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FAQ's:
CHOOSING A DESIGN
Capacity and Stability Chart
Capacity and Stability Comparison
For a comparison of stabilities of the canoes, look at this chart. where we have standardized our analysis procedure so you can compare the boats. At a stability of 100 just about anyone is comfortable in the boat. The Hiawatha you see listed at 88, some people find tender. Keep in mind that these figures are an average and do not take into account individual paddling styles - we are comfortable in narrow boats while some people are not.... getting to know your boat and what its limits are given your experience and skill level will make you feel more comfortable.
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Stability Factor
Q I have heard about initial and final stability - what does the stability factor mean?
A To assess the stability we have developed a formula which is a combination of initial and final stability we heel the boat to 15 degrees in the computer, and record what is technically called the meta centre but more importantly is an indicator of the stability. You will find a summary of these numbers for all our designs here and a complete technical description of how they are calculated.
Q Being somewhat new to design terminology, does the draft refer to an empty level canoe or one loaded within average optimum capacity?
A Draft is the deepest point of the canoe below the waterline, measured with the boat floating at its design waterline. The design water line is a midrange of the capacity. The draft may increase up to 2 inches from the listed value when the canoe is fully loaded.
Q Can I modify an existing Bear Mountain design.....can I make changes to your plans? What will the result be?
A We suggest you proceed with caution here. It is hard to predict the performance of a design once it has been changed without taking into consideration the science of yacht design. We have asked Steve Killing about changes to Bear Mountain plans and this is what he had to say:
Changing the length by 6 inches to a maximum of one foot will make me cringe a bit but ....go ahead if you must. The best technique is to change the spacing between each station - that keeps the boat fair and after a bit of modification to either the stem profile or the last station next to the stem, will produce a fine boat.
Q How do the Resolute and the Endeavor compare with regards to stability?
A The Resolute has more capacity, is slightly slower, tracks about the
same (shorter makes it track not so well, but less rocker makes it
track better), and is much more stable than the Endeavour.
If overall capacity is not a big factor - that is you are mainly
going for day trips, not 2 week trips, then I would favour the
Endeavour. The stability will feel fine after a few paddles in the
boat. I would vote for a flip-down rudder or skeg to make life easy
in cross winds or quartering seas.
If you are quite uncomfortable in boats then you might appreciate
the Resolute's stability.
Q My friend and I are getting ready to start our first stripper (Prospector
16) but we would also like to build a smaller version, like maybe 6 feet as
a display, decoration for our homes. Has anyone ever done this, can you
tell me how to adapt the plans to do that or are there any plans available
anywhere that would help me with this. I appreciate any help you can offer.
A We don't know of any plans, but you could reduce everything
proportionately including the spacing and draw your canoe from there.
Q I was hoping you could advise me on choosing a design. I was originally
looking at Novacraft's Bob Special in superlight layup as one of the only
factory options considering my requirements (see below). But the cost is
about $2000. I have more time than money and when I found out cedar strip
canoes can be made fairly lightweight I decided to build my own. I am disabled, therefore I need something no more than 40 lbs to be able to portage. I do alot of solo tripping but would also like to use it for tandem tripping. My trips tend to be between 3-6 days. I try to minimise gear because of my disability. Though I wouldn't expect a tandem partner to do the same.
I do a combination of flatwater and whitewater trips. So maneuverability is
important. Though I wouldn't expect to put the canoe through anything worse
than Class II rapids - anything greater would be portaged. However, since I
am often soloing on flatwater trips as well, I would like something that
paddles flat water with ease and decent speed.
Is the Bob Special the best boat for me? Or could I take something like the
Redbird, which I think has nicer lines, and shorten it by removing a
station? From the shape of the Redbird, it would appear to be a better
flatwater boat but still handle whitewater.
A Either the Bob's special or the Ranger would be a good choice for the uses you describe. We suggest avoiding the Redbird because the high bow and stern might make it a bit difficult to paddle solo in strong winds. As well it tracks very straight so would not perform as well in rapids as the others.
To save weight, you would be better using a lighter cloth and two coats of resin on the inside. The trim using the lightest woods possible and could be modified for example make the decks smaller and cut down on the size of the inwales and outwales.
Capacity of Bear Mountain Tripping Canoes
Q Given your numbers for two adults (340 lbs), packs (120 lbs) and canoe (50 lbs) it would seem that quite a few models are unsuitable for tripping, based on your Optimum Capacity chart, leaving only the Prospector 16', Freedom 17+' and Redbird 17/6. Is that a right assumption?
