Looks great! I'm building one myself at the moment, different style, but a canoe nonetheless. One thing I would recommend however, is using a random orbit sander instead of a purely rotational one. They leave very few swirl marks and tend not to gouge the surface.
The blanket is 10-oz. fibreglass cloth which you stretch over the finished canoe hull. The whatever-that-glue-is-called is epoxy/resin mixed with hardener, both produced by West System (#105 and #205) available in Canada/USA. Mix it to specifications and apply it with roller, brush or spreader. It fills the weave of the cloth and bonds to the wood - a totally waterproof finish ... quite remarkable actually!
Thanks for the reply and your insight. Cedar is great stuff, if it works for you I'll try it instead. Just one last question. I noticed you use West System Epoxy to finish the canoe "bright". Is there a risk that sunlight will turn the epoxy cloudy or does West have a particular resin for finishing bright? Their standard resin is 105. Thx, Scott
@henrynevins Yes, if you leave the canoe upturned in direct sunlight all summer long, there is some clouding of the finish ... and, I suspect, ultimately dry cracking. My solution: when it's not in the water, keep it in a shed, boathouse or under a tree. I use 105 epoxy/205 hardener.
Hi, Nice job. Just one question, for the ribs wouldn't white oak be the wood of choice for strength and stiffness? I plan on building a Penn Yan type dinghy which was built this way. It makes for a light boat. If covered with traditional canvas they're even lighter. Neat videos, thanks, Scott
@henrynevins Sorry, not much agreement here. If I didn't use cedar, it wouldn't be a cedar strip canoe. Portaging is a large part of canoe tripping. To me, oak is a hardwood ... not many hardwoods are lighter than cedar. Need to compromise a bit on strength (maybe stay out of the rapids!). I used to use canvas. There's no way canvas, filler and paint is lighter than fibreglas cloth and epoxy. Besides, the clear exterior finish is what cedar-epoxy canoes are all about. Good luck with your dinghy.
Webcap, great work...beautiful boat! I was trying to think of something witty about "all that talking in the videos," but, seriously, I think what I enjoyed most was just quiet (durst I say 'serene') quality of the work/project...that was quite a treat. Thank you! Hope that craft serves you well for years to come!
Wow webcap that is a fine boat. Amazing that you built it with the ribs rather than the more common strips wrapped in glass way these days. Something nice about a boat with all those ribs but it sure seems like it would be more work with all those nails. I'm currently emptying the garage and have lofted out some forms for the Ranger in Canoecraft to work on this winter. Thanks for the great video!
You see... Why do so many people do nothing, like watching tv. The nicest in your show is that no special or expensive tools are used. And also there´s no much noise...you don´t do any harm to you or anybody else I´m also beginning to work on doing small boats. Congratulations for having the courage to do just step by step with no hurry, and for finding a way to enjoy life. Hugs!
That's a Bloody Beauty M8, would have been a treat the first paddle, took ya time & look what ya turned out, Great insentive for fellow builders forshure, Congratz
wow these videos were great. your a very skilled man. I have a couple questions (sorry im another guy bugging you) 1- how did you get the measurements for your forms? 2- what thickness do you rip your wood for the ribs and sides of the canoe...is that cedar? again great work.
Thanks for your comments. 1. A book entitled 'Canoecraft' by Ted Moores & Merilyn Mohr (Camden House Publishing, 1983) contains specifications and measurements for the forms to build several different canoe models ... this one is the Chestnut Prospector (pages 42-43). 2. The wood is western red cedar and it is ripsawed to about 5/16 of an inch thick for both ribs and planks ... planking is then sanded down to about a quarter inch. Good luck with your canoe!
1. Rib templates for bending are exact duplicates of stations along the canoe form ... all stations are equally spaced (12 inches centres).
2. Bow/stern stems are inside the canoe hull. Nothing on the inside gets epoxyed. Usually only varnish ... sometimes a coat of double-boiled linseed oil first, if I want to darken the grain of the interior wood.
Two ribs either side of each station are all bent on the same station. Half-ribs used at bow & stern are all bent on last station ... they'll flex enough to fit ... you just have to pin them in place to hold them.
And your canoes are so beautiful. I read some of the comments left by viewers and no one asked how much all the supplies cost. Do you hapen to know the total cost? Thanks -Thanks
By 'cracks', I assume you mean the gaps between planks where the curvature does not allow the planking to lie edge-to-edge. I use a 'wood filler' product made by Elmer's ... which I believe is an American company that manufactures adhesives, etc.
Hi another great video,now some questions,What material did you use on the seat ie rope or leather or cord? what was used as a rubbing strip ie brass? and what type of glue did you put under it? how did you attach the seat from below using what? what weight was the fibre matting? and finally I love your carring board I am going to make one for my own canoe but I hope to make it removable,thanks bogsdolics.
