Thread: graph paper for drawing Canoe plans

Most drawing programs (Corel Draw, Adobe Illustrator, etc.) will generate a grid to whatever specs you'd like. I can see how it might seem the grid can help.

When I loft, I start with a blank piece of well, a full sheet of plywood, usually painted flat white. In fact, I have a lofting table, which I use to make station molds, which is probably what you are doing. Mine is 8' x 8' square and because it's got a plywood top, I can tack battens to it's surface if desired, which helps which springing a line. Eventually, typically after I've drawn up several molds, there are so many lines it gets confusing, so I give it a light sanding and another coat of white primer.

For a canoe, you'd only need a 4' x 4' lofting area, so a full sheet might be enough to draw every station mold without much confusion. I also use the lofting table as a layout table for the station molds. I lay each station mold directly over the lofted drawing, to insure it's correct (a great way to catch mistakes) and to assemble the pieces if I'm using a "built up" mold. I'll place a piece of clear plastic sheeting between my table and mold assembly, so glue and crap don't muss up the lofted drawings.

Thanks for the info Par. I've heaps to learn in this area. You sound like you have a nice setup! I am somewhat limited for space - a dinky little shed with a lathe in it, and a carport which will be used to build the canoe. the 4'x4' table sounds like a neat idea though and would probably be worth it even for one canoe.

After reading through the forum on the topic of being addicted to this type of work, and with names like "Never Again II" being mentioned, maybe something a little more permanent would be in order

Cheers,
Dave

So, long as the name isn't "Final Anchorage" you're probably good to go.

Boat building gets into your system and then you're pretty much screwed for life, from there on out. Accept it, you'll live longer and be happier with it.

I do this sort of thing for a living, so I have some cool stuff, but much of it isn't necessary. When I closed the "big shop" out on the coast, I put a bunch of standing equipment in storage, with the idea I'd move it as I needed it. Well most of it is still where I packed it up. I have this big old joiner, that I haven't used in several years, a 16 speed drill press that I haven't missed, though I do have a 5 speed that I've converted to varable speed that gets used. I have a home made surface sander that gets used about twice a year, usually when the other half wants some cabinet doors redone. I have a 48" lathe that is dusty from lack of use and in general, I've found I don't need or use all the stationary tools I used to.

A layout/lofting/assembly table is always a good idea. It's a better idea if it can be separated into two equal height and dimension tables, like big hefty saw horses. Over this you can throw a sheet of plywood as a bigger temporary table. Temporary things are pretty much the story with boat building. You'll always be using something for a bit, then have to tear it down to move on. Clamps, braces, saw horses, tables, legs, supports, etc. I use drywall screws and scrap blocks of wood a lot too, which serve as temporary hold fasts, until something cures.

A canoe is a small thing, so a big table isn't so important. You'll probably need the space for a strong back to erect the station molds on. in a car port. Building a strip planked canoe is a right of passage for a boat builder. We all have to do it (I was forced by a client). Work neat, clean and follow the plans. The results will usually make you wonder how you could do such a nice job of something.

Thanks again for the adice Par. I'm already starting to wonder if a nice little sailing dinghy might be the next project

My plan for the build it to take it nice and easy, with a focus on accuracy and finish, rathern than productivity or speed. Should be fun - working on the strongback this weekend.

Cheers,
Dave

Dave, don't get too bogged down on the details, fit, finish and accuracy. I know this seems counter intuitive, but boats, especially strippers can be so full of details, that you'll spend your life trying to decide what to do.

Up until computers came along, boat plans were done with an accuracy down to an 1/8" (3 mm), which is fairly "fat" by some standards. Fortunately, it's a damn boat not a rocket, so you can move on. My drawings are accurate down to about a 10,000th on an inch as a result of frigging computers and I kind of miss the days when a fat pencil line was more then accurate enough. Not even machine made parts need this level of accuracy. An 1/8" off in any direction on your boat would probably exceed every single boat ever built. No kidding. I once congratulated myself on only being off at the measured keel to sheer by a 1/2" (13 mm) from side to side. Taken in context, the measurement was ~26', so I was off by 1/3 of a single percent from port to starboard and that was worth celebrating.

Strips can be fun to play with, selecting complimentary colors, making patterns, scroll and inlay work, yep, great fun. It's not a coffee table, you're going to drag it up a shell cover beach with 150 pounds (70 kilos) of camping gear in it!

I guess my point is, build your boat, it's the first of likely several, with each getting more refined, more accurate, better finished and even a faster build time. This is a learning process and by the time you're done, you'll wish you'd done a lot of things differently. This is partly what drives us to build another, then another. It's not a flaw, but part of the illness. You'll look back at this project and smile, thinking of all the stuff you learned during the build and how clearly visible your lessons where under varnish!