A Our trippers tell us that on a typical two week trip they load the canoe somewhere between 440 and 510 lbs. Some of our smaller boats like the Huron Cruiser and the Bob Special will handle those weights even though it is beyond the stated optimum capacity. We have chosen the weights in the optimum capacity chart to be those at which the boat the will still perform responsively. Beyond that capacity range, performance and seaworthiness will begin to suffer. If you will consistently be carrying heavy loads we would recommend one of the larger canoes.
Q I am looking for the maximum design load capacity of the Huron Cruiser. I
have searched your WEB site but could not find it.
My drawings which I bought from you mentions some figures in (Lbs/in) and
some other number I can not think of at the moment.
Does this equate to some total capacity or could you e-mail back what the
design load cap. is.
A The displacement of 335 lbs for the HC means that it takes that
amount of weight to sink the Huron Cruiser to the designed or 4"
waterline. For every 100 lbs of weight you add it will sink one inch
further in the water. Based on these principles, we expect that you
can use this canoe with between 280 to 450 lbs. and still have good
performance. Does this explain what you are asking?
The numbers are there - it is the interpretation that confuses people.
Venture 14
Q I was thinking of building the 14' kayak because my intentions are to build a kayak for my sister, as a birthday present. She is on the small side, about 5'5" tall, and 120 lbs. Would this kayak be to small? Could she handle a larger kayak? What would you recommend?
A The 14' Venture will accommodate a person at 120 pounds without problem. But so will the 17' Endeavour. To help make your choice, here are some further thoughts: If there is a possibility that others will want to use the kayak, like you perhaps, then lean towards the larger kayak so you can accommodate different sized people.
The 14' is lighter for handling on land and on top of the car. The 17' boat is faster - that may be significant on long trips. The 14' Venture is more maneuverable - better for winding flat water rivers. The 16' 6" kayak (just to open the discussion further) is too large a capacity for small people.
I think you need not fret too much about the decision. If the above considerations don't make it obvious one way or the other, then it means building either boat will be a good decision. Your sister will not be disappointed with either boat.
Bob Special 15
Q I'm "getting on" so my wife and I need the lightest canoe we can come up with. All our use of the canoe will be in small lakes and quiet rivers. We'll car-top it. So, what do recommend as your lightest canoe and do you have any suggestions about how I can build it as light as possible. I've built boats and canoes in the past, but none as lovely as yours.
A The 15' Bob's Special design would be a good choice for the use you describe - it is stable and handles easily. It will weigh about 45 lbs. and you can reduce the weight by using lighter woods. Some research into the properties of different species of wood LINKwill give you information to make a decision. You may also consider using a lighter weight cloth.
Freedom 15
Q building the Freedom 15 you designed. I purchased the plans from Bear
Mountain Boats. I would like the option of paddling the canoe either dual
or solo. I see in the plan a kneeling thwart but do not know its design or
how high to place it. Additionally, I recently saw a TV show about solo
canoes, a seat that tipped down in front to allow most of the paddlers'
weight to rest on the seat while in a kneeling position. Because of my
age, I cannot spend long hours in a kneeling position without some support.
Have you any suggestions or comments?
A A few things on paddling and kneeling: As I get older I find that kneeling for long periods of time is less and less comfortable - or maybe it was never comfortable, I just tolerated it! At any rate I used to think the only way to paddle was on my knees, but now quite proudly sit on the seat like the marathon canoe racers do and am very comfortable. Seats for sitting on (like the tractor seats in racing canoes) are generally set lower in the canoe - perhaps 8.5 to 10 above the floor. Keep in mind that the lower your weight the more stable you will be.
The middle seat or kneeling thwart for soloing is a bit more of a challenge. If you are willing to kneel then the thwart should be at a comfortable height to rest your backside on, but most of the weight still goes on to your knees. They are typically angled at about 45 degrees to the vertical.
I find my knees will not permit me to stay comfortable on a kneeling thwart for very long, soon I am trying to sit on the thwart and I think a full width seat set in the middle of the canoe, but 9 inches above the floor might be a better solution. You would then paddle with your legs out in front.
