Ribs are on the 16' Pal

[Douglas Ingram]

I've include a photo showing a seat on risers.

Basically, before you canvas, you install two hardwood rails to the interior of the canoe hull. Screwed in from the outside, one screw per rib. You mount the seat to the rails by simply screwing it in from the top. As the seat is frimly attached to the riser, and the riser is firmly attached to the hull, it acts as a thwart.

Some may not like using risers, but its use in canoes goes way back.
You can see it in the Rushton Indian Girl, and many other canoes as well. Tremblay always used it.

It also reduces the number of holes in the gunnels and allows the seat to be mounted lower, which are nice benifits, too.

I've also included a photo of the caneing pattern used by Chestnut/Peterboeough, just for the record.

 

[greatlakes]

Douglas,

That's a very good arrangement to make the seat do double duty as a seat and thwart. I may consider it for the next one.

The Chestnut weave seems even easier to do than the one I did. It's a good looking pattern, too.

Thank you for your suggestions, I like them.

BTW, I weighed the finished boat and it came at 64.8# (29.4 kg).

Frank

 

[ddewees]

Seat risers

Canoes aside, seat risers have been the standard way of mounting seats in rowing boats for a long time. Usually these craft do not have thwarts other than the seats so, as Douglas says, they do double duty as structural bracing and a place to sit. Someone who knows more canoe history than I can tell us how w/c canoes came to have seats suspended from the inwales.
Don in Vermont

 

[greatlakes]

Don,
I'm familiar with the "riser" in row boats, but had not thought of it being used in canoes. I have a 13' Thompson Bros. W&C rowboat that uses that type of seat mount. It sure locks up the structure without other braces.

Frank

 

[greatlakes]

Launch

Well the moment of truth came today. It floats!

This canoe is a dream to paddle. It is quite responsive and it tracks nicely. I'm happy.

Frank

[/IMG]

 

[Douglas Ingram]

You should be proud! Its a pile of work to build a mould and canoe.

I must say that your bow paddler doesn't seem to be pulling very hard. You could go faster with a bow paddler who can hold a paddle!

 

[Andy Hutyera]

Congratulations!

Great photo! My Pal is still my favorite and I agree with all you said about its qualities. Enjoy your new canoe!

Andy

 

[Scot T]

Beautiful Frank! Congratulations on a job very well done.

Never mind those other guys and their comments about your bow partner. Jealousy will get them nowhere. Life doesn't get any better than a great boat, an open stretch of calm water. a sunny day and man's best friend to share it all with.

BTW, excellent choice in the hat department.

Keep on paddling.

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Very Nice Frank,

Congratulations.

What's next?

Dan

 

[greatlakes]

Thank you

Thank you, gentlemen, for your comments.

Tess, my setter, has had a tough time grabbing the paddle with her little un-opposing "thumbs". We keep trying, though. She's a non-nonsense trout rise detector and eagle/loon spotter. I can't jump on a boat without her having to come along.

I've started a second Pal where I will incorporate those "could-have-done-better" nuances. I milled two of everything as I went along. The second should be more of an assembly project with the refinements of the lessons learned from #1.

I bought some plans for a 12', ~35# model from a builder in Maine. Something like this would be great for our smaller brook trout lakes on our property here. Oh, gosh, another solid form to go...!

Grouse season is on, so woodworking slows down in my shop.

Also, I just bought a paddle making book and may tinker with making some. It looks like an interesting project with a bit more of "artsy" focus.

Once again, I thank you all for your excellent suggestions and words of encouragement.

I'll be around.

Frank

 

[greatlakes]

Maiden Voyage Clip

Here's a youtube clip of the mainden voyage of this project last fall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCpj8oW8gF0

 

[Scot T]

Awesome Frank. Looks like it paddles like a dream.

I love the touch of melancholy in your wifes voice (I assume it's your wife taking the video) as you launch and she sighs "...hope to see you sometime..." made me laugh as I've heard the exact same words upon putting my canoe in the water. It must be a genetically programed female response to a boat launch.

Keep us updated on the 12 footer. I'm interested in attempting one around that size sometime soon and will follow your progress with interest.

 

[bob goeckel]

you had to go and put the video on in mid january didn't you? it's 17deg. and now the waiting is made way worse to get on the water. Beautiful boat and video though!
just a thought: before you build that 12' form. make sure you are happy with a 12' canoe. i bought and restored a 12' peterborough only to find it very sensative and too short for my size. and there was no way it would hold 2 adults. it looked cool though. i'm thinking 14' is about as small as i would go.
btw, if you are ever in the flint area. look me up. bob

 

[greatlakes]

Scot/Bob,

Thank you for your comments.

I guess it was bad timing on my part to post fall weather video when your nose hair freezes with every breath. OTOH, it gives something to look forward to in another...three plus months???

Ref. the 12' plans, your points are well taken. We have some quiet, rather shallow ponds (see below) that are loaded with brook trout. I think a one-man canoe would be fun there with a 2-wt rod. I can carry it from pond to pond -- if indeed it comes out at ~35# -- even when I get a bit longer in the tooth. It will be good for the grandchildren in those waters.

I use the longer canoe for the bigger lakes/rivers, though.

Think spring! (It's only 78 deg down here)

All the best.