Shopsmith Forums

jsburger wrote:
Al,

Just out of curiosity, how heavy is the canoe? The yoke is designed to be able to pick up the canoe and carry it on your shoulders as you know. Is that actually possible or is your canoe too heavy to carry any distance?

I was stationed in Quebec Canada at CFB Bagotville with the Air Force from 1980-1984. I hunted moose with a Canadian friend every year and even went back every year when I returned to the States until the first Gulf war in 1990. We had a 14" Cedar and canvas canoe that was hand built by the Tremble brothers in Jonquiere Quebec. It was truly made to portage, very light. The portage yoke was thinner and wider than yours and made from maple as were the seats. It was also scooped out front to back to match the curvature of the shoulders and had a notch in the curve to accommodate the spine. The seats were caned just like yours and the top side rails were Mahogany. We spent 30 days in the bush every year and I portaged that canoe more times than I care to think in 9 years.

You should be very proud of your work. That canoe is absolutely gorgeous.

algale wrote:

jsburger wrote:
Al,

Just out of curiosity, how heavy is the canoe? The yoke is designed to be able to pick up the canoe and carry it on your shoulders as you know. Is that actually possible or is your canoe too heavy to carry any distance?

I was stationed in Quebec Canada at CFB Bagotville with the Air Force from 1980-1984. I hunted moose with a Canadian friend every year and even went back every year when I returned to the States until the first Gulf war in 1990. We had a 14" Cedar and canvas canoe that was hand built by the Tremble brothers in Jonquiere Quebec. It was truly made to portage, very light. The portage yoke was thinner and wider than yours and made from maple as were the seats. It was also scooped out front to back to match the curvature of the shoulders and had a notch in the curve to accommodate the spine. The seats were caned just like yours and the top side rails were Mahogany. We spent 30 days in the bush every year and I portaged that canoe more times than I care to think in 9 years.

You should be very proud of your work. That canoe is absolutely gorgeous.

The hull (still not fiberglassed inside) seems to weigh nothing, but I won't know the weight until it is finished and I can find an appropriate scale.

The design says the canoe should be 65 pounds when finished. I made some design changes that will alter that. First, I have chosen to reinforce the bottom, both inside and out, with an extra football-shaped layer of glass, which will add weight. Second, my seats and yoke are about 1/4 thicker than the plans called for.

Nevertheless, I believe the finished canoe will be something that can be portaged -- at least over short distances.

Thanks for checking in.

Al

dusty wrote:Yeah, now maybe. Wait a few years and then portage to the lake.

algale wrote:Well, can't put off my least favorite part of the job any longer.

Laying out the glass "football."

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More glass.

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First coat of epoxy. Don't enjoy working with glass and epoxy at all.

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Trying to decide whether I want to add additional coats of epoxy. The weave looks like it might make a decent non-slip surface. Question for Shipwright (or anyone else who knows fiberglass/epoxy): is there any reason why I need to add a second and third coat to the interior?

shipwright wrote:Sounds good Al. That's a great jig to cut these.
8:1 is great too. That's the ratio I use all the time. Never had one break on the glue.I believe I read a piece from the American Plywood Institute or some such body that said 8:1 was equivalent to a continuous piece (plywood). It should be as good or even better in solid wood.