I took on a similar project last summer and it worked out fine for me, so I
certainly encourage you to have a go at it.  Years ago I started to build a
cedar planked Rushton canoe.  I got it lofted and set up the molds, but, long
story, the project stalled at that stage.  Last summer I decided that if I was
ever going to actually finish the boat I needed to switch to a different
construction method, and after exploring various alternatives I went with the GA
system.  I bought the plans for the Snowshoe 16 to use as a general guide, and
found that I was able to adapt the Monfort construction method to my hull
without much difficulty.  I posted some pictures on this forum if you're
interested ("Rushton 15' Ugo").

If your two main goals are quickness/ease of construction and low cost, I think
the GA method will deliver on both.  I devoted about 2 ½ weeks of vacation time
to the project, starting mid August last year, then probably averaged one day
per weekend after that, and finished it up in November.  I'm sure I went way
over the time estimates they give on Platt Monfort's website, but it still
seemed pretty quick to me.  Also, I'm the type who ponders every move (probably
much longer than necessary) before acting, and I'm sure that a decisive person
could have completed the job more quickly.

On the cost issue, I was able to build my boat pretty inexpensively, and I could
have done it for even less if I'd used cheaper wood, etc.  I have a list
somewhere of what I spent on materials, and could try to dig it up if you'd like
to know.  When you start reading Platt Monfort's instruction manual, I think
you'll agree that he had a streak of Yankee frugality--he recommends using the
cheapest possible wood, ordinary house paint, etc.  If I ever build a second GA
boat, I think it might be fun to try that…

Light weight was also a very important goal for me, and my boat came out very
light indeed--I have a super bad back, and even I can easily lift it.  I would
guess that a GA version of your Bob's Special could be built that would weigh
only half or less of what a strip-planked version would.  Roland is right about
them riding high in the water--mine won't track at all with only one person
aboard, but if I load in some extra weight it performs beautifully.  This might
or might not be an issue for you, depending on how many people and how much gear
you plan to carry.

My boat doesn't have any tumblehome, so I can't speak to that, but its sheer
line is somewhat similar to the Bob's Special, with a fairly abrupt rise at
either end, and I didn't have any problem at all bending the gunwales in dry.  I
used western red cedar (for the gunwales and everything but the ribs) to keep
the weight low.  I suppose that the compound curves might be more difficult if
you wanted to use something like ash or oak for more strength.   If steam is
needed you might be able to clamp the gunwales along the center of the hull and
then steam the ends in place using a rig like some of those shown here:

http://books.google.com/books?id=e8DbYrnAC5UC&pg=PA19&lpg=PA19&dq=steam+box+spec\
tre&source=bl&ots=cJ34Alfo2p&sig=wfus7tp4fHnuoNWWy-7CdJKCG0M&hl=en&ei=YaJXTKfvFI\
H48AbV5JmVBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&\
f=false

In my opinion you're definitely on the right track in planning from the start
for a double layer of dacron on the bottom.  Again, I made most of my choices in
favor of keeping the weight as low as possible, but in retrospect the single
layer skin was a foolish economy.  I think the dacron fabric comes 5' wide, and
at only 3 or 4 ounces per yard a second layer would hardly add any extra weight.
We put a couple of small holes in the skin of my boat on the second outing (got
hung up on some rocks we couldn't see until we were on them…).  At some point I
think I will likely add a second layer to mine, but it would have been easier to
do it the first time through.  This reminds me that I recently learned, sort of
by accident, that some fabric stores sell 2 or 3' wide heat n bond adhesive off
of a roll, like you would buy fabric, by the yard.  I knew that it came in
various widths of tape and in sheets about typing paper size, but I didn't know
about this wide stuff, which would be great for adding the second dacron layer. 
Maybe everyone else already knows about this, but I don't remember seeing it
mentioned in the instruction manual or on this site.

Anyway, good luck with your project, and be sure to let us know how it
progresses.

Jim



--- In Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com, "gmreevesrodco@..." <gmreevesrodco@...>
wrote:
>
> The Bob's Special is supposed to come in at 40 to 50 pounds in cedar strip
form so I doubt I will get much difference, maybe 20 pounds tops.  I plan on
adding the second layer of dacron up to the water line or just above so I'm
thinking I probably won't be saving a whole lot of weight.  My main reason for
choosing this method is the ability to build the boat fairly fast and with a lot
less money invested into the project.  I'm going to take the boat up to Canada
and leave it at our cabin and use it a few times a year for fishing and some
portaging.  I'll definately be posting more here when I start my project.  I
can't wait to see it come together.
>
> --- In Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com, "rueffingkidding" <rueffingkidding@>
wrote:
> >
> > You wouldn't be the first to adapt Platt Monfort's techniques to other
designs. Platt would certainly have encouraged you to do so. The only caveat I
would make is to remind you that these boats tend to ride high in the water when
lightly laden. You should probably try not to pick a design that would be
seriously under-burdened in your typical use when executed in heavier materials
unless you plan to modify the design accordingly.
> >
> > -Roland
> >
> > --- In Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com, "gmreevesrodco@" <gmreevesrodco@>
wrote:
> > >
> > > I have been wanting to build a light weight canoe for a long time and I
just stumbled across this method.  I have researched wood/canvas,
wood/fiberglass, stitch and glue, and now the Skin on Frame.  I really like the
thought of this method but I want to build a canoe with two seats and a slight
tumblehome.  I was thinking of taking the Chestnut Bob's Special plans I have
and building it using the Geodesic method.  Does anyone have any ideas about if
this is a bad idea or anything I need to look out for.  I understand that the
gunwhales may be a bit hard to bend to form the tumblehome and I was thinking
about steam bending them as well to allow me to accomplish this.  Any ideas or
opinions would be appreciated.
> > >
> >
>

Thanks for the in depth repsonse Jim!  Your Rushton was the reason I thought
about doing the Bob's in GA style.  So far, I have watched the DVD and going to
order the plans for the Snowshoe 16 as well so I can follow that while doing a
slightly different boat.  I'll post pictures and reports when I get started.

