Thread: Quick Canoe - Clinton's build in Sydney

waiting, waiting, waiting for epoxy, paint and varnish to dry.

went mucking about in the bay today.

I look away for 10 minutes and the boat is finished!

Great blue. Like it a lot. I think wild colours quite suit the Quick Canoe.

MIK

But Clinton - where are you? - hadn't fallen overboard I hope!!

Like the colour too.

What is it like to paddle?

Fine boat! Congratulations

It goes suprisingly well.

Yesterday I was a bit concerned about how unstable it was... but today I realised that it tips 'from level' easily and rapidly, but is really stable when it gets over on the side a bit.
In other words, stable on the flat, then wants to get over to a 15 degree of so lean, where its stable again.

The keel needs some touching up. I haven't shaped the ends.
The canoe goes straight, but turns slower than I think it could, perhaps fiddling with the keel is in order.

I used toy paddles with blade about 20cm long (from a blow up, childrens 'boat'). A few good paddles and it was off and running, before I knew it, it was quite a few hundred meters down the bay. Drifts a lot before it stops.
Be interesting to see how it goes with MIK's paddle design.

I carried it on a shoulder across the road to the boat ramp, through the soccer club car park. Got more than a few looks, and there were more than a few people hanging about to 'casually' watch how it went. I don't have scales, but I'd be confident on it being @ 30kg

No, didn't fall out... low tide at the boat ramp.

First time doing a few things in this build... learned "how not to have a brain fuzz, and forget to put down the masking tape before filleting". That cost me a lot of time to 'fight the epoxy' with the paddlepop stick, pushing fillet goo around, and then cleaning it up.

I reckon that the next one will be finished in CFP (PolyU floor varnish which is a little 'self levelling' and harder than varnish)... and I'll put in chine logs, and mask off every time!. I will also do the first coat of epoxy prior to cutting out the sheets of ply.

As Cliff said "Its a big bucket!" and he's right, it looks big when being built, but its about right for two people, with gear.
If a single person sat almost in the centre, with double ended paddles, I reckon she'd get going pretty fast.

I think I have a new obsession!

Thanks MIK...detailed instructions written 'conversationally', great concept, and I turned 3 sheets of ply into a canoe. How cool!

Just did my sums.

$282 and 5 hours 30 mins.... not including waiting for epoxy to dry and hovering over it wanting to get on to the next bit.
This included machined hoop pine (clean and clear) and the delivery costs.
I have not included left overs in the cost (such as the ply left over from which I will cut our another side panel), but have included all consumables, with nearest estimation of cost for things like '1/2 tin paint, 1/4 tin of varnish...'

Thanks for the rundown Clinton! She really does look really beaut on the water. The price breakdown is pretty nice to see too. Well done! MIK

Originally Posted by Clinton1

Just did my sums.

$282 and 5 hours 30 mins.... not including waiting for epoxy to dry and hovering over it wanting to get on to the next bit.
This included machined hoop pine (clean and clear) and the delivery costs.
I have not included left overs in the cost (such as the ply left over from which I will cut our another side panel), but have included all consumables, with nearest estimation of cost for things like '1/2 tin paint, 1/4 tin of varnish...'

Great job! I am glad that your times in building the canoe are consistant with mine. I have built a lot of plywood boats, and tend to build quite quickly. Occasionally I worry that my times may not be indicative of what the 'average' builder can knock off. With the prototype, I had to figure out a few items, and MIK was trying to work out an efficient building sequence, so I did not have the luxury of a lot of instruction or explaination.
I am curious to read that you think you would build the next one with chine logs. Do you think this would make the build easier? I used timber in the stems instead of an epoxy fillet, and I think this gave the unfinished hull more stability with the tape.
I wonder if chine logs would make the interior harder to clean out when sand and dirt get in there?

Rick

Rick,

Time - I did keep a running time log, but some things went much slower than I think reasonable. e.g. I didn't want any screws in the inwales, so I had to glue them in one at a time due to limited clamps. I will get another bag of plastic hand clamps for next time. Epoxying the panels before cutting will be quicker as well.

