My son (the boatwright on our Passagemaker Dingy kit build) and I (the boatwrong on that project) have been fantacizing about building maybe three Mill Creek 13 conoes, one each for him, his wife, and me. They've been renting plastic "kayaks" (beamy recreational things) from time to time and enjoy paddling together, and we're planning to have some fleet actions with me rowing my Passagemaker Dinghy.
I've been wondering if we couldn't achieve about the same effect with three boats with original "instant boat" construction (like Bolger's Elegant Punt, Teal, etc.)-- less money and building time, using locally available (or ordered in) lumberyard material and waterproof adhesive.
I'm imagining something like the Peace Canoe, only shorter and narrower, maybe 12-13' x 30"? Just big enough to solo canoist with a double paddle in sheltered water, and light enough to put on a roof rack, perhaps with a bit of grunting and groaning for a 71 year old goat who is otherwise reasonably fit. Oh, and a seat like the one shown for the Mill Creek 13 would be just the thing! Getting the parts for three copies out all at once and then putting them together one at a time might be accomplished over a few weekends of concetrated effort, you think?
Just wondering if others might have enough interest in such a thing to induce John to scale down the Peace Canoe design. Plans, material list, and maybe patterns for the plywood bits?
Maybe I'm just dreaming here....
Something like this?
This is the pirogue that I built in 5 days some 20 years ago. 2 sheets of 1/4" okoume from CLC, some epoxy and rubrails from Home Depot. 14 feet long.
Laszlo
Why, yes, Laszlo, that would be "about the size of it" I should think. How much did that weigh? Did it have external chines? Any frames?
Thinking of something quick to build, stored hanging from the garage rafters ready to go at the drop of a hat on a day I don't feel like sailing the Passagemaker, maybe a slack wind day, of which we usually have a surplus around Landlubber City here Central Ohio. Seems like it ought to be a great way to sneak up on birds with an Eskimo paddle in hand (is that one such lying on the dock in that photo?) ready to lay it down quietly to pick up a camera without frightening the subject away.
Goodness, how many boats do you reckon you've built over the years? My hat is off to you, sir!
.....Michael
That's the Cheap Canoe (even though it's really a pirogue) by the late Jacques Mertens-Goossens. It was 13'5" long, 30" max beam. No chines, no frames, no fasteners - just taped filleted seams and butt blocks. The butt blocks also act as stiffeners so the urge to replace them with scarph or puzzle joints should be resisted.
The stiffness came from the 3 plywood panels being bent in 3 different directions and reonforce by the rubrails. Mine weighed in at 35 lbs empty.
Your use case was exactly how I started out using it. Then it turned out to be a much more capable boat than I had thought. I actually took it out solo on the Severn by the USNA seawall and my wife and I used it together to explore the upper Patuxent River.
First with a natural backrest.
Then with a pair of Creature Comfort seats (which we still have and use 20+ years later. They're amortized to about $5/year now).
Multiple padeyes and velcro strips let us configure it for either 2 seats towrd the ends or one in the middle. This shot also shows the simple construction.
I deviated a bit from the plans and added the 1" hardwood dowels to have a sturdy point for tie-downs, anchor rodes, tow lines, etc. and just for picking up the boat in general.
Send an email to faering at morocz dot com for more info.
Laszlo
PS - Nowhere near as many boats as others on this forum. hspira, Dan Thaler and Mark N, just to mention 3, leave me in the dust. My distinction, if I have one, is that I've been at it for nearly 50 years and spend way too much time posting to this forum :-)
Hi Gramps, I'm guessing you are the same Gramps who commented on a previous post of mine regarding reefing my PM a couple of years back. Other matters took over my life for a while but I am back on the case now. Did you end up setting up a reefing system, and if so, which way did you go?. I am trying to work out how to stop the yard from sagging away from the masthead before I put reefing points in my sail. Any thoughts and photos would be appreciated.
And btw, Bendalong is a very pretty place! I launch my boat from the protected beach in the distance - there is a heavy surf running in the beach in the foreground today
regards
Andrew
Bendalong, Australia