--- In Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com, "jsinjpma" <jsinjpma@...> wrote:
>
> I took on a similar project last summer and it worked out fine for me, so I
certainly encourage you to have a go at it.  Years ago I started to build a
cedar planked Rushton canoe.  I got it lofted and set up the molds, but, long
story, the project stalled at that stage.  Last summer I decided that if I was
ever going to actually finish the boat I needed to switch to a different
construction method, and after exploring various alternatives I went with the GA
system.  I bought the plans for the Snowshoe 16 to use as a general guide, and
found that I was able to adapt the Monfort construction method to my hull
without much difficulty.  I posted some pictures on this forum if you're
interested ("Rushton 15' Ugo").
>
> If your two main goals are quickness/ease of construction and low cost, I
think the GA method will deliver on both.  I devoted about 2 ½ weeks of vacation
time to the project, starting mid August last year, then probably averaged one
day per weekend after that, and finished it up in November.  I'm sure I went way
over the time estimates they give on Platt Monfort's website, but it still
seemed pretty quick to me.  Also, I'm the type who ponders every move (probably
much longer than necessary) before acting, and I'm sure that a decisive person
could have completed the job more quickly.
>
> On the cost issue, I was able to build my boat pretty inexpensively, and I
could have done it for even less if I'd used cheaper wood, etc.  I have a list
somewhere of what I spent on materials, and could try to dig it up if you'd like
to know.  When you start reading Platt Monfort's instruction manual, I think
you'll agree that he had a streak of Yankee frugality--he recommends using the
cheapest possible wood, ordinary house paint, etc.  If I ever build a second GA
boat, I think it might be fun to try that…
>
> Light weight was also a very important goal for me, and my boat came out very
light indeed--I have a super bad back, and even I can easily lift it.  I would
guess that a GA version of your Bob's Special could be built that would weigh
only half or less of what a strip-planked version would.  Roland is right about
them riding high in the water--mine won't track at all with only one person
aboard, but if I load in some extra weight it performs beautifully.  This might
or might not be an issue for you, depending on how many people and how much gear
you plan to carry.
>
> My boat doesn't have any tumblehome, so I can't speak to that, but its sheer
line is somewhat similar to the Bob's Special, with a fairly abrupt rise at
either end, and I didn't have any problem at all bending the gunwales in dry.  I
used western red cedar (for the gunwales and everything but the ribs) to keep
the weight low.  I suppose that the compound curves might be more difficult if
you wanted to use something like ash or oak for more strength.   If steam is
needed you might be able to clamp the gunwales along the center of the hull and
then steam the ends in place using a rig like some of those shown here:
>
>
http://books.google.com/books?id=e8DbYrnAC5UC&pg=PA19&lpg=PA19&dq=steam+box+spec\
tre&source=bl&ots=cJ34Alfo2p&sig=wfus7tp4fHnuoNWWy-7CdJKCG0M&hl=en&ei=YaJXTKfvFI\
H48AbV5JmVBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&\
f=false
>
> In my opinion you're definitely on the right track in planning from the start
for a double layer of dacron on the bottom.  Again, I made most of my choices in
favor of keeping the weight as low as possible, but in retrospect the single
layer skin was a foolish economy.  I think the dacron fabric comes 5' wide, and
at only 3 or 4 ounces per yard a second layer would hardly add any extra weight.
We put a couple of small holes in the skin of my boat on the second outing (got
hung up on some rocks we couldn't see until we were on them…).  At some point I
think I will likely add a second layer to mine, but it would have been easier to
do it the first time through.  This reminds me that I recently learned, sort of
by accident, that some fabric stores sell 2 or 3' wide heat n bond adhesive off
of a roll, like you would buy fabric, by the yard.  I knew that it came in
various widths of tape and in sheets about typing paper size, but I didn't know
about this wide stuff, which would be great for adding the second dacron layer. 
Maybe everyone else already knows about this, but I don't remember seeing it
mentioned in the instruction manual or on this site.
>
> Anyway, good luck with your project, and be sure to let us know how it
progresses.
>
> Jim
>
>
>
> --- In Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com, "gmreevesrodco@" <gmreevesrodco@>
wrote:
> >
> > The Bob's Special is supposed to come in at 40 to 50 pounds in cedar strip
form so I doubt I will get much difference, maybe 20 pounds tops.  I plan on
adding the second layer of dacron up to the water line or just above so I'm
thinking I probably won't be saving a whole lot of weight.  My main reason for
choosing this method is the ability to build the boat fairly fast and with a lot
less money invested into the project.  I'm going to take the boat up to Canada
and leave it at our cabin and use it a few times a year for fishing and some
portaging.  I'll definately be posting more here when I start my project.  I
can't wait to see it come together.
> >
> > --- In Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com, "rueffingkidding" <rueffingkidding@>
wrote:
> > >
> > > You wouldn't be the first to adapt Platt Monfort's techniques to other
designs. Platt would certainly have encouraged you to do so. The only caveat I
would make is to remind you that these boats tend to ride high in the water when
lightly laden. You should probably try not to pick a design that would be
seriously under-burdened in your typical use when executed in heavier materials
unless you plan to modify the design accordingly.
> > >
> > > -Roland
> > >
> > > --- In Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com, "gmreevesrodco@" <gmreevesrodco@>
wrote:
> > > >
> > > > I have been wanting to build a light weight canoe for a long time and I
just stumbled across this method.  I have researched wood/canvas,
wood/fiberglass, stitch and glue, and now the Skin on Frame.  I really like the
thought of this method but I want to build a canoe with two seats and a slight
tumblehome.  I was thinking of taking the Chestnut Bob's Special plans I have
and building it using the Geodesic method.  Does anyone have any ideas about if
this is a bad idea or anything I need to look out for.  I understand that the
gunwhales may be a bit hard to bend to form the tumblehome and I was thinking
about steam bending them as well to allow me to accomplish this.  Any ideas or
opinions would be appreciated.
> > > >
> > >
> >
>

I just finished building a Nimrod and thought that possibly some of my thoughts
would be useful to future builders.

It's a great little boat and my wife has already told me to build a 2nd
boat....for her? Get me out of the house?

You'll see that I broke this into 3 sections, GOOD, NOT SO GOOD and
OBSERVATIONS.

I'm pretty handy but a long way from an accomplished boat builder.

GOOD
• Urethane coatings from skinboats.org worked out very well. The finish was a
little less uniform than I'm sure a varnish would be but it sure feels
tough/strong. From the dock, you can't see any irregularities and is translucent
• Minwax® Helmsman® Spar Urethane was a fine choice for the wood finish.
• A Japanese pull saw from Lowes worked just great in most of my rib/stringer
sawcutting
• I added a little sawdust to all my epoxy glue joints. I thought the fibers
might help.
• Buy the "clamp-its", they work.
• When buying a kit, order a 2nd package of the epoxy. I only needed a small
amount from the 2nd batch but it made me feel better that I had it. Yes, I had
larger glue "blobs" than required explaining the need for more.
• Over the years I had accumulated many 2, 3 & 4" cheap c-clamps. These worked
out great when setting/gluing the gunwales and rub rails.
• Pre-bending the gunwales using the strongback worked great. I simply made a
block for the 3 points attached with long drywall screws to the side of the
strong back and moved the ends down a little every other day, keeping them damp
with a sprayer. Another advantage was the pieces were out of the way while being
pre-bent. The use for pre-bending is another reason to use wood for the sides of
the strong back instead of cardboard.
• A hot plate didn't create "billowing" steam in my steam box but a Coleman
stove did just fine, steaming the boards for 30 minutes.
• My steam box was made from 1" x 6" x 5' "cheap" pine with dowels to hold the
pieces off the bottom of the box, a rag for the door and 1/8" x ¼" foam between
the sides.. Not very pretty but it worked
• To put a radius on the stringers I purchased outside corner molding nailed it
to a 2x4 @ a 45% inside "V" up angle which held the stringers "corner up". It
made a great way to hold the pieces for planning and sanding. Nails placed
inside the "V" at the ends of the stringer held them in.
• While Platt recommends the use of cardboard for the sides of the strongback, I
found the purchase of 4-1" x 6" X12' lumber from our home store to work out just
great. The inside of the box was a great place to store the stringers, keels,
etc.
• Luan plywood underlayment worked very well for the forms needing no
reinforcements.
• I had an assistant for ripping the stringers, applying the Kevlar and
especially the Dacron. I think I could handle the Kevlar in future boat builds
but not the ripping or Dacron. Many thanks to my Wife and Daughter. I married
well.