Where did you obtain the information to build the canoe (Books/DVD/Other)? Also, could one use Kevlar instead of Fireglass? If so, what would be the pros and cons?
I read a book called 'Canoecraft' by Ted Moores (must be 20 years old now) ... used his specifications for the form (16' Prospector) ... after that I pretty much went my own way. Five canoes later I'm still trying different things. Happy New Year to you, too (hope your year has a canoe in it!)
amazing video, thinking of building one myself. thanks for the inspiration.
MrJlinda 4 months ago
Excellent suggestion ... I used to have one ... need to get another!
webcap 5 months ago
Looks great! I'm building one myself at the moment, different style, but a canoe nonetheless. One thing I would recommend however, is using a random orbit sander instead of a purely rotational one. They leave very few swirl marks and tend not to gouge the surface.
kydoes 5 months ago
The blanket is 10-oz. fibreglass cloth which you stretch over the finished canoe hull. The whatever-that-glue-is-called is epoxy/resin mixed with hardener, both produced by West System (#105 and #205) available in Canada/USA. Mix it to specifications and apply it with roller, brush or spreader. It fills the weave of the cloth and bonds to the wood - a totally waterproof finish ... quite remarkable actually!
webcap 6 months ago
good job guys. really well done for making it with limited resources and space :P
MrPenobe 1 year ago
Comment removed
cleverfeller 1 year ago
man you are a master!great job man!félicitation!
punkmaggie 1 year ago
Hands down best video ever!!! And most beautiful canoe ever!!!!!
madmiles 1 year ago
where do you buy the materials?
jota4u 1 year ago
@jota4u Wherever you can get 'em for what you're willing to pay. Sources change frequently. Tracking down suppliers is half the fun!
webcap 1 year ago
Thanks for the reply and your insight. Cedar is great stuff, if it works for you I'll try it instead. Just one last question. I noticed you use West System Epoxy to finish the canoe "bright". Is there a risk that sunlight will turn the epoxy cloudy or does West have a particular resin for finishing bright? Their standard resin is 105. Thx, Scott
henrynevins 1 year ago
@henrynevins Yes, if you leave the canoe upturned in direct sunlight all summer long, there is some clouding of the finish ... and, I suspect, ultimately dry cracking. My solution: when it's not in the water, keep it in a shed, boathouse or under a tree. I use 105 epoxy/205 hardener.
webcap 1 year ago
Hi, Nice job. Just one question, for the ribs wouldn't white oak be the wood of choice for strength and stiffness? I plan on building a Penn Yan type dinghy which was built this way. It makes for a light boat. If covered with traditional canvas they're even lighter. Neat videos, thanks, Scott
henrynevins 1 year ago
@henrynevins Sorry, not much agreement here. If I didn't use cedar, it wouldn't be a cedar strip canoe. Portaging is a large part of canoe tripping. To me, oak is a hardwood ... not many hardwoods are lighter than cedar. Need to compromise a bit on strength (maybe stay out of the rapids!). I used to use canvas. There's no way canvas, filler and paint is lighter than fibreglas cloth and epoxy. Besides, the clear exterior finish is what cedar-epoxy canoes are all about. Good luck with your dinghy.
webcap 1 year ago
Webcap, great work...beautiful boat! I was trying to think of something witty about "all that talking in the videos," but, seriously, I think what I enjoyed most was just quiet (durst I say 'serene') quality of the work/project...that was quite a treat. Thank you! Hope that craft serves you well for years to come!
All the best...
C24B9 2 years ago
Wow webcap that is a fine boat. Amazing that you built it with the ribs rather than the more common strips wrapped in glass way these days. Something nice about a boat with all those ribs but it sure seems like it would be more work with all those nails. I'm currently emptying the garage and have lofted out some forms for the Ranger in Canoecraft to work on this winter. Thanks for the great video!
boatstrips 2 years ago
You see... Why do so many people do nothing, like watching tv. The nicest in your show is that no special or expensive tools are used. And also there´s no much noise...you don´t do any harm to you or anybody else I´m also beginning to work on doing small boats. Congratulations for having the courage to do just step by step with no hurry, and for finding a way to enjoy life. Hugs!
eugeoc2 2 years ago
That's a Bloody Beauty M8, would have been a treat the first paddle, took ya time & look what ya turned out, Great insentive for fellow builders forshure, Congratz
TheAussiNut 2 years ago
wow these videos were great. your a very skilled man. I have a couple questions (sorry im another guy bugging you) 1- how did you get the measurements for your forms? 2- what thickness do you rip your wood for the ribs and sides of the canoe...is that cedar? again great work.
dmesz311 2 years ago
Thanks for your comments. 1. A book entitled 'Canoecraft' by Ted Moores & Merilyn Mohr (Camden House Publishing, 1983) contains specifications and measurements for the forms to build several different canoe models ... this one is the Chestnut Prospector (pages 42-43). 2. The wood is western red cedar and it is ripsawed to about 5/16 of an inch thick for both ribs and planks ... planking is then sanded down to about a quarter inch. Good luck with your canoe!
webcap 2 years ago
That was a great series of videos,amazing work. I have a couple of questions if i may?
