It’s been a while since I have written anything. but I promised myself and my readers, never to just post without decent content. I think you will find it was worth the wait!
I got a message from ‘Canoez’ on the Wooden Boat forum bringing my attention to a posting he made. I have have seen him around the forums but I only know him by his handle, Canoez. Seems ‘Mr Canoez’ works at a school and teaches boat building. I have asked for his name and where the classes are so I can give proper credit but as I write this, his identity and the location of his class room remain a mystery. Hopefully Mr. Canoez will respond so I can give him and his students proper credit. They deserve it!
The story is that the 8 students were offered a choice of 3 boats they could build. 7 of the 8 chose to build my Stonefly canoe from my book Fuselage Frame Boats. While I was flattered that so many choose my canoe, what these students did with my design is… well you have to see it.
BTW, most of the captions with the photos are Canoez comments.
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- The boat the Mr. Canoez built , “I went with Mahogany for floorboards and trim.”
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- The boat the Mr. Canoez built , “I like the traditional shapes from wood and canvas canoes and took some cues from the class I took with Jerry Stelmok in tapering the gunwales and the shapes for the decks – curved with a hollow back – and the brass stem band and painter loop on bow and stern.”
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- “This one is by a woman who started the class with somewhat more limited skills, but still has created a very beautiful boat.”
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- “Here is one of the more interesting paint jobs that I’ve seen put on the canoes so far. The owner is a talented woodworker in his own right, and has done an outstanding job on the woodwork. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised about the creativity of the paintwork.” Comment: I believe this was to simulate lapstrake planks.
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- This boat was built by a student who was enthusiastic to build a light-weight canoe to use in the Adirondacks. He’s made some unique choices during the build regarding his scupper blocks and has done a nice job with it. The brilliant red should be very visible on the water!
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- This is a unique canoe for us – it was done with White Pine stringers (like the yellow kayak) and is very pretty with the blonde wood.
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- “This boat is being built by a fellow who has been developing his woodworking skills at the school and has done a splendid job of building his canoe. I’m really looking forward to seeing the decks in the sunlight – they’re figured English Chestnut.”
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- “Decks are Bird’s Eye Maple and this boat has a sculpted backrest.”
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- Sculpted backrest
I have always said that there was potential to make Stonefly into a stunning boat. When I built the prototype I choose the easiest way so that most anyone could build one and I always like the way it looked. But what these guys did is beyond what I thought could be done!
I understand there were other boats that were just not ready to be displayed for various reasons. Really anxious to see the rest of this fleet!