NOT SO GOOD
• I was unhappy with the length of my stringers. I just wasn't careful enough in
sawing the 2nd end to length, having glued the 1st to the stem. Despite my best
efforts they are about 1/8" shorter than they should have been. It's hard to
measure twice and cut once while they're on the boat but you "gotta" try.
• I traced the shape of the stem doubler with pencil and cut to the wrong side
of the line, leaving a slight line at the edge of the doubler when done.
• I didn't use pinking shears while cutting the doubler and as a result I had to
deal with frayed edges.
• The triangular thwart supports didn't end up attached to both the inwale and
gunwale. I had 2 assistants gluing the 2 reinforcement plates and the thwart to
the gunwale and something got lost in translation, my mistake alone. To
compensate, I added a couple SS machine screws for reinforcement. As I don't
intend to kneel in the canoe with my posterior against the thwart I think I'll
be fine.
• It appears that the Urethane tightened up the frame/Dacron making some Kevlar
rovings a loose. As I wasn't watching for this I didn't notice it until I was
tying the boat on the roof for its maiden voyage. The rub rail was glued on so I
made no attempt to correct.
• Make more Urethane than they recommend for the 1st coat. I didn't have enough
to penetrate the Dacron over the entire boat and as a result I was somewhat
unable to get the urethane to completely penetrate the partially filled fabric
in the 2nd coat.

OBSERVATIONS
• I wished I had left a small hole at the end of the breast plate so any water
in the canoe can drain when upside down. Just a little healthy paranoia.
• I really had no issues steam bending kiln dried ash purchased from Owl
Hardwood in DesPlaines IL. They had wood long enough that I needed no scarf
joints.
• I had trouble finding marine plywood for the few places in the design they
were required. A local Chicago canoe legend, Ralph Frese advised me to simply
use exterior plywood available from Menards, a large home improvement chain.
They sell 2' x 2' pieces, perfect for my requirements.
• A "duffer seat" from "northwestcanoe.com" is almost perfect for sitting. A
"boat cushion" was a little too low for me.
• My 240 cm kayak paddle is a little short in this canoe.
• I used 1 ¼" lumber for the keel and Gunwales instead of the 1" in the design.
This made the sawing easier but the boat heavier.
• Against Platts recommendation I added a few more floor boards to the canoe, it
made the boat heavier but I like the look.
• Both the additional floorboards and use of 1 ¼" lumber were somewhat in
response to Platts comment that the bottom of the Nimrod was a little overly
flexible. As built it's not.
• The Nimrod is real stable. I will use it on a small Northern Wisconsin lake
and passing ski boats cause no concern.
• It was an awful lot of fun to build.

Happy Paddling

Thanks for the tips.  I have the plans and have watched the video.  The next
step is to start gathering the materials.

--- In Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com, "zaleskisteve" <zaleskisteve@...> wrote:
>
> I just finished building a Nimrod and thought that possibly some of my
thoughts would be useful to future builders.
>
> It's a great little boat and my wife has already told me to build a 2nd
boat....for her? Get me out of the house?
>
> You'll see that I broke this into 3 sections, GOOD, NOT SO GOOD and
OBSERVATIONS.
>
> I'm pretty handy but a long way from an accomplished boat builder.
>
> GOOD
> • Urethane coatings from skinboats.org worked out very well. The finish was a
little less uniform than I'm sure a varnish would be but it sure feels
tough/strong. From the dock, you can't see any irregularities and is translucent
> • Minwax® Helmsman® Spar Urethane was a fine choice for the wood finish.
> • A Japanese pull saw from Lowes worked just great in most of my rib/stringer
sawcutting
> • I added a little sawdust to all my epoxy glue joints. I thought the fibers
might help.
> • Buy the "clamp-its", they work.
> • When buying a kit, order a 2nd package of the epoxy. I only needed a small
amount from the 2nd batch but it made me feel better that I had it. Yes, I had
larger glue "blobs" than required explaining the need for more.
> • Over the years I had accumulated many 2, 3 & 4" cheap c-clamps. These worked
out great when setting/gluing the gunwales and rub rails.
> • Pre-bending the gunwales using the strongback worked great. I simply made a
block for the 3 points attached with long drywall screws to the side of the
strong back and moved the ends down a little every other day, keeping them damp
with a sprayer. Another advantage was the pieces were out of the way while being
pre-bent. The use for pre-bending is another reason to use wood for the sides of
the strong back instead of cardboard.
> • A hot plate didn't create "billowing" steam in my steam box but a Coleman
stove did just fine, steaming the boards for 30 minutes.
> • My steam box was made from 1" x 6" x 5' "cheap" pine with dowels to hold the
pieces off the bottom of the box, a rag for the door and 1/8" x ¼" foam between
the sides.. Not very pretty but it worked
> • To put a radius on the stringers I purchased outside corner molding nailed
it to a 2x4 @ a 45% inside "V" up angle which held the stringers "corner up". It
made a great way to hold the pieces for planning and sanding. Nails placed
inside the "V" at the ends of the stringer held them in.
> • While Platt recommends the use of cardboard for the sides of the strongback,
I found the purchase of 4-1" x 6" X12' lumber from our home store to work out
just great. The inside of the box was a great place to store the stringers,
keels, etc.
> • Luan plywood underlayment worked very well for the forms needing no
reinforcements.
> • I had an assistant for ripping the stringers, applying the Kevlar and
especially the Dacron. I think I could handle the Kevlar in future boat builds
but not the ripping or Dacron. Many thanks to my Wife and Daughter. I married
well.
>
> NOT SO GOOD
> • I was unhappy with the length of my stringers. I just wasn't careful enough
in sawing the 2nd end to length, having glued the 1st to the stem. Despite my
best efforts they are about 1/8" shorter than they should have been. It's hard
to measure twice and cut once while they're on the boat but you "gotta" try.
> • I traced the shape of the stem doubler with pencil and cut to the wrong side
of the line, leaving a slight line at the edge of the doubler when done.
> • I didn't use pinking shears while cutting the doubler and as a result I had
to deal with frayed edges.
> • The triangular thwart supports didn't end up attached to both the inwale and
gunwale. I had 2 assistants gluing the 2 reinforcement plates and the thwart to
the gunwale and something got lost in translation, my mistake alone. To
compensate, I added a couple SS machine screws for reinforcement. As I don't
intend to kneel in the canoe with my posterior against the thwart I think I'll
be fine.
> • It appears that the Urethane tightened up the frame/Dacron making some
Kevlar rovings a loose. As I wasn't watching for this I didn't notice it until I
was tying the boat on the roof for its maiden voyage. The rub rail was glued on
so I made no attempt to correct.
> • Make more Urethane than they recommend for the 1st coat. I didn't have
enough to penetrate the Dacron over the entire boat and as a result I was
somewhat unable to get the urethane to completely penetrate the partially filled
fabric in the 2nd coat.
>
> OBSERVATIONS
> • I wished I had left a small hole at the end of the breast plate so any water
in the canoe can drain when upside down. Just a little healthy paranoia.
> • I really had no issues steam bending kiln dried ash purchased from Owl
Hardwood in DesPlaines IL. They had wood long enough that I needed no scarf
joints.
> • I had trouble finding marine plywood for the few places in the design they
were required. A local Chicago canoe legend, Ralph Frese advised me to simply
use exterior plywood available from Menards, a large home improvement chain.
They sell 2' x 2' pieces, perfect for my requirements.
> • A "duffer seat" from "northwestcanoe.com" is almost perfect for sitting. A
"boat cushion" was a little too low for me.
> • My 240 cm kayak paddle is a little short in this canoe.
> • I used 1 ¼" lumber for the keel and Gunwales instead of the 1" in the
design. This made the sawing easier but the boat heavier.
> • Against Platts recommendation I added a few more floor boards to the canoe,
it made the boat heavier but I like the look.
> • Both the additional floorboards and use of 1 ¼" lumber were somewhat in
response to Platts comment that the bottom of the Nimrod was a little overly
flexible. As built it's not.
> • The Nimrod is real stable. I will use it on a small Northern Wisconsin lake
and passing ski boats cause no concern.
> • It was an awful lot of fun to build.
>
> Happy Paddling
>