Freedom 17 and 17/9
Q A few days ago I got your canoecraft book in German. It's a great book! As I'm now deciding what boat to build first, I'm into the freedom 17 and 17/9. What I usually need is a canoe for longer trips. My question now is regarding to the stabilty and capacity information table. For the freedom 17/9 there is an optimum capacity between 400 and 680 lbs listed. Does that mean that there is a problem when the boat gets loaded with less than 400 lbs? I suppose that the stability then would also decrease? If it's like that, could you tell me how much the stability factor would decrease? What would be the minimum weight? Are there other differences between the freedom 17 and freedom 17/9 ? The designs look very similar to me, but at least the stability factors and loading capacities seem to be very different? Are there differences between the 2 canoes regarding speed and handling? Is it possible to attach a sail to the canoes?
A
The Freedom 17 will be just fine, even if you load it lightly. In fact it is a nice solo canoe as well. We use our Freedom 17's for one week canoe trips with either two adults in each or one adult and one child, or sometimes two adults and one child in the middle. In the evenings, it is a pleasant boat to solo. The Freedom 17/9 is a wider, more stable, higher capacity canoe. Our friends use theirs for two adults and sometimes two children in the middle, or two adults and lots of gear. If you want extra stability and lots of room the 17/9 is the boat of choice. If you want a little less capacity and more speed, I'd picked the Freedom 17. You can rig a sail on either one - I have sailed the Freedom 17 but not the 17/9.
Q I am interested in building a canoe with the primary purpose being
for solo paddling but I would still like a canoe that is comfortable
to paddle tandem with a less experienced paddler. Realizing I can't
have the best of both worlds, which plans would you recommend for
this type of canoe. I was considering the 17' Freedom. I would
appreciate your response on this issue. I was hoping to build a boat
about 16' - 16'6", 4" waterline about 31", gunwale width about 31",
max width about 34 (so it has tumblehome), little or no recurve, bow
height around 19", depth around 13", and I'm unsure about how much
rocker to go with. I seem to like asymmetrical designs as it should
be faster. As you may have figured out I really like the feel of the
Bell Northstar also the Wenonah Solo Plus and would like something
close to that feel.
A Your desires in a canoe are not unique and there are different ways
to meet your needs.
The Freedom 17 is a great tandem canoe of the dimensions you are
looking for and as an aside makes a very nice solo. The Solo 17 is a
great solo boat, but is probably not so good as a double.
We use the Freedom 17 here as our own boat and it has comfortable
stability for experienced paddlers or one experienced and one
inexperienced. Two novice paddlers will take a day or two to get
relaxed in the boat. The reason it makes such a nice solo is the
moderate tumblehome and the relatively narrow beam. I would favour
the Freedom 17 for your use.
Q I built a Freedom 17 last year and only had it on the water a couple times. Now, I'm noticing that the stern seat is set very far back according to plans. When I sit in it my legs and sides touch each gunnel. Is this the correct placement? And any thoughts about a sliding bow seat? I'm thinking about putting one in. Thank you.
A The Freedom 17 is set up best with the stern seat set well aft in the boat. Having the sides of your legs touching the hull is quite normal. This should allow your bow paddler to move forward, depending on their weight.
The sliding bow seat is a good idea. My own boat has a seat whose forward edge moves from 50" to 63" from the bow. My stern seat forward edge is 44" from the stern.
Hope this is of some help.
Q I am in the process of building a 17'9" Freedom, and I was wondering if you
could tell me how to apply graphite powder mix to the bottom of the hull,
and what the pros and cons are to doing this? Also, I was wondering if it's
ok for me to add a keel to my canoe after it has been completely finished,
or do I have to incorporate the keel earlier.
A If a keel is going to be added to a model such as the 17'9" Freedom,
we suggest a thin keel, like a skid plate. Anything bigger than that
will affect the performance of the canoe.
In regards to the applying the graphite powder mix to the bottom of the hull;
in the old edition of Canoecraft, on page 137, there is a detailed description;
"Graphite is a very fine black powder that, mixed with epoxy
resin, produces a slippery, highly tough, low-friction surface is
ideal for whitewater and wilderness canoes. WEST SYSTEM 406 COLODIAL
Silica added to WEST SYSTEM 423 Graphite powder will produce a rock
hard finish.
Prepare the hull as you would for painting to the waterline.
Varnish the topsides first, then invert the hull and tape at the
waterline so the graphite will overlap the varnish slightly.
Mix a batch of epoxy, adding up to 25% graphite powder and 5%
Colodial Silica. Brush or roll it on carefully, since it has a
determined tendency to run.
