I finally got back to work on my stitch & glue solo canoe project. Got the inwales in, and decided that I couldn't wait to try it on the water, so I clamped in a couple of temporary thwarts and carried it up the road to the nearest pond. My wife came along as cheerleader/photographer/rescue crew.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2165917960087581313PpGwDA
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2077171480087581313JpiQDg
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2827769310087581313jnVYCa
It was fun to paddle. Stability felt good in the high kneeling position. The most striking feature is the shallow depth -- I don't think I'll be able to set up a seat for kneeling and still have safe foot clearance. For scale I'm 5'9", 160 lbs.
It's a modified Osprey II -- a John Winters design, with help from the folks at Newfound Woodworks. On paper it is 15' LOA x 30" max beam. The real thwarts should be a little longer to give it a bit of flare and a bit more rocker. Design displacement is 240 lbs.
Winter's comment on the original Osprey was "Despite its relatively low freeboard, it is a dry boat (I have paddled the north shore of Lake Superior in it without taking on more than a few small dollops in the most severe conditions one would like to paddle in) and the sculpted tumblehome midships allows good stroke mechanics despite the boat's 30 inch maximum beam."
Beautiful canoe!
Nice work.
Thanks!
Nice plywood can make anything look good!
Like most builders, all I can see are the mistakes, and as a first-time builder I’ve made a bunch. But that’s OK – I’ve learned a lot, and I’m going to have fun finishing and paddling it.
…Nice work!
1+;
Looks great, nice work but
it looks like a kayak convertible and a fast one.
I’ll leave the building to you all with the talent and just admire your work.
Paddlin’ on
Richard
That was my thought.
Beautiful, BUT: Add a deck fore/aft and a nice soft seat, and I’d be double blading that baby . . . .
YoS
Thinking that way…
I’m thinking about a footbrace and attachment points for a backband. Seat will probably not be hung from the gunwales – the current plan is to put in rails below the tumblehome break. If I’m lucky it’ll work for single or double blade.
Ooh! Ooh!
I’ve got the plans for that boat. Been considering building a decked version though mine would be a single blading kneeler. If I do build it I hope mine comes out half as nice as yours!
Tommy