ICF Compliant Sit & Switch C1 Canoe

For the last year or so I have been competing in the NSW Marathon Series paddling a TC1 that I built during 2015. I decide it was time to see if I could design, build and paddle a slightly quicker canoe. I worked on the design for a year or so, but had to sell a couple of kayaks to get enough room and to get permission http://blueheronkayaks.com/phpBB2/im...on_biggrin.gifto start construction towards the end of March.

I am far too old to paddle a high kneeler C1, so I designed a Sit & Switch C1. Like my previous projects, it was designed with Kayak Foundry and built mostly from Paulownia.

As an ICF compliant C1, it is almost 5.2 metres long with a bit over 2.8 metres open between the front and back deck. I decided that 56cm maximum beam and 51cm waterline beam should give me enough stability to enjoy paddling the canoe. While I have to set the seat much lower than in my TC1, it seems to have about the stability that I need.

In the past I have always used an internal strongback because the construction techniques I use wouldn’t work well with an external strongback. However, those problems wouldn’t be an issue with this canoe, so I tried an external strongback.

Early indications are that it is about 0.5km/h quicker than the TC1, which cuts about 4 minutes off my time for 10km.
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Lovely work, what does she weigh? General scantlings?

Nicely done Andrew. :2tsup::2tsup:
Cheers, Ian

The strips started as 25 mm thick rough sawn planks. I used to dress my timber down to 19 mm because all the information available from the USA mentioned 3/4" wide strips. This particular batch of timber had both sides cleaned up by the time they were reduced to 24 mm. As the design doesn't have the hard chines found on some kayaks, there was no advantage in turning any more of the timber into shavings. The slightly wider strips caused no problems during construction.

I build sea kayaks with 5 mm thick strips, K1 racing kayaks from 3.5 mm strips and the strips for this canoe were ripped at 4.5 mm. I figured the slightly wider, flatter open hull would benefit from a bit more stiffness.

The glass is one layer of 85 gsm or roughly 3 oz inside and out.

There is a minimum legal weight of 10 kg for a C1, so all I am prepared to say about the weight is that as long as I use a heavy seat, it will will reach the minimum legal weight. :)

Allan you're the only person I know of that has to make an effort to get a boat over the minimum weight - I wish had that problem.

Congratulations on another work of practical art.