Hi Folks,

Generally, I only use straps on the factory racks on my Highlander for transport
around town.  Recently, my family and I took about a four-hour road trip from
Virginia Beach to Montebello, VA (partial travel along the Blue Ridge Parkway -
beautiful!).  As most of this was 65+ MPH interstate, I obviously wanted to use
supplementary lines on the bow and stern of my Snowshoe Explorer 14.

I haven't attached any fixtures to the breasthooks nor have I set up any other
way to tie a line to my boat, so I came up with an approach that worked
extremely well.  (I've placed two picts into my "KPW - Snowshoe Explorer 14"
photo album.)  Basically, the line loops over the entire hull, with a secondary
line (which only puts a bit of lateral stress on a gunwale gusset block) holding
the main line in place.

Note that the main line is quite a bit more "robust" than what would be
required.  I've learned over the years that thicker rope is much less likely to
set up an annoying oscillation at interstate speeds.

Others may have approaches they like better - I was very happy with the way my
boat traveled, so I thought I'd share what I came up with.

- Kurt

Hi Group,

Here are pics of my snowshoe 14 build:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/traviswiens/tags/geodesicairolite/

Enjoy,
Travis

Richard

Yes, I followed the tips pretty closly, using the squeegie for applying the
urethane. The video was the most useful. My biggest mistake was probably
relaxing my guard when I thought it wasn't going to drip anymore, creating a few
drips off the chines of the boat that I didn't notice until it was too late. I'd
say the pot life is 20-30 minutes. It was hot, upper 80's and humid outside but
I had the door open to my A/C house for a couple days before using it so the
humidity didn't seem to bad inside. I did 3 coats and that was sufficient.
But...as I noted, when I ran out of urethane on the 1st coat, I partially filled
the fabric in a couple areas which prevented subsequent coats from getting into
the fabric well. I basically used 1/2 of the urethane I bought. After the
gunwales and keel were on, I tipped the boat and ran a bead where these pieces
contacted the fabric, creating nice fillet.

In making the forms, I bought carbon paper from an office supply store, yes, in
this day of computers and scanners, it's still made/sold, tracing the shape onto
the luan.

