, I play with the flair to get my rocker. I tend to work with the wood to see what it wants to give me.

I doubt I'd notice 3 degrees of change in flair or 1/4" -3/8" difference in rocker. My brother-in-law is fond of saying "Hey, we ain't buildin' no watches here." :mrgreen:

My main pleasure in boat building is making pleasing 3 dimensional shapes. Some parts are cut the way they are mostly for how they look on the finished product. The slight upswept curve of the Swamper's bow still still makes me smile every time I see it.

100_0959.jpg
 

beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
jdupre' said:
Plans??! ( In my best fake Spanish accent) We don't need no steeenking plans! :wink:

Bee, I figure 4 to 4 1/2" swag cut out of the bottom of the sides ought to give me the rocker I want. I'm not real caught up in getting the rocker to the nearest 1/4" or the side flair to the nearest degree. The aluminum pirgoue came out pretty close to what I want as for as flair and rocker. After figuring a good ballpark measurement for the bottom curve, I play with the flair to get my rocker. I tend to work with the wood to see what it wants to give me. ...............

If the alu. boat suits you , that is a pattern or at least a starting place. I have been building from the other direction. I know what flair and rocker works best for me, so I have to adjust the swag to give me those dimensons. Your way is easier.
My chine logs' top side is parallel to the floor of the boat. the side attached to the boats sides are cut and planed to fit the angle of the flair. The other side is cut parallel (or little more) to the angle of the sides. I have not had a problem with water building up on them.

"Pleasing 3 dimensional shapes" is the hard part, but it offers the most satisfaction.

beekeeper
 

jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
40
South Louisiana
I can get away with a little less swag because I normally bend the sides into the stems and whatever flowing line that gives me, that's what I go with. Most traditional pirogues are wider and carry more flair out towards the ends for more payload capacity. That's fine for the jobs they were normally intended for . I tend to use mine for longer trips and I go with a little sleeker shape skewed a bit more towards the speed side.

The classic pirogue was pretty much "invented" in South Louisiana. But, you won't hardly find one person in a thousand that paddles one more than a mile. It's normally carried in a vehicle or a bigger boat close to where it's needed. People still look at me like I'm a little tetched in the head ( maybe rightly so :roll: ) when they find out I paddle one 6 or 7 miles in a morning. I've talked to a couple dozen fishermen on Lake Verret that asked where I put in . When I tell them, they look back that way and then back at me with a slightly shocked look on their faces. :mrgreen:

Joey