I think chine logs are the bit of timber you put in between the ends of the ply panels at the stern/bow. ? Thats what I mean by chine logs (but you said 'timber in the stems???).
I think it will make a cleaner joint, and I think a clear finish on them, to contrast with the painted exterior would be good. I think I'd plane it to size, then use a scratch stock (beader) to rabbet it for the ply to sit flush into. Then fillet the inside.

I have no idea on how to make the keel efficient and allow a better turn. I don't mind doing complex geometry... must be more to it than take the height down and bevel the edges ???

Howdy Clinton, The chinelogs are timber along the join of the bottom panel to side panel along the length of the boat. I do think seriously about what you and Rick are saying about internal stems - wood joining the bows up. The only thing I have against it is that with my other boats that use such a stem it is kinda tricky to shape with a changing bevel. Not a problem for the woodwork accomplished but I've seen first time builders really struggle with it. I am thinking that cable ties or copper wire might be good for the stems. The reason it might be good there is that the fillet in that corner is quite deep because of the narrow angle of the bow. It will be more positive than the tape. The duct/gaffer tape works a treat for the chine because if you stitch it always makes a bumpy fillet or glass tape because the angle is shallower - but with the tape it is nice and clean. But the stems will result in the tape or copper wire being hidden well under the fillet. What do you guys think? Particularly Clinton. Did you find the ends a bit unstable done with the duct tape? Michael

I'll update my thread shortly, we won the popular vote prize with mine at the Tinaroo Raid.

internal stems - I've learnt another boaty term!

Michael:
No, I did not find it unstable at all with the gaffa tape (I used 1 roll up, lost the other two in the clutter, and went with 50mm plastic masking tape, which worked really well. Also, I omitted your 'put a screw/wire through the side if the ends are unstable step' (ends = 'bow and stern', or 'stems' in a double ender - showing off!).
I made the whole thing on my own, including taping up and turning it over... no worries at all with stability, or ease of 'making'.

1. I'm thinking more from an end result perspective... glass taping the stems was difficult to get really neat (more practice, I know), and now I've painted the outside I realise that I could have epoxy fillet goo'd the stems to get real neatness. Or is 'bogging up' bad practice?

I think, for a neater appearance I'd be better fitting a timber strip that the ends of the ply are fitted into a 'rebate'. Introducing point 2.

2. If I made the internal stem to be v shaped in vertical plane (very slight, from the current 'end result measurement' to a flaring of about 5mm or so), so the top of the ends flared slightly, would this stuff your design?
Yes, the stem at the deck is changed, but the deck if fitted to size anyway.

I'm thinking of the the appearance only, a solid, clear piece of timber to finish off the ends... pleasant appearance has so much to do with the lines, shapes, ratios, contrasts and hints.

I'm happy knocking that shape up, have the tools and techniques... and I agree, its not for the 1st timer with minimal wood work experience. I'd rather spend the time on that than spending time on taping and filleting the end.
My way of doing it - Simplest way to form the piece would be to plane to shape, then rebate could be a deep scribed line, then paring cuts with a chisel thru to using a box grooving moulding plane... again not for the inexperienced.

Not telling you your business... my inexperience is demonstated by the fact that I'm chuffed to know what a chine is... but I reckon leave the plan as it is, except for a "decide to paint the exterior, and skim coat epoxy bog to fair the stems" line... and leave the 'hint' about internal stem, as you have done... those that can will pick up on it. (except me, because I was 'precicious' about following your design).

A big part of a first 'boat' really could be about the appearance/perfection of the end result... e.g people say 'you can't do that'... then say 'wow'...
first build + task worthy, economical, and other peoples praise = second go = more happiness in the world.

I'm rambling....

But a good summary. Thanks for all of that Clinton.

I have to do a bit of an edit of the Quick canoe plans to do the two mods corrections so will look at your suggestions.

Bogging is not a crime if it is done nicely. The easiest way with the stem is to just plane it off flat and glue a bit of timber on there then round over - though I have used thick epoxy glue for the same trick. Probably best before the keel/skegs go on though as they can match the length of the rounded external stem.

MIK