Good Luck,Steve

--- In Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com, Richard Bertram <richardbertram@...>
wrote:
>
> Thanks Steve for your tips. I have a few questions and some tips as well.
>
> Did you follow the procedures described on the Skin Boat web site? I think the
> squeegeed on the material. Was the pot life of the product adequate for
getting
> the job done? What temperature were you working in? How much material did you
> use for the two coat process on the Nimrod? Would more coats have been
> worthwhile? Anything else you might be able to think of regarding coating
> process will be useful.
>
>
> I also ran out of epoxy. Didn't want to pay shipping and handling to order it
> in, so I got some Goop Epoxy, a new product, from the local hardware store.
Will
> report back on results.
>
>
> For clamps I used zip ties. I used a ton of them. If you go this route, go
down
> to you electrical wholesaler and purchase a big bad of 10 or 11 inch ones. I
> used one set for all the joints when "dry fitting" the steamed ribs. Then
after
> everything had dried, went back and cut the ties for each rib and epoxied the
> joints. Then held and tightened the joint with another round of zip ties.
Worked
> fine.
>
> I used kiln dried oak purchase locally for the ribs. My ribs were a little
> thicker and wider than called for. Made a steamer out of 4" ABS pipe with a
> clean out fitting to allow placement of the boards. I too used a camp stove, a
> tea pot and some PVC fittings and flexible Pex piping to get the steam to the
> steam box.  The connection with the tea pot is problematic. I ran out of water
> and the tea pot started to get quite hot, and the PVC fitting was definitely a
> potential hazard. Maybe someone can come up with a better way to make that
> connection. Otherwise everything worked well. I did the whole job by myself.
>
>
> I was thinking as I was cutting the stringers, ribs, that this is a big job. I
> purchased a 14" band saw used, fashioned an in-feed and an out-feed out of
scrap
> lumber. I found a 14' almost clear 2x8 at the lumber company for the
stringers.
> It took forever to rip all of the pieces. I would say 8-10 hours. It would
have
> been faster with my radial arm saw, but I could not handle 14' material. I
> originally planned to build a 12' boat, but chickened out. I was not ready to
> take the humiliation that would have come from building a boat in my basement
> and not being able to get it out. Seems like everybody has had a friend or
knows
> a friend or heard about somebody that has done that. Determined not to be the
> one, I opted for the 10' boat. By the way the Classic 10',12', and 14' all use
> the same forms, you just space them differently.
>
>
> I used hem/fir lumber for the gunwales and maybe it was because my lumber was
> some what green when I cut it, but I did not have to pre-bend the wood to get
> the fit. Maybe the Classic gunwales are a little easier bend.
>
>
> I used untempered 1/4" masonite for my station forms. Worked well. The local
> Plan Drawing Company gave me some velum like drawing paper for making
patterns.
> Maybe an extra step, but it sure worked out well. The paper was semi-opaque
and
> could be laid over the plans to trace the appropriate details. Then I cut out
> each of station patterns and taped them to the Masonite. Outlined the pattern
on
> the Masonite, then cut out the form using a reciprocating saw and I was done.
I
> still have the forms and also the patterns for future use. Incidentally the
> heavier masonite may have helped in the laying up of the gunwale and the
> stringers.
>
>
> I recommend attaching the stringers in the front first, then notching the
> transom as needed. Let the stringers extend past the transom, epoxy glue them
> into the transom, and later cut them off with the Japanese pull say you
> purchased.
>
>
> Hope this helps somebody else. Thanks again Steve for your tips.
>
> Thank you, Richard
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: zaleskisteve <zaleskisteve@...>
> To: Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Mon, August 23, 2010 1:45:37 PM
> Subject: [Airolite_Boats] Nimrod Boat Build Notes
>
>
> I just finished building a Nimrod and thought that possibly some of my
thoughts
> would be useful to future builders.
>
> It's a great little boat and my wife has already told me to build a 2nd
> boat....for her? Get me out of the house?
>
> You'll see that I broke this into 3 sections, GOOD, NOT SO GOOD and
> OBSERVATIONS.
>
> I'm pretty handy but a long way from an accomplished boat builder.
>
> GOOD
> • Urethane coatings from skinboats.org worked out very well. The finish was
a
> little less uniform than I'm sure a varnish would be but it sure feels
> tough/strong. From the dock, you can't see any irregularities and is
translucent
> • Minwax® Helmsman® Spar Urethane was a fine choice for the wood finish.
> • A Japanese pull saw from Lowes worked just great in most of my
rib/stringer
> sawcutting
> • I added a little sawdust to all my epoxy glue joints. I thought the fibers
> might help.
> • Buy the "clamp-its", they work.
> • When buying a kit, order a 2nd package of the epoxy. I only needed a small
> amount from the 2nd batch but it made me feel better that I had it. Yes, I had
> larger glue "blobs" than required explaining the need for more.
> • Over the years I had accumulated many 2, 3 & 4" cheap c-clamps. These
worked
> out great when setting/gluing the gunwales and rub rails.
>
> • Pre-bending the gunwales using the strongback worked great. I simply made
a
> block for the 3 points attached with long drywall screws to the side of the
> strong back and moved the ends down a little every other day, keeping them
damp
> with a sprayer. Another advantage was the pieces were out of the way while
being
> pre-bent. The use for pre-bending is another reason to use wood for the sides
of
> the strong back instead of cardboard.
> • A hot plate didn't create "billowing" steam in my steam box but a Coleman
> stove did just fine, steaming the boards for 30 minutes.
>
> • My steam box was made from 1" x 6" x 5' "cheap" pine with dowels to hold
the
> pieces off the bottom of the box, a rag for the door and 1/8" x ¼" foam
between
> the sides.. Not very pretty but it worked
> • To put a radius on the stringers I purchased outside corner molding nailed
it
> to a 2x4 @ a 45% inside "V" up angle which held the stringers "corner up". It
> made a great way to hold the pieces for planning and sanding. Nails placed
> inside the "V" at the ends of the stringer held them in.
> • While Platt recommends the use of cardboard for the sides of the
strongback, I
> found the purchase of 4-1" x 6" X12' lumber from our home store to work out
just
> great. The inside of the box was a great place to store the stringers, keels,
> etc.
>
> • Luan plywood underlayment worked very well for the forms needing no
> reinforcements.
>
> • I had an assistant for ripping the stringers, applying the Kevlar and
> especially the Dacron. I think I could handle the Kevlar in future boat builds
> but not the ripping or Dacron. Many thanks to my Wife and Daughter. I married
> well.
>
> NOT SO GOOD
> • I was unhappy with the length of my stringers. I just wasn't careful
enough in
> sawing the 2nd end to length, having glued the 1st to the stem. Despite my
best
> efforts they are about 1/8" shorter than they should have been. It's hard to
> measure twice and cut once while they're on the boat but you "gotta" try.
> • I traced the shape of the stem doubler with pencil and cut to the wrong
side
> of the line, leaving a slight line at the edge of the doubler when done.
> • I didn't use pinking shears while cutting the doubler and as a result I
had to
> deal with frayed edges.
> • The triangular thwart supports didn't end up attached to both the inwale
and
> gunwale. I had 2 assistants gluing the 2 reinforcement plates and the thwart
to
> the gunwale and something got lost in translation, my mistake alone. To
> compensate, I added a couple SS machine screws for reinforcement. As I don't
> intend to kneel in the canoe with my posterior against the thwart I think I'll
> be fine.
> • It appears that the Urethane tightened up the frame/Dacron making some
Kevlar
> rovings a loose. As I wasn't watching for this I didn't notice it until I was
> tying the boat on the roof for its maiden voyage. The rub rail was glued on so
I
> made no attempt to correct.
>
> • Make more Urethane than they recommend for the 1st coat. I didn't have
enough
> to penetrate the Dacron over the entire boat and as a result I was somewhat
> unable to get the urethane to completely penetrate the partially filled fabric
> in the 2nd coat.
>
> OBSERVATIONS
> • I wished I had left a small hole at the end of the breast plate so any
water
> in the canoe can drain when upside down. Just a little healthy paranoia.
> • I really had no issues steam bending kiln dried ash purchased from Owl
> Hardwood in DesPlaines IL. They had wood long enough that I needed no scarf
> joints.
> • I had trouble finding marine plywood for the few places in the design they
> were required. A local Chicago canoe legend, Ralph Frese advised me to simply
> use exterior plywood available from Menards, a large home improvement chain.
> They sell 2' x 2' pieces, perfect for my requirements.
> • A "duffer seat" from "northwestcanoe.com" is almost perfect for sitting. A
> "boat cushion" was a little too low for me.
> • My 240 cm kayak paddle is a little short in this canoe.
> • I used 1 ¼" lumber for the keel and Gunwales instead of the 1" in the
design.
> This made the sawing easier but the boat heavier.
> • Against Platts recommendation I added a few more floor boards to the
canoe, it
> made the boat heavier but I like the look.
>
> • Both the additional floorboards and use of 1 ¼" lumber were somewhat in
> response to Platts comment that the bottom of the Nimrod was a little overly
> flexible. As built it's not.
> • The Nimrod is real stable. I will use it on a small Northern Wisconsin
lake
> and passing ski boats cause no concern.
> • It was an awful lot of fun to build.
>
> Happy Paddling
>

Travis,
Beutiful job and great pictures.
Thanks for sharing!
Peter

--- In Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com, "tkw954" <t.list@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Group,
>
> Here are pics of my snowshoe 14 build:
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/traviswiens/tags/geodesicairolite/
>
> Enjoy,
> Travis
>

I'm at work now and won't be home to look at the can for a cuuple days but,
going from memory, an order of Urethane is roughly a 1 Qt plastic can with the
2nd can of 1/2 quart. I'd say that an order would be fine for a 12' boat.

