Finished and delivered!

I finished the canoe! I really need to catch up and post the final series of pics, but I'll get to that later.

I put the finishing touches on the canoe last week and was ready to get it out to the water for a test drive before I turned it over to the client. The first thing I noticed was just how much bigger than my Bob's Special that this Prospector 16 is. It is immense! Even though it's only a foot longer and a couple of inches deeper, it really seems huge.

I took it out to Northeast Creek to launch at Camp Brewster aboard Camp Lejeune. When I set the unloaded canoe into the water, the first thing that stuck out to me was the fact that less than 1/3 of the hull was in contact with the water. I performed a wet launch, and when I climed in, the stability of the craft was impressive. Even with me climbing over the gunnels, the canoe was incredibly stable and, at no time did it seem like it was going to capsize.

I then knelt in the center of the canoe and heeled it over and the responsiveness was pleasing. I paddled it sideways, forward, and performed turns with the greatest of ease. This is one amazing craft! It will go any direction you tell it to go, and go with ease. I look forward to building one (or two) for my own use soon. But before I can build my own Prospector, I have a couple of other projects to attack.

I will be building a pair of loft beds with desks and dressers next, as well as a set of book shelves. Those projects will show up here as they progress. I also have to get my workshop in order now that I have cleared out some space. I am also currently engaged in building a small cabinet in cherry for a half-bath in my house to hang above the toilet, and will also get pics of that up here as well. Hopefully, I will be able to begin my canoe around October and be ready for launch in the spring.

48 Clamps

I got the gunnels attached this weekend. They look awesome (if I do say so myself). They are held in place with epoxy thickened with #404 microfibers (I use West System epoxies if you are curious). The epoxy is thickened to the consistency of creamy peanut butter and then spread onto the mating surfaces and the inwales are clamped in (did I mention it took 48 clamps per side). I did the one side on the 4th and the other side on the 5th. I waited 24 hours between because I only have enough clamps for one at a time and because the epoxy takes about 24 hours to be set enough to remove the clamps without worrying about the inwale pulling away from the hull.

48 Clamps!

Another view of the mother of all clamping jobs.

Closeup

This is a view of the inside with the second inwale in clamps showing the congruency of the inwales.

This view shows the initial cleaning up of the hull to the inwale.

The inwales are installed just about 1/8" below the sheer line as I cut it earlier. Once the epoxy sets and the inwales are set, I can cut the hull level with the inwales and ensure a clean joint line. I will do this with a spoke shave and a sanding block.

I'm off to California on the 7th and will be able to do the outwales and decks when I return next week.