2 - Weekend Canoe

[Dave Hadfield]

I didn't want to hijack Gavin Atkin's thread, but his canoe reminded me of this sharpie canoe I designed and built.

It is very simple to build -- not even stitch and glue. It's similar to the 6-Hour Canoe, but of regular canoe dimension so you can sit on a seat, not on the floor like a kayak. It's rockered so that with a 300lbs dsplacement the ends are just clear. It's made from underlayment -- total cost around "very cheap".

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y79/DaveHadfield/meinplywoodcanoe.jpg

I built it to bounce down through the gravel beds of my local river -- I was tired of damaging my good Stripper -- but it turned out to be a much better boat than I thought. It only draws 2 inches, goes together fast, and is surprisingly manoeverable. I haven't damaged it at all! In the picture I'm not kneeling, I'm sitting on a simple bench seat with my legs tucked under -- I move the bench around to trim the boat with my weight. I taped the outside of the chines for rock-resistance, but that's it -- paint otherwise.

Gavin's boat would be more elegant, as he says, but this is one you can hammer around if you want to, or stash somewhere. I'd be happy to send out plans if someone wants them.

Dave

[Hwyl]

It lookks great Dave, It's simple yet elegant.

[Gavin Atkin]

There's nothing wrong with boats like this - and some might like also to see Joe Tribulato's canoe (http://home.clara.net/gmatkin/tribulatocanoe.zip) and some of the other new canoe material at Free Boat Design Resources (http://home.clara.net/gmatkin/design.htm) .

Gavin

[Dave Hadfield]

Sure, why not? I'm away for a couple of days, but I'll work out a way to put out the plans when I get back (my website?).

The canoe is rockered so that the ends ride just clear of the water (for manoeverability) with myself (190lbs), the canoe (65) and 30lbs or so of ballast. Another paddler would immerse the ends, making her less responsive. It's primarily a solo canoe.

Thanks for your remarks,

Dave

[Cuyahoga Chuck]

Bram,

I paddle a "Cheap Canoe" . It's a solo pirogue 13' 6" x 30". It's narrow enough for a double paddle and at 10.5 " deep is shallow enough for the shortest paddler. Because of it's 22" bottom it's sensative to where the CG is but handles well if you sit low.
It's a free download from ;
http://www.boatplans-online.com/
Mine came in at 45 lb. but it could be built lighter.
Charlie

[Dave Hadfield]

I just sent the info off to a highschool teacher who has 2 students who want to build this. I worked up a generic version, 15ft 6in, 28in across the bottom, 36in across the gunwales, with 3" rocker. I'll include the plywood layout with this post.

To make it clear, glue up a 4x16 panel, draw a baseline along its length 15" from it's side edge, then measure up (towards the edge) to establish the points that define the sheer and chine lines of the canoe's sides.

Bram, if that's too wide still, let me know and I'll work out a narrower one. (Let me know what weight you want to put in the boat -- people and gear.)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y79/DaveHadfield/Rockdancerplywoodlayout.jpg

[Dave Hadfield]

So far three people (a London, Ontario high school shop class and a chap from Utah) are building this.

I didn't make the definition of the ends clear: just make the lower chine 3 inches shorter -- at each end -- than the sheer. That's an eye-pleasing proportion.

Dave