Just stay with it, continuing to watch for drips, longer than you think you need
to, and you'll do fine.

Steve

--- In Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com, Richard Bertram <richardbertram@...>
wrote:
>
> Thanks Steve, Great info. Just one other thing. You didn't mention the initial
> quantity of the urethene you got. I checked the skinboats.com web site and
they
> offer an order of 2 part epoxy for 60.00 for an unknown quantiy. Did you get
one
> order for your boat and still had 1/2 of it left over? If so, based on
that the
> total quantity you got would be just about right for my Classic.
>
> Thanks, Richard
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: zaleskisteve <zaleskisteve@...>
> To: Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Thu, August 26, 2010 10:43:01 AM
> Subject: [Airolite_Boats] Re: Nimrod Boat Build Notes
>
>  
> Richard
>
> Yes, I followed the tips pretty closly, using the squeegie for applying the
> urethane. The video was the most useful. My biggest mistake was probably
> relaxing my guard when I thought it wasn't going to drip anymore, creating a
few
> drips off the chines of the boat that I didn't notice until it was too late.
I'd
> say the pot life is 20-30 minutes. It was hot, upper 80's and humid outside
but
> I had the door open to my A/C house for a couple days before using it so the
> humidity didn't seem to bad inside. I did 3 coats and that was sufficient.
> But...as I noted, when I ran out of urethane on the 1st coat, I partially
filled
> the fabric in a couple areas which prevented subsequent coats from getting
into
> the fabric well. I basically used 1/2 of the urethane I bought. After the
> gunwales and keel were on, I tipped the boat and ran a bead where these pieces
> contacted the fabric, creating nice fillet.
>
> In making the forms, I bought carbon paper from an office supply store, yes,
in
> this day of computers and scanners, it's still made/sold, tracing the shape
onto
> the luan.
>
> Good Luck,Steve
>
> --- In Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com, Richard Bertram <richardbertram@>
> wrote:
> >
> > Thanks Steve for your tips. I have a few questions and some tips as well.
> >
> > Did you follow the procedures described on the Skin Boat web site? I think
the
>
> > squeegeed on the material. Was the pot life of the product adequate for
getting
> >
> > the job done? What temperature were you working in? How much material did
you
> > use for the two coat process on the Nimrod? Would more coats have been
> > worthwhile? Anything else you might be able to think of regarding coating
> > process will be useful.
> >
> >
> > I also ran out of epoxy. Didn't want to pay shipping and handling to order
it
> > in, so I got some Goop Epoxy, a new product, from the local hardware store.
> >Will
> >
> > report back on results.
> >
> >
> > For clamps I used zip ties. I used a ton of them. If you go this route, go
down
> >
> > to you electrical wholesaler and purchase a big bad of 10 or 11 inch ones. I
> > used one set for all the joints when "dry fitting" the steamed ribs. Then
after
> >
> > everything had dried, went back and cut the ties for each rib and epoxied
the
> > joints. Then held and tightened the joint with another round of zip ties.
> >Worked
> >
> > fine.
> >
> > I used kiln dried oak purchase locally for the ribs. My ribs were a little
> > thicker and wider than called for. Made a steamer out of 4" ABS pipe with a
> > clean out fitting to allow placement of the boards. I too used a camp stove,
a
>
> > tea pot and some PVC fittings and flexible Pex piping to get the steam to
the
> > steam box. The connection with the tea pot is problematic. I ran out of
water
> > and the tea pot started to get quite hot, and the PVC fitting was definitely
a
>
> > potential hazard. Maybe someone can come up with a better way to make that
> > connection. Otherwise everything worked well. I did the whole job by myself.
> >
> >
> > I was thinking as I was cutting the stringers, ribs, that this is a big job.
I
>
> > purchased a 14" band saw used, fashioned an in-feed and an out-feed out of
> >scrap
> >
> > lumber. I found a 14' almost clear 2x8 at the lumber company for the
stringers.
> >
> > It took forever to rip all of the pieces. I would say 8-10 hours. It would
have
> >
> > been faster with my radial arm saw, but I could not handle 14' material. I
> > originally planned to build a 12' boat, but chickened out. I was not ready
to
> > take the humiliation that would have come from building a boat in my
basement
> > and not being able to get it out. Seems like everybody has had a friend or
> >knows
> >
> > a friend or heard about somebody that has done that. Determined not to be
the
> > one, I opted for the 10' boat. By the way the Classic 10',12', and 14' all
use
>
> > the same forms, you just space them differently.
> >
> >
> > I used hem/fir lumber for the gunwales and maybe it was because my lumber
was
> > some what green when I cut it, but I did not have to pre-bend the wood to
get
> > the fit. Maybe the Classic gunwales are a little easier bend.
> >
> >
> > I used untempered 1/4" masonite for my station forms. Worked well. The local
> > Plan Drawing Company gave me some velum like drawing paper for making
patterns.
> >
> > Maybe an extra step, but it sure worked out well. The paper was semi-opaque
and
> >
> > could be laid over the plans to trace the appropriate details. Then I cut
out
> > each of station patterns and taped them to the Masonite. Outlined the
pattern
> >on
> >
> > the Masonite, then cut out the form using a reciprocating saw and I was
done. I
> >
> > still have the forms and also the patterns for future use. Incidentally the
> > heavier masonite may have helped in the laying up of the gunwale and the
> > stringers.
> >
> >
> > I recommend attaching the stringers in the front first, then notching the
> > transom as needed. Let the stringers extend past the transom, epoxy glue
them
> > into the transom, and later cut them off with the Japanese pull say you
> > purchased.
> >
> >
> > Hope this helps somebody else. Thanks again Steve for your tips.
> >
> > Thank you, Richard
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: zaleskisteve <zaleskisteve@>
> > To: Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com
> > Sent: Mon, August 23, 2010 1:45:37 PM
> > Subject: [Airolite_Boats] Nimrod Boat Build Notes
> >
> >
> > I just finished building a Nimrod and thought that possibly some of my
thoughts
> >
> > would be useful to future builders.
> >
> > It's a great little boat and my wife has already told me to build a 2nd
> > boat....for her? Get me out of the house?
> >
> > You'll see that I broke this into 3 sections, GOOD, NOT SO GOOD and
> > OBSERVATIONS.
> >
> > I'm pretty handy but a long way from an accomplished boat builder.
> >
> > GOOD
> > • Urethane coatings from skinboats.org worked out very well. The
finish was a
> >
> > little less uniform than I'm sure a varnish would be but it sure feels
> > tough/strong. From the dock, you can't see any irregularities and is
> >translucent
> > • Minwax® Helmsman® Spar Urethane was a fine choice for the wood
finish.
> > • A Japanese pull saw from Lowes worked just great in most of my
rib/stringer
> >
> > sawcutting
> > • I added a little sawdust to all my epoxy glue joints. I thought the
fibers
>
> > might help.
> > • Buy the "clamp-its", they work.
> > • When buying a kit, order a 2nd package of the epoxy. I only needed a
small
>
> > amount from the 2nd batch but it made me feel better that I had it. Yes, I
had
>
> > larger glue "blobs" than required explaining the need for more.
> > • Over the years I had accumulated many 2, 3 & 4" cheap c-clamps.
These
> >worked
> >
> > out great when setting/gluing the gunwales and rub rails.
> >
> > • Pre-bending the gunwales using the strongback worked great. I simply
made a
> >
> > block for the 3 points attached with long drywall screws to the side of the
> > strong back and moved the ends down a little every other day, keeping them
damp
> >
> > with a sprayer. Another advantage was the pieces were out of the way while
> >being
> >
> > pre-bent. The use for pre-bending is another reason to use wood for the
sides
> >of
> >
> > the strong back instead of cardboard.
> > • A hot plate didn't create "billowing" steam in my steam box but a
Coleman
> > stove did just fine, steaming the boards for 30 minutes.
> >
> > • My steam box was made from 1" x 6" x 5' "cheap" pine with dowels to
hold
> >the
> >
> > pieces off the bottom of the box, a rag for the door and 1/8" x ¼" foam
> >between
> >
> > the sides.. Not very pretty but it worked
> > • To put a radius on the stringers I purchased outside corner molding
nailed
> >it
> >
> > to a 2x4 @ a 45% inside "V" up angle which held the stringers "corner up".
It
> > made a great way to hold the pieces for planning and sanding. Nails placed
> > inside the "V" at the ends of the stringer held them in.
> > • While Platt recommends the use of cardboard for the sides of the
> >strongback, I
> >
> > found the purchase of 4-1" x 6" X12' lumber from our home store to work out
> >just
> >
> > great. The inside of the box was a great place to store the stringers,
keels,
> > etc.
> >
> > • Luan plywood underlayment worked very well for the forms needing no
> > reinforcements.
> >
> > • I had an assistant for ripping the stringers, applying the Kevlar
and
> > especially the Dacron. I think I could handle the Kevlar in future boat
builds
>
> > but not the ripping or Dacron. Many thanks to my Wife and Daughter. I
married
> > well.
> >
> > NOT SO GOOD
> > • I was unhappy with the length of my stringers. I just wasn't careful
enough
> >in
> >
> > sawing the 2nd end to length, having glued the 1st to the stem. Despite my
best
> >
> > efforts they are about 1/8" shorter than they should have been. It's hard to
> > measure twice and cut once while they're on the boat but you "gotta" try.
> > • I traced the shape of the stem doubler with pencil and cut to the
wrong
> >side
> >
> > of the line, leaving a slight line at the edge of the doubler when done.
> > • I didn't use pinking shears while cutting the doubler and as a
result I had
> >to
> >
> > deal with frayed edges.
> > • The triangular thwart supports didn't end up attached to both the
inwale
> >and
> >
> > gunwale. I had 2 assistants gluing the 2 reinforcement plates and the thwart
to
> >
> > the gunwale and something got lost in translation, my mistake alone. To
> > compensate, I added a couple SS machine screws for reinforcement. As I don't
> > intend to kneel in the canoe with my posterior against the thwart I think
I'll
>
> > be fine.
> > • It appears that the Urethane tightened up the frame/Dacron making
some
> >Kevlar
> >
> > rovings a loose. As I wasn't watching for this I didn't notice it until I
was
> > tying the boat on the roof for its maiden voyage. The rub rail was glued on
so
> >I
> >
> > made no attempt to correct.
> >
> > • Make more Urethane than they recommend for the 1st coat. I didn't
have
> >enough
> >
> > to penetrate the Dacron over the entire boat and as a result I was somewhat
> > unable to get the urethane to completely penetrate the partially filled
fabric
>
> > in the 2nd coat.
> >
> > OBSERVATIONS
> > • I wished I had left a small hole at the end of the breast plate so
any
> >water
> >
> > in the canoe can drain when upside down. Just a little healthy paranoia.
> > • I really had no issues steam bending kiln dried ash purchased from
Owl
> > Hardwood in DesPlaines IL. They had wood long enough that I needed no scarf
> > joints.
> > • I had trouble finding marine plywood for the few places in the
design they
>
> > were required. A local Chicago canoe legend, Ralph Frese advised me to
simply
> > use exterior plywood available from Menards, a large home improvement chain.
> > They sell 2' x 2' pieces, perfect for my requirements.
> > • A "duffer seat" from "northwestcanoe.com" is almost perfect for
sitting. A
>
> > "boat cushion" was a little too low for me.
> > • My 240 cm kayak paddle is a little short in this canoe.
> > • I used 1 ¼" lumber for the keel and Gunwales instead of the 1" in
the
> >design.
> >
> > This made the sawing easier but the boat heavier.
> > • Against Platts recommendation I added a few more floor boards to the
canoe,
> >it
> >
> > made the boat heavier but I like the look.
> >
> > • Both the additional floorboards and use of 1 ¼" lumber were
somewhat in
> > response to Platts comment that the bottom of the Nimrod was a little overly
> > flexible. As built it's not.
> > • The Nimrod is real stable. I will use it on a small Northern
Wisconsin lake
> >
> > and passing ski boats cause no concern.
> > • It was an awful lot of fun to build.
> >
> > Happy Paddling
> >
>