When the graphite coat is rubbery, cut along the edge of the tape
with a razor blade or a sharp knife and peel it off. Do not remove
the tape while the coat is runny, but do not wait until it is
rock-hard.
For an even black matte finish, rub down the entire surface with
very fine steel wool. It will come out as smooth as silk and as tough
as steel."
Q I'm interested in building the Freedom by Steve Killing. I paddled and sailed a 17' Old Town Tripper for over 20 years and recently sold it and purchased a solo canoe. It is my desire to build the Freedom because of the attributes it appears to possess that I'm looking for in a canoe in which I can paddle tandem, solo, and sail.
My dilemma results from trying to decide whether to build the 17' or 17'9" canoe. Based upon the limited amount of information I'm relaying to you, do you have any advice that you can share with me.
A Both canoes are fine boats but they do have different uses. The Freedom 17, the first of the series that we designed was created for tripping and easy paddling. It is narrower and faster than the 17'9" and for two people is still my choice. Although never a priority at at the design stage, it has turned out to be a lovely solo canoe. It has some tumblehome and sits nicely with a bit of heel.
The larger Freedom 17'9", redesigned this summer, now has a bit of tumblehome, more stability than the 17' Tripper and as you expect, more capacity. It is, I think too big in volume for a comfortable solo canoe. If you will be consistently taking three people and gear for trips then this might be your boat.
The last factor influencing your decision is the sailing use. >From a performance perspective, both boats are fine. If stability is an issue then the larger boat, which has more, may get the nod. Freedom 17
I am looking for a shallow arch hull that will perform like my Winona - I have tried the Mad River canoes but I want something less rolly. I am considering the Peterborough Canadian with and the Peterborough Champlain - what would you suggest?
The Freedom 17 is the canoe you want - it's hull is assymetrical as are the Winona and Mad River.
Most of our designs have shallow arch hulls. The assymetrical shapes respond differently as the stern half of the canoe is wider. Symmetrical hulls can be paddled in both directions.
Q I built a freedom 17 out of local white cedar. I just want to put in my $.02 worth on the design. I have read other posts that said they tipped over on the launch day, and others that felt the stability was questionable. At first try I too felt like it was tippy and trying to balance on a pin head. I found the problem was the heavier person was in front and lighter in back. After we changed the canoe became very stable. I took it into the BWCA. My paddle partner was 110lbs versus my 185lbs. She wanted to be in back. By positioning the packs we were able to get the weight in the right place to get good stability. By the end of the trip and having paddled in wind, high seas, and fishing with empty canoe. I found the design to be exactly what I was looking for. It is very stable, very maneuverable and very fast and easy to paddle. It has the Wenona canoe design beaten by a mile. The wenona I had was 18' long and did not have any rocker at all. Hard to maneuver, unstable when empty, but was fast and easy to paddle. The 17' in the same design was not as fast nor as easy to paddle. I see where the wenona is getting up to 20' long. I wonder if this model comes with an intercom system so that you can communicate with the person in the front.
A I can give you some feel for the tracking on both a technical and subjective basis. As Joan noted the rocker is 1.30" but different designers measure their rocker in different ways, so you need to be careful with a straight number comparison. I use the rocker as measured at 90% of the waterline so you ignore the last bit of curvature near the ends of the boat. The other important feature for tracking versus maneuverability is what I call the rocker drag how much is the aft end of the rocker measurement below the forward. On the Freedom 17 the aft end is .75" below the forward. So those are the numbers, but I think they don't really mean much without some good numbers to compare. Subjective comments are always good, so here are some of those.
The Freedom was designed to bring back some of the maneuverability of earlier canoes in a period when fast tripping canoes were going to straight (zero) rocker. Zero rocker is good for speed, but not maneuvering. The Freedom 17 from BearMountain has a nice combination of tracking and steering ability with mdoerate rocker. The best comparison and comments are from our builders and included here are a few of those from the builder's forum on the web site. I have attached a small profile image of the F17 drawing and you can see the lines that mark the end of the rocker measured on the profile of the canoe, under the water, near the ends.
I think you will like the boat and encourage you to embark on the project. Regards and good luck.