1.Your rib templates,are they the same size as the canoe forms? and equaly spaced between forms?
2 The Keel strip that was added at the end, is that being expoxied or stained?
Thank you so much for posting these!!!
carnivore10 2 years ago
Thanks for your comments and questions;
1. Rib templates for bending are exact duplicates of stations along the canoe form ... all stations are equally spaced (12 inches centres).
2. Bow/stern stems are inside the canoe hull. Nothing on the inside gets epoxyed. Usually only varnish ... sometimes a coat of double-boiled linseed oil first, if I want to darken the grain of the interior wood.
Hope this helps!
webcap 2 years ago
But there is much more ribs than stations??
xpretzx 2 years ago
Two ribs either side of each station are all bent on the same station. Half-ribs used at bow & stern are all bent on last station ... they'll flex enough to fit ... you just have to pin them in place to hold them.
webcap 2 years ago
its cool to see that your video finishes at the exact moment when the canoe touches the water. ;)
nice work man! congrats!!!
umcosta 2 years ago
太利害了
bigkeelung 2 years ago
Your videos are absolutely amazing!
And your canoes are so beautiful. I read some of the comments left by viewers and no one asked how much all the supplies cost. Do you hapen to know the total cost? Thanks -Thanks
bretto50505 2 years ago
All materials for that canoe (begun in 2006 and finished in 2007) cost about $500 CDN total.
webcap 2 years ago
What did you put in the cracks? Was it wood puddy, or a exopy of some sort? Cool looking video thanks for listing it,Joseph T (Fly2000jtb)
fly2000jtb 3 years ago
By 'cracks', I assume you mean the gaps between planks where the curvature does not allow the planking to lie edge-to-edge. I use a 'wood filler' product made by Elmer's ... which I believe is an American company that manufactures adhesives, etc.
webcap 3 years ago
Great craftsmanship. You show skill and patience way beyond my abilities. Wish I had one like it!
Woodenarrows 3 years ago
I'm speechless. Just awesome building skills!
The plywood canoe my friend and I are building at the moment is nothing against your marvelous work!
jonasmajewski 3 years ago
its dazelmazing!
geoff1188 3 years ago
now that really is something special, what a project
johnnythebouy 3 years ago
very nice canoe inspiring to make one myself
grahamcridland 3 years ago
Salut l'ami .
un petit français qui aime bien ton travail te salut.
matelot87 3 years ago
good job mate
Xponoc 3 years ago
How long did it take you to finish your canoe? Did you get the parts from a kit?
drail80s 4 years ago
Everything is handcrafted ... no kit! 75+ hours ... spread out over a whole winter.
webcap 4 years ago
Wow! 75 hours... I would have guessed longer, for me up to a half year or more for first one just guessing.
Id like to do it someday but am not confident Id do a good job.
drail80s 4 years ago
What type of material did you use for the canoe seats? That was really nece seats by the way...good work.
drail80s 4 years ago
cool project!
1ToNJaB 4 years ago
Great Job!!!
Amazing!!!
lucalbuquerque 4 years ago
thanks for sharing your hobby
greyxwolf 4 years ago
Hi another great video,now some questions,What material did you use on the seat ie rope or leather or cord? what was used as a rubbing strip ie brass? and what type of glue did you put under it? how did you attach the seat from below using what? what weight was the fibre matting? and finally I love your carring board I am going to make one for my own canoe but I hope to make it removable,thanks bogsdolics.
bogsdolics 4 years ago
Seats ... 3/16" braided nylon cord (like bootlace).
Stem bands ... 3/8" x 48" half oval brass strip.
Around stem band (and keel) screws ... silicone sealant.
Seats attached to gunwales ... 1/4" x 3" carriage bolts (preferably brass).
Fibreglass cloth ... 6 oz.
Carrying yoke ... Try poplar. A day's worth of sawing, chiseling, sanding. Good luck!
webcap 4 years ago
I really enjoyed watching your videos!
Where did you obtain the information to build the canoe (Books/DVD/Other)? Also, could one use Kevlar instead of Fireglass? If so, what would be the pros and cons?
Thank you and happy new year
jwcbf 4 years ago
I read a book called 'Canoecraft' by Ted Moores (must be 20 years old now) ... used his specifications for the form (16' Prospector) ... after that I pretty much went my own way. Five canoes later I'm still trying different things. Happy New Year to you, too (hope your year has a canoe in it!)
webcap 4 years ago