Hello!
I while back I purchased a Snow Shoe Explorer 14 partial kit, plans, and a pack
of clampits.  It is now clear that I won't have the time to build the boat and
would like to sell these items to a more ambitious canoeist.  Everything is
still in the box untouched.  List price for these items is $187 plus shipping
from Airolite Boats.  I am happy to pass on to someone for $140 plus shipping.
Please let me know in a week or so.  After that I plan to put everything out on
eBay.  Thanks!
Jeff L.

I built an arrow 14 this spring.  The biggest difficulty was obtaining suitable
wood here in Anchorage.  I finally used pine and oak from home depot. 
Everything was kiln dried and all the longitudnals had to be spliced to get the
lengths needed but it all came together ok.  I used a hotplate, pot and pvc
elbow and pipe for steaming.  Doubled the bottom per the plans using sheet
heatnbond and used varnish rather than paint or epoxy for the finish.  It seems
to be holding up so far.  I have been using it 3-4 times a week here in town and
once briefly in Prince William Sound - It was very windy and it's so light I was
afraid it would blow away while I was climbing back on the boat.  I drilled the
breasthooks and ran a line from each to the car and strapped it on the rack as I
would a normal canoe and it made the 40 mile highway trip to Portage and the
trip back just fine.
The Arrow paddles very nicely.  Since I don't see a good way to provide good hip
and knee bracing, I gave a little extra rocker and it turns nicely without
leaning and paddles without wagging.  It is not quite as fast as my Necky sea
kayak but moves along nicely and is not as affected by the wind as I thought it
would be.  The design attracts a lot of compliments and I am very pleased with
the boat.
Gil

no. I could not add anything to the construction photos already posted by
others.  They were very helpful but the plans are very good.  I found it best to
just trust them and go for it without agonizing over each step.  The process is
amazingly forgiving.