STONEY LAKE SKIFF/ST. LAWRENCE SKIFF
The Stoney Lake skiff would make a nice little sailing craft and we would welcome your experimentation with rigs. When I look at the boat and the beam of the boat, it is very similar (42") to the 20 foot Saint Lawrence Skiff and therefore will be similar in stability when sailing (there is also a smaller St. Lawrence skiff at 15' and 31" beam).
The larger St. Lawrence skiff has 76 sq.ft sail and the smaller 43 sq. ft. I would be quite comfortable with you making a 65-70 sq.ft. sailplan on the boat. You could go sprit-sail like the St. Lawrence skiff, gaff like the Peterborough's or lateen like your canoe. The boat would be best with a little centerboard in a permanent box in the boat, but you could also make do with lee boards. As the sail area increases the load on the lee board and required area also goes up. Perhaps Ted can have a peek in the Blue skiff at his place to see where the mast partners and step are placed.
HIAWATHA
Q I have heard that the Hiawatha in the orignal Canoecraft has been changed - the lines sold by Bear Mountain and in the revised Canoecraft are different from the original. What did you change and why?
A The changes that were made to the boat from the previous version were small, but they are never-the-less changes. The hull surface was faired further and in doing so I added some stability to the boat. It is a lovely shape but is lower in stability that some of the other designs. If you are sold on the Hiawatha then I suggest that you buy the plans (as you had indicated) from Bear Mountain and proceed from there.
If the five boats that you are building at school are to be used for school trips then I might suggest the Prospector Ranger in the traditional line or the Freedom 15 in the modern line, both 15 foot boats, but with more stability and capacity than the Hiawatha. Visit the Bear Mountain web site where you will see a chart of the stability and capacity of each of the boats. That should help you make your decision.
If your school has any NC router capabilities I can also supply you with the .dxf file for the forms. These are $180. You could then cut the forms directly. You will still want the plans from Bear Mountain.
COTTAGE CRUISING CANOE
Q I'm considering building the Cottage Cruiser as my next project and wondered whether anyone out there has built and/or paddled one? I hope to use it for 2-3 day trips,occasionally on larger lakes but never whitewater. This could be my third stripper and I welcome comments.
A The cottage cruiser has many of the characteristics of the 15 foot Bob's Special, but with everything in more moderation. It is longer and sleeker and a little less extreme in the hollow of the waterlines. It is quite a pleasant shape and we recommend it.
For those interested, the prismatic coefficient is .54 and the load capacity
we have listed at 450 lbs, but it will be comfortable with two adults and
some gear in the middle up to perhaps 500 lbs. total.
Q I recently purchased plans for the 15' Bob's special. On the plans I see that it can also be built in a 16' version. Can you inform me in detail the effect of going to 16' will have on performance.
A The overall weight of the boat should only change by the ratio of the length, since the width and height are not changing. Therefore if a 15 footer weighs 50 lbs a 16 footer should weigh 54 lbs.
Amazing as it may seem, the length of the boat does not affect the stability. If the beam and shape along the length stay the same, the transverse stability is unaffected. The only error in this thinking that a mathematician would argue is that the longer boat will float a little higher and therefore the stability will be reduced, but it is a small change and the Bob's Special has a comfortable stability. (The 16 footer will float about 1/4" higher with the same load).
The displacement of the boat will also change in proportion to the length. If the maximum optimum capacity of the 15 footer is 450 lbs then that increases to 480 lbs. But that might give you the impression that there is more accuracy to those recommended capacities than there really is - they are a subjective range of sensible capacities.
CHESTNUT PROSPECTOR 16
Q I want to make the Chestnut as exact to the originals as possible - are the numbers in the book from original Chestnut plans or measurements taken from a boat?
A Our lines originally came from Bill Mason who made templates from his favorite old red canoe and sent them to us.... - altho in subsequent research we are finding that Bill called all his canoes Prospectors when in fact they may have been the Ranger or Fort models....but they were all part of that family of high load carrying canoes that he liked.
Q In spite of its reputation as the best all-around canoe, isn't the Prospector 16 overkill for daily cruising solo canoeing?
A The Prospector 16 canoe is a large volume high freeboard canoe. It performs best when fully loaded. Some have found it to be a handful when lightly loaded and paddled in a breeze.
This was the favourite canoe of the late Bill Mason Canada's premier paddler who said: ......it is amazing that a large volume tripping canoe can also be so beautiful to paddle solo in the leaned position. - canoe ballet as I call it.
