Tag Archives: rowing

Rounding the corner

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As the title implies, it feels like I have rounded the corner when I get to this point.

First order of business was to go back and relash a couple of stringers. This photo is probably a bit confusing but you are looking at the end of the sliding seat unit resting on the frame. The unit is resting on the lashing. Taking it in and out is would eventually wear out the lashings so I needed to fix it…. or rather fix all 6 of them.

The fix was simple enough. Just cut a notch in the frame for the lashing to rest in and that would keep it out-of-the-way.  Then lash the stringer with an H lashing.

With that done the frame is finished and it’s time to apply the oil. This is not one of my favorite jobs but I do love watching the wood change as the oil is applied! I love the look of oiled WRC.

I have finished the outriggers, I am just waiting on the hardware to arrives so I can mount them to the frame. I oiled the outriggers and seat frame.

Once I get everything fitted and I will apply the varnish. I was going to varnish now, but I had second thoughts and decided to wait.

Once the oil has had a couple of days to dry it will be ready to start skinning. Next I need to  building a set of oars. For the first time I feel like I can see the end of this project. There is still a lot left to do but it feels like it is getting close.

And this one is JUST RIGHT

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Outriggers are done, well as far as I can go right now. They are still held in place with some F-clamps so I need to order hardware.  I think I will start sanding and varnishing everything next. It might get skinned up a little but I can touch it up before I do the final assembly.

It is supposed to be stormy but since the storms are not here, I decided to take some  FROG photos (Frame On Grass).  Looking at it the outriggers look sort of narrow but they are correct for a set of 8 foot long oars. I wanted to start with these and see what I have built. If I don’t have any problems and decide later I want to try some 9′ oars, it’s just a matter of building a new set of outriggers and bolting them on to the frame.

Small fix for a big problem

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As the title implies the fix was simple. Finding it. not so much.

If you look at the end of the keel stringer (boat is upside down in the photo) you will see I added a small block of plywood to the frame. Believe it or not, that made the boat assume a proper shape. Not exactly as I had designed it but it has some rocker in it now. I did find something else that was working against me, but it wasn’t worth the effort it would take to fix it.  Bottom line is I know what I did wrong and how to fix it.

So the frame is done as far as I can tell. It’s stiffer and while not exactly the way I designed it. I am happy with it.  Now it’s time to finish the outriggers for the sliding seat.

 

 

Frame is done and we have a problem…

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Frame came off the strong back and I took out in the yard for the obligatory F.R.O.G. photo. (frame on the grass)  I still love that raked transom.

I took it back into the shop and placed it on the trailer just to get it out of way so I can clean up around the stands.

I noticed there was more flex in this frame but there is also more wood, so it is heavier and skinning always stiffens them somewhat so it wasn’t a big deal. Then I was on the other side of the shop, turned around and I could see the frame was hogged. No doubt about it, the bow was lower than the center of the boat. I could not  believe it! I took and string and tied it to the boat stretched it along the keel, found that the bow was 1″  lower than the center of the boat.

After a lot of double checking and measuring I still didn’t have an answer, just a couple of ideas. After removing a few lashing, forcing the boat back in shape and studying why it wanted to deform when the pressure was released I have found a couple of reason I suspect are behind this. Of course there is only one way to find out, but that is for the next post.

Still plugging along

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Have not made much progress but I am really close to taking the frame off the strongback. Between the ankle and other things going on I just have not gotten to spend the time on this project I really wanted too. But today I finished lashing everything but the deck beams. I needed to scarf some of the cutoffs together to get the lengths I needed for the deck.

Really anxious to get it off the strongback and flipped over. It’s going to make fitting the transom much easier. Here is a couple of photos. This is a one long boat!

 

New boats, new products

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Had a little accident early this week and took a pretty good fall.  Fortunately (and amazingly) I just have a bruise and sprained ankle. Not being able to get in the shop I work I have had time to finish up a few projects.

I just listed some new designs and a placed a couple of new items in the store.

My first tandem canoe, Tangerine.  16′ long is now available.

Crawfish Pirogue’s are also available.  These are all about being simple to build. Not that they can get a lot simpler than they were though.  I am thinking this could be great Boys Club or Scout projects. Father and son/daughter building project.  There is a single and a tandem version.

Also, I now have a black marine grade bungee cord and a black polyester rope for making life lines now available in the store.  They actually will not be in stock till end of next week but I went ahead and listed them.


If there is something I don’t offer let me know and I will look into it. I am looking into some other items and I do have a couple of boats designs in the works.

Jeff