Thread: ... need help

Fletty,
Michael Storer is here to help, I reckon you will not go wrong with the Eureka. You said a canoe for one but this design still fits the bill.

Have fun
Mike

Go down to the Mik Storer forum and look for anything to do with the Eureka Canoe. She's simple. She's fast to build. She's versatile. Most importantly, you've got the designer on hand and lots of people have built them - if you do happen to discover the problem that no-one else has struck, you'll have lots of interested people trying to misdirect ... er ... help you.

Seriously. In your case (been there, done that), the craft at the end of it will be fine and fun to use, so stressing about designs is a waste of effort. Just choose one that is known to work and where you've got a lot of support. Here on the Woodies forum, the Eureka is an obvious choice if you want a canoe, the PDR if you want a sail boat and the GIS if you're a bit more adventurous.

Like hand planes, you can have too many boats, but no-one's worked out how to yet

Richard

I agree with Mike and Richard - try a Michael Storer design. Not only are they good boats, but having the designer on the Forum means that you cna get really useful help almost inreal time.

But ask yourself what kind of boat you want - do you want to paddle, row or sail. Some parts of the Nepean are quite wide enought to sail in and a Puddleduck Racer (esp Michael's OzPDR) would be a great intro. Eureka is a great canoe and Mik is in the process of developping a rowing boat.

Best of all, Mik uses straightforward construction techniques but very advanced maritime engineering - this makes it much easier for those who know how to work woood to build one of his designs but you get a lot of boat for the effort...

I'd have several questions to ask, before I recommend a design or a designer.

Taped seam construction, though light, easy and quick isn't for everyone, nor something I'd recommend for a "wood worker" interested in crafting dieing cellulous.

I designed a sweet lapstrake pee pod for someone recently, because they wanted a wooden boat build, not a wooden boat looking, embalmed in plastic kind of thing. They were looking forward to steaming wood, hanging planks, cutting rolling bevels, etc. as an exercise in their wood working craftsmanship. He could have had a glued seam lapstrake, which would have eliminated all of the steam bent frames and much of the lap bevels, but that's not what he wanted.

So the questions for the original poster should be around desires. The style of boat is not important at this point, the type of work and general build they're interested in is.

Once a building method is selected, then the field of designers and designs becomes refined. Next the design selection process can begin, which can be a long, drawn out affair, especially if this is your first boat or don't have a clue about what you want.

Personally, I'd go with the younger woman that owns a couple of Harleys, lives in a paid for house on the river, with several sweet boats parked at her docks. She just might need a handyman with good wood working skills to keep the house and boats in good order.

Originally Posted by PAR

Personally, I'd go with the younger woman that owns a couple of Harleys, lives in a paid for house on the river, with several sweet boats parked at her docks. She just might need a handyman with good wood working skills to keep the house and boats in good order.

You forgot, and her old man owns a pub.

Thankyou so much for the prompt replies!
The Storer Eureka seems to fill the bill for my starting point. I would love to make a more complex design but there is no point if I find I don't enjoy paddling in the first place.
My part of the Nepean is quite narrow and wouldn't exist without the few ancient weirs that still survive.
thanks again, Fletty

Hi Fletty,
I recently married a much younger woman, my son bought me a tattoo for Christmas and I have a half built Eureka in the shed. I had to halt Eureka production due to the imminent arrival of a baby and the nursery furniture that had to be built.
Also a first time boat builder but i have really enjoyed the Eureka to date.
The plans are excellent and it is a great looking canoe. You won't be disappointed. I plan to build something bigger once the Eureka is completed and my arms are too sore to paddle any more.