Our lines originally came from Bill Mason who made templates from his favourite old red canoe and sent them to us.... altho our research points more and more to Bill calling all his canoes Prospectors when in fact they may have been the Ranger or Fort models....but they were all part of that family of high load carrying canoes that he liked.
Steve refaired all our plans three years ago and these changes are reflected in the plans in the revised Canoecraft and in all the full size Bear Mountain plans. It makes sense when one considers that the templates Bill Mason sent to us were taken from a his canoe that had seen alot of use and may not have been all that close to the original shape given how wood expands, canvas absorbs water, its age. etc.
Q My friend and I are getting ready to start our first stripper a Prospector
16 but we would also like to build a smaller version, like maybe 6 feet as
a display or decoration for our homes. Has anyone ever done this, can you
tell me how to adapt the plans to do that or are there any plans available
anywhere that would help me with this.
A Just reduce everything proportionately including station mold spacing.
Q I have purchased a copy of the latest edition of Canoecraft and I am interested in the Redbird that is shown throughout the book or the 16' Prospector . I would like to build a canoe and take it up to the Bowron lakes in B.C for a week camping trip . There is a fair amount of portages that have to be taken around the chain of lakes . I am thinking that the Prospector would be easier to handle , but is it big enough for myself and a 13 yr. old for a week camping trip ? Also I am wondering if it is harder to paddle the longer canoe ?
Q Congratulations on a great site! In the mid-1980's, during a trip to Canada, I purchased a copy of Bill Mason's book "Path of the Paddle". As a kayakist/rafter/hiker in the south western rivers of Tasmania I was enthralled with the concept of how he tackled the giant rivers of Canada in the 'open' Canadian canoes as depicted in his wonderful photographs. Since then I have had it as one of my main recreational goals to build a 'white-water' Canadian canoe as described in that book because most of the Canadian canoes in Australia seem to be from the same fibre-glass mould and are a flat bottomed type......useless except for the calmest of rivers!
I recently found your wonderful site and will purchase a plan....but which one? Maybe I shouldn't go past the Prospector 16, Bill's favourite, as it seems to fit the type of canoeing that I want to do, rivers to Grade 3 or so, whilst carrying perhaps 100 lb of gear and two people. On the other hand, I am experienced and have always been attracted to the high-ended design of the Champlain 16.
Could you advise me? Would the Champlain 16 be noticably better with a load in white water? Any advice would be appreciated....perhaps even some more detail in the description of the Champlain as it is quite brief compared to that of the Prospector.
A We really enjoyed hearing from you. The Prospector canoe would be a much better boat for what you are describing, rather than the Champlain. Please let us know if you do build one, we'd love to have some photos for our website.
Endeavour 17 Kayak
Q My two brothers and I are currently building our third Endeavour. For the first one, we manufactured a rudder. The second one, I chose to avoid the rudder as I feel it spoils the overall beauty and lines of the kayak. I also prefer the solid feel of foot pegs that don't move. For the third, we would like to install a drop-down skeg. We've got the mechanics figured out, but would like to know if there is an optimum shape and location for it. Can you provide any suggestions? Thanks very much. P.S. We obviously love the Endeavour!
Q For a drop down skeg we would recommend a position between 18 inches and 30 inches from the stern. There is a great variety of shapes that will work for the skeg but common to all of them is a raked (sloped) leading edge to avoid catching weeds and enough area perhaps 12 sq. inches to keep the boat tracking well. Another option is a drop down rudder which has the added advantage of being able to counter act a cross wind.
Q I have successfully competed the hull and decking of my 17 foot Endeavour kayak, and I must say i am quite proud of myself! The next task that has me scratching my head a bit are the cockpit & hatch openings. The plans show full size openings, but they are on a 2 dimensional plane. The kayak has some beautiful curves to conform to. Should I make templates of these openings and lay them directly onto the craft or should I measure from the centreline?
Also when the deck is attached to the hull do the screws stay in? or are they removed before the guard is glued on?
I never thought I could build a boat, but let me tell you I've not only impressed myself but alot of others!!!!
A 1) Use your cockpit and hatch rim plans (with carbon paper underneath) to trace the full size drawing onto bristol board or picture frame mat board. These materials are thick enough to provide an edge along which you can trace the outline. The curving nature of the deck will not be a problem. Work from the midline out to the edge. Although it is extra work, we then place masking tape directly over the drawn lines and redraw the lines on the masking tape. The lines are easier to see and there is less chipping to cut edges. We use CNC cut cockpit and hatch rims made from 4 mm marine plywood.
