Model 50 almost done

Building seats. Sitting for so many years in the weather, we made new seats, thwarts and decks, all out of ambrosia (wormy) maple

 

Decks

 

Varnish going back

 

 Period correct shield logo

Not too much wind makes learning to solo easier.

 

J stroke mastered

 

Another solo outing, Muskoka River

 

Decal is on

 

I hate golf, but  tees are great for plugging screw holes in gunwales

 

All thats left are new cant rib tops, small amount of planking to go on and its ready for canvas

A project for Grade 7s and 8s - introduction to boatbuilding

 Our oldest started high school this year, after having some great teachers for 7 and 8.  We were approached to help get a new club going for the kids, run by the science/shop teacher. It seems the tech/shop class is under attack by the school board and the gov't, first cutting cords to the machinery and finally reducing the available projects to hand tools only. Still the teacher perseveres, and we've provided a 14' stripper form for solo paddling, which we'll tackle next semester. For this fall, we'll be assisting while the kids tackle a stitch and glue paddling and sailing canoe. Rewarding for me, and the required volunteer hours necessary before graduation from high school for our oldest.

A nice strip building form, donated by a retired teacher who was anxious to see kids build on it, after sitting for so many years.

On its way home

Quick stop for some New Orleans pizza, we're definitely in small town Ontario

Materials for this boat are more costly, requiring clear stock at least 15' long, and to be milled. Some hard core scrounging has turned some up, but it wont be ready till later in the fall. It will be a heck of a project for the second half of the school year.

Bead and cove strips for stripper construction

Underway on a form

 Stripper boat, painted exterior hull

Epoxy, fillers, glass tape and copper wire for stitching hull panels together

Plans set from Lost in the Woods Boatworks in Parry Sound, from back when they supplied plans, kits and completed boats.

Hull set up for sailing

Plan hull makes a great paddler

Set for sailing with a centerboard

Panel shapes cut out

Assembled hull

Copper wire stitches holding panels together

Bright finished, varnished hull rather than paint.

When mentioned to the kids and asked who would be interested, all 32 potential participants stepped up and wanted in. This will be the perfect opportunity to get them involved in creating something that in this day and age seems so far removed from public schools. Shop class, industrial arts, whatever you want to call it, used to be fantastic. Torches, lathes, power tools, metal and woodworking were all part of the experience. Increasingly kids aspire to buy things, hopefully this sets a few on the path of aspiring to build things. 

Spruce rails for a new Cruiser build

To the woodpile for some long spruce, this second build will be true to the originals with lighter weight spruce rails. 

18' mostly clear stock, small knots can be hidden behind ribs and behind decks. Second grade boats allowed small imperfections, so long as they didnt affect the stength of the boat. 

Lots of potential rail stock

Last dip in the pool before its closed for winter - rails need to soak up before steaming for bending before mounting on the form

After this build, the next one will be made with hardwood rails and will be set up for sailing. Just completed is a batwing style hybrid lateen sail made by Todd Bradshaw of Addiction Sailmakers in Wisconsin. So much nicer looking than a standard lateen sail, total area is approx 49 sq feet. Now to find some 18' mahogany.

More to come on this project...

Peterborough Iroquois (Chestnut Maiden)

 Introduced in 1922 and built into the '50s, this Chestnut Indian Maiden has proved elusive in the marketplace. We've passed on a few that either were made up to look like one but were'nt genuine, or had been treated poorly or fiberglassed. This week we finally got lucky, and located a Peterborough Iroquois. 

Brought back out for the 1960-61 year and built by Chestnut for Peterborough, their version was named the Iroquois.  Technically a Maiden, its built with spruce inner gunwales, cedar decks, maple seats and thwarts and hardwood outer wales, the Chestnut Indians had been trimmed in mahogany

  As found in original canvas

 A narrow, fast boat at 32" wide and 16' overall

Cedar decks

 Oak outer wales

 Nice shape, easy restoration

Solid seat caning on maple frames. Decks have hardwood coamings as well

 Heavily recurved stems, cant ribs just visible. 

 Silver Peterborough decal on bow deck, with painter ring.

Toughest choice will be what colour to paint it when done....

Road trip to Huron County

Today provided great weather for a drive to collect materials and a strip canoe form. The box trailer is still apart, so hook the boat trailer to the van and collect Rob and off we go. First stop is a new contact sawyer with a lot of ambrosia maple in 4/4, 6/4 and 8/4.  Prices were too good to pass up, and he had live edge slabs suitable for furniture and such so a big piece came home as well.
The next cruiser off the form will be trimmed with wormy maple. Not totally out of line with authenticity, as guide models were not built with materials not as selected as the first grade, and we've restored Chestnuts and Peterboroughs with everything from curly maple to birdseye. A few pieces of elm rounded out the pile, and we headed to collect the form.

A retired teacher had advertised the form for free to pick up, and its going to the local middle school for grade 7s and 8s to form a club to construct a canoe during the school year. 14'5'' long, with a modern stem and waterline, flat sheer, its reminiscent of a sleeker solo boat, along the lines of a Swift Osprey.
Currently 28" width and 11" deep, against the Oprey's width of 29" width and 26" gunwale width.

What causes ambrosia maple?

the lumberman's term for this product has been wormy maple. The appearance is actually caused by Ambrosia beetle that carries a fungus on its legs that causes the discolouration. The holes are due to the beetle boring through the living wood.

Modern lines, more plumb stem and sleek modern lines

One big load of logs

Lots of Maple

Starting to build a pile

Time to load

Lots of live edge slabs

Strip building form

Pick up at an historic house circa 1875

Second stop