Thread: Eureka Canoe

Hi all,
I only joined this forum yesterday and have found a lot of very interesting discussion about the Eureka. I forked out $600 or so on Saturday for all the stuff for my two teenage boys (well 11 and 14) to build a Eureka as a project with their Grandfather.(that includes plans, ply, Bote-Cote, etc)
I noticed that my plans come with diagrams of the three temporary spacers to get the beam width right, so I must have the new plans. That is good. Was there ever a definite conclusion about the height and position of the seats?. My 14 yo is 6'2" and still growing and I think the 11 yo will outgrow him! How far back can the front seat go? Did anybody think of a way to do moveable seats? The "clothes line" seats look good. Are they considered to be the way to go these days?
We probably will not start building for a month or so (still making the paddles) but is there any advice from those who have been through it that we should heed?
Thanks for the help
Regards
Ian

Well thanks to all here.

Spent a while today reading from page one but got to the end now.

The Eureka looks like a top canoe. I am interested in one for fishing backwaters and estuaries for Bream and whatever else is unfortunate enough to come my way.

The Eureka is an option but I am interested in it's stability for fishing as well as directional control which picking your way around the Port's structures and so on needs to be reasonably good.

Studley

Hi, I'm looking to build my first canoe, would anyone reccomend the Eureka 155 as a good first attempt? Where can I buy plans for one?

Hi All,

Sorry about the delay in responding to your questions, I've barely touched the ground after the big trip south, and Boatmik has only sporadic computer access at the moment,so here goes with your questions.

Originally Posted by Studley 2436

The Eureka is an option but I am interested in it's stability for fishing as well as directional control which picking your way around the Port's structures and so on needs to be reasonably good.

Studle, as long as you don't intend to fish standing up it'd be fine. Mik has a plan for an outrigger to add stability for serious fishing etc, and I'll give consideration to buiding one, but only as an exercise, I think you'll find the canoe is fine. Remember though, it's a lightweight canoe, not a heavy flat bottomed fishing boat!

Originally Posted by Mye63

Hi, I'm looking to build my first canoe, would anyone reccomend the Eureka 155 as a good first attempt? Where can I buy plans for one?

Mye, I reckon it's a perfect first attempt. www.storerboatplans.com has all the info so make sure you read it all, and links to DuckFlat Wooden Boats online store, where you can order plans.

Originally Posted by Walesey

How far back can the front seat go? Did anybody think of a way to do moveable seats? The "clothes line" seats look good. Are they considered to be the way to go these days?
We probably will not start building for a month or so (still making the paddles) but is there any advice from those who have been through it that we should heed?

Walesey,

I reckon it'll be easy enough to locate the seat after you've finished the hull, but because of the shape of the hull it may be a bit hard to move easily. There are a few schemes on the web for slinging seats from the inwhales, or you could use foam pads on the floor till you worked out the ideal weight distribution. The seat should ideally be mounted somewhat higher than the floor, but I'm sure it'll be OK as an interim measure.

Cheers,

P

I'm in trouble now.

It's not that she minds the nearly finished Eureka living on the floor of my study, nor the difficulty in getting to the bookshelves. She particularly doesn't mind at all that it's impossible to clean under the shelves while it's there.

Nope, the problem is that she doesn't particularly like sailing in small boats. Oh she'll come out on a picnic and have a great time, but lately we've all been stooging round in the PDRacers.

No. I've been told: HER CANOE HAS TO BE FINISHED SOON!!

HER canoe!

I can't start anything else, I can't even finish the Dust Extraction System until HER canoe is finished!!!

Oh well.

Better watch this space eh?

P

Originally Posted by bitingmidge

...No. I've been told: HER CANOE HAS TO BE FINISHED SOON!!

HER canoe! ....

That sounds like a good incentive program.

Have you pointed out that finishing that Eureka will be destroying one of the great traditions of this forum?

Ah well, there's always Sixpence

Richard

Well, we have finally put the first pencil marks on the sheet of ply. I can not see the table tennis table seeing much other than the bottom of the ply wood for a few months. With a scheduled one to two hours a week, for working on it, I hope to be paddling my new Eureka by Christmas! I will let you know how I get along.

By the way, how do you get photo's onto these posts?

Regards
Ian

Originally Posted by Walesey

.... I hope to be paddling my new Eureka by Christmas! ........

Hey Midge.... he didn't say which Christmas...

Originally Posted by Walesey

....By the way, how do you get photo's onto these posts?
....

To attach a file to a new post, simply click the [Manage Attachments] button at the bottom of the post composition page, and locate the file that you want to attach from your local hard drive.

hi i am 15 and i am thinking off making a canoe or Kayak dose any 1 know where i can get an easy to make 1 for free

Bogeyman, at 15 you run the risk of learning very early, that free stuff ends up costing you heaps!

By that I mean, why would you risk several hundred dollars worth of materials, and scunge out on some second rate plans that aren't worth the cost of the paper they are printed on, only to have a boat that isn't worth anything when you've finished all that work?

I could point you to half a dozen free canoe plans on the internet, and I can send you to see the same number of people who have built them. Not all of them are happy with the result! Two have been turned off boat building for life as a result of the poor experience with the plans.

Here's one. A friend of mine built it, and let's just say that it's not the best performing boat in the river! He's now building a Eureka, so his free plans have cost him the price of TWO boats!

Or I can show you that building something that has been nicely designed (like the Eureka, but there are others), is not only simpler and easier, it's at least as cheap, sometimes way cheaper than building from a free plan.

The Eureka has no framing, is a little longer than the boat above, but it does have bouyancy compartments for safety, and you'd be mad not to build those into anything you build.

As a comparison of the amount of detail, you have to get some paddles anyway, so why not download some free paddle plans from Michael Storer's homepage and get building now?

While you are there, have a look at the Eureka pages, and tell your mum you need another $75.00 to get going! By the way, if you are still growing, there is also a shorter version which may suit and take a little less material.

Good luck, and don't forget to post pics of your work, we all want to see it happening (even if you build the free boat).

P

Originally Posted by Daddles

Have you pointed out that finishing that Eureka will be destroying one of the great traditions of this forum?

Ah well, there's always Sixpence

Richard

And then there's Shassie ... Oh blew that one .. she's already finished

Hey guys! We've got to finish the Eureka before my wife will let us start on the PD Racer! There is not enough room on the Table Tennis Table for two part built boats!

By the way, Bogeyman, my boys, who are basically doing all the work on our Eureka (I pay the bills, they do the work) they are 14 and 11. I think they will manage the Eureka fine! (and pick up some skills on the way)

I guess, if price is the issue, then you can get a cheap "Scout" canoe off e-bay for a couple of hundred dollars, but that will never teach you how to build a boat! (or anything else for that matter)

I can vouch for Mik's designs. They are very comprehensive and easy to follow (so far!)

regards
Ian

Any pics of the Eureka Walesy?

MIK