2) If you are planning on foot pedals and a rudder, they must go in place BEFORE attaching the deck to the hull. We used thickened epoxy and #5 flat head brass screws to connect the halves. These screws are permanent. The screws for the sheer guard could be covered in paraffin wax then remove once the epoxy holding them in place has set. Then the screw holes could be plugged with 1/8 inch dowel. However, we drill 7/64 holes, do a small countersink and attach the sheer guard with the same #5 brass screws - they also are permanent.
Chaa Creek Expedition
Q I was reviewing the Wenonah catalogue and they have a four person canoe measuring 23ft. I would prefer a cedar strip canoe and am quite interested in the Chaa Creek Expedition canoe. My question is - what modifications to this plan would you recommend so that the finished canoe would accomodate 4 paddlers? I wanted to basically stretch the design out to about 22ft.
A
Just to ensure that this basic boat has the characteristics that you want I would describe it as large, comfortable stability (but not excessive), medium freeboard canoe. It has the capacity for three large bodies with some gear, but is not as high volume as the Wenonah 4 person Minnesota that you mention. The Chaa Creek is 1.5 to 2" narrower on the width and of course is shorter by 3 feet.
To lengthen the boat you need to space out the stations and will have to re-fair the station next to the stems (because as you stretch the boat the stem profile should really be stretched as well). Builders have had good success in changing the length of our plans up to 9" and in your case I would be comfortable going 12". To stretch it further you will indeed need to do some re-fairing on the molds, but with care it is certainly doable.
SMALL SCALE BOAT DESIGNS
Q Liz and I are finally getting around to building a boat
(Freedom 17). We still don't have space to build one, but are
working on jury-rigging temporary workspace. The question I have,
though, is for a friend of mine. She loves canoeing, but has never
been able to get a canoe that fits her, since she's a dwarf. She and
I have debated the possibilities of making a half-scale Prospector
(eight feet?), but don't know if shrinking a canoe down that much
would wreck the stability. Could you or Steve Killing give me some
advice on appropriate canoe size for someone who's about three feet
tall and 75-80 pounds?
A Thanks for your note on canoes for small people.
I have designed only two boats specifically for small people - once a
production 10' kayak and the other a 16 foot canoe for racing by
kids. The canoe flares a lot right above the waterline and then tucks
in again - it is not an easy shape to make in wood.
So unfortunately I don't have a perfect shape for you at the moment.
You are correct that you don't want to scale the boat down
geometrically as the stability will suffer. But just shortening the
boat a lot without changing the beam will be too sluggish.
One thought I have is to use the Rob Roy canoe which is short and
narrow, but not a traditional sitting canoe shape.
You might want to check on the Peer Talk forum on the Bearmountain
website for there have been two or three conversations about canoes
for children and small people. Do a search for "small canoe".
However, I do think we should have a canoe for smaller people, so I
will add it to our development list of new boats to be considered. It
usually take at least a year for them to come to fruition so don't
hold your breath.
Q Could you please tell me of the ideal paddler weight for the
Endeavour 17'. I am 6' and weigh 220 lbs and currently have a 17'
chesapeake stitch and glue which handles me just fine. I have the
plans for the Endeavour already and noticed some literature on the
New-Found Boats web site that the Endeavour is ideal for paddlers up
to 190 lbs but indicates payload up to 250 lbs. It will break my
heart if I can't build and paddle this craft myself....I would think
with payload to 250 lbs it shouldn't have any affect if the paddler
is under the gross allowable.
A
The optimum capacity is listed at 150 - 260 lbs. This means the
Endeavour will perform as it is designed within this weight range.
The displacement at the design waterline is 280 lbs. Each additional
97 lbs, will immerse the hull one inch.
Other FAQ Sections
Cost, Time, Tools Required, Experience Neccessary
- This FAQ section outlines what you need to know before starting your Bear Mountain project
Building your Bear Mountain Canoe or Kayak
- This FAQ section includes topics such as Lofting, Plotting, Fairing and more.
About the CanoeCraft and KayakCraft books
- this FAQ section answers a number of questions about our Bear Mountain publications.
Choosing a Design
- This FAQ section provides information on specific Bear Mountain designs, as well as a guide to help you choose the design that is right for you.
Product Feedback
- This FAQ section provides feedback from our customers on a variety of Bear Mountain products.
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