You will find that, from time-to-time, my blogging slows down here at Chine bLog. Sometimes it is the Real World beckoning, but often it is because I have a project going on. When I can, I am building skills at small boat design and construction as an avocation. I am eager to show off what I do and hear feedback on it.
The skin-on-frame outrigger canoe project (2009-2010)
From my earliest days dabbling in boat design I have wanted to build to my own design. This year, the dream comes alive. Browse the entire set of posts on the boat or skip to some highlights:
- The story of the project and first draft of the design
- The final design, after some rethinking and helpful feedback form my readers.
- The completed ama frame
- Design details
- Completed frames for the wa’a (main hull)
- A mock-up of the boat in celebration of the wa’a outwales going on
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The Peace Canoe PEACE OF THE PUZZLE (2007)
This was my first fully independent boat building project. The Peace Canoe design appeared in one of the first of WoodenBoat’s Getting Started in Boats supplements and is a good first project (by design). Browse the posts or see my index below:
- Walking the walk – a wooden boat (Peace Canoe) for Chine bLog! – Rationale for choosing to build this boat right now.
- Beginning work on the Peace Canoe – Materials, making seats, and cutting the chine logs.
- More on the Peace Canoe – scarfing sheer clamps and chine logs – Some pointers on scarfing the sheer clamps and chine logs, but please read this one in partnership with the entry below on issues I had.
- The Peace Canoe progresses – have plywood, will start cuttin’ – Cutting out plywood side panels and using butt-blocks to create the full panel length. Includes problems with the butt-block method.
- The Peace Canoe gets seats and gets closer to full sides – Seat unit construction and fitting chine logs to stem and sternpost.
- Building the Peace Canoe – time on the Moaning Chair – Problems in scarfing; problems with stems / sternpost bevels; repairing sheer clamps.
- Back in business – the Peace Canoe – Fitting the bottom.
- Structurally complete! The Peace Canoe gets a bottom – Pictures of the boat before final finishing.
- Getting closer – ready to paint the Peace Canoe – Picture of the boat pre-painting.
- And that’s a wrap! The Peace Canoe is complete! – Pictures of the completed boat in the yard, with better close-ups that the ones below.
- Successful christening and launch of the Peace Canoe! – pictures of the boat on the beach and underway.
- Initial performance thoughts on the Peace Canoe – What is the Peace Canoe like as a boat?
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“LiLo”, a 35′ “spirit of tradition” racer-cruiser
I designed “LiLo” as my project for the Elements of Boat Design class at the WoodenBoat School. I did my best to reproduce the drawings in a legible manner (and barely succeeded). It was a fantastic experience and I am pleased with the results.
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Other projects
There are other, smaller projects you can browse through. The include a kayak paddle, a toy ferry for my son, and my first boatbuilding endeavor – a Gloucester Light Dory – from age 16.