--- "Bob & Kay" <bkmcintosh@...> wrote:
>
> Did you take any pix during your construction?
>
>
>
> As a courtesy to others and to ensure spammers do not capture their
> addresses please delete all e-mail addresses in the threads before
> forwarding.  Thanks ...  Bob
>
>
>
> Subject: [Airolite_Boats] Arrow 14
>
>
>
>
>
> I built an arrow 14 this spring. The biggest difficulty was obtaining
> suitable wood here in Anchorage. I finally used pine and oak from home
> depot. Everything was kiln dried and all the longitudnals had to be spliced
> to get the lengths needed but it all came together ok. I used a hotplate,
> pot and pvc elbow and pipe for steaming. Doubled the bottom per the plans
> using sheet heatnbond and used varnish rather than paint or epoxy for the
> finish. It seems to be holding up so far. I have been using it 3-4 times a
> week here in town and once briefly in Prince William Sound - It was very
> windy and it's so light I was afraid it would blow away while I was climbing
> back on the boat. I drilled the breasthooks and ran a line from each to the
> car and strapped it on the rack as I would a normal canoe and it made the 40
> mile highway trip to Portage and the trip back just fine.
> The Arrow paddles very nicely. Since I don't see a good way to provide good
> hip and knee bracing, I gave a little extra rocker and it turns nicely
> without leaning and paddles without wagging. It is not quite as fast as my
> Necky sea kayak but moves along nicely and is not as affected by the wind as
> I thought it would be. The design attracts a lot of compliments and I am
> very pleased with the boat.
> Gil
>

Jeff, this sounds fair, but where are you located? I am in MI...Randy

--- In Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com, "Jeff" <jlaman@...> wrote:
>
> Hello!
> I while back I purchased a Snow Shoe Explorer 14 partial kit, plans, and a
pack of clampits.  It is now clear that I won't have the time to build the boat
and would like to sell these items to a more ambitious canoeist.  Everything is
still in the box untouched.  List price for these items is $187 plus shipping
from Airolite Boats.  I am happy to pass on to someone for $140 plus shipping.
Please let me know in a week or so.  After that I plan to put everything out on
eBay.  Thanks!
> Jeff L.
>

Randy-
Sold the kit.  Just waiting for check to clear.  thanks for your interest.
Jeff


--- In Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com, "RandyOrchard" <randy4140@...> wrote:
>
> Jeff, this sounds fair, but where are you located? I am in MI...Randy
>
> --- In Airolite_Boats@yahoogroups.com, "Jeff" <jlaman@> wrote:
> >
> > Hello!
> > I while back I purchased a Snow Shoe Explorer 14 partial kit, plans, and a
pack of clampits.  It is now clear that I won't have the time to build the boat
and would like to sell these items to a more ambitious canoeist.  Everything is
still in the box untouched.  List price for these items is $187 plus shipping
from Airolite Boats.  I am happy to pass on to someone for $140 plus shipping.
Please let me know in a week or so.  After that I plan to put everything out on
eBay.  Thanks!
> > Jeff L.
> >
>

Is there any problems in streching or shortening the Gaboats?

I was thinking od building a 8 - 10% shorter version of the Westport Dinghy 8.
Yes, I know its already very small, but still to long for me and its future
mothership.....

Thanks in advance
Andes

Shortening the boat is fine. Just space the forms and ribs closer together.
Performance and capacity will be affected, but this doesn't seem to be your
concern.

I've lengthened the Snow Shoe 14 and Nimrod with good success.

Given the effort you've put into your frame, you have nothing to worry about! A
very nice job.

The kevlar is very straight forward and is no problem. Get it reasonably tight
when you start. 'Wiggle' the center of the strand back and forth to remove the
slack. But you will have to tighten up after the fabric is shrunk anyway, so
don't be too concerned if some slackness shows up along the way.

As far as Dacron goes, as long as you don't rub up against rocks or barnacles,
you will be very happy with it. It holds it shape very well regardless of
temperature and humidity. Rubbing against rocks will weep a bit of water, but
actually tearing it isn't that easy. Ballistic nylon (from SkinBoats.org) is
much tougher, but my experience was that it would slacken and develop puckers in
humid conditions (you're paddling in them!) Not a problem but holding the nice
tight shape is better. I probably didn't apply it right, but believe me I put
quite a bit of effort into that. My latest boat was Dacron, and I added a 2nd
layer of Dacron on bottom. Seems to have added toughness. Still have managed to
weep water, but is much better.

As far as applying the Dacron, be careful to follow Platt's directions and have
the iron on a cooler setting to heat the glue but not shrink the Dacron.
Experiment with a scrap bit of Dacron to get the feel of the shrinking
temperature vs. gluing temp. Try holding your iron on the scrap for 20 seconds,
and when you have the gluing temp right, the Dacron won't shrink substantially
at all, but the glue will melt. The Heat 'N Bond glue is the way to go. You can
tack the cloth down and go back to make adjustments later. Heat to release the
glue, let cool to hold it. Brilliant! If you need to fiddle with the glue too
much, you might want to add some more, but really it is not hard to get it on
properly to start. Tack along the keel, then working from the center to the
ends, pull snug and tack. Work slowly to avoid puckers along the gunwale.

Shrinking the Dacron is very fun and probably the most satisfying experience of
the build.

Gord

Just to be clear I did not cover the entire surface between the two layers of
Dacron with Heat `n Bond sheets. (Was that what I read that others on this forum
did?) Anyway, I simply applied Dacron using the normal method only to the
desired stringer. This sort of tacks the inside layer on, but that's about all.
Then shrunk this layer enough to get rid of ripples but not too much. And then
added the complete outer layer as normal. That is 7/8" glue on keel and
gunwales.

I use oil-based Varathane to coat the Dacron, and as the Varathane seeps through
the cloth it will dry/cure to lock the inner layer. Very stable, doesn't use
much cloth or glue, and noticeably more durable.

Hi,
I bought a couple of weeks ago plans for the BLIVIT 13 and with them I received
also a couple of papers about a swing centerboard. Has anybody integrated this
design on a Blivit 13 and could give me some advice about how to stiffen the
construction as this center case is overlapping with station 3 where
traditionally the x brace is fitted.
Any advise is welcome. Thanks.

Georg