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Beekeepers "twice the price of materials" is pretty close to what I would suggest. My way of figuring price when I sell a boat is what is the least I would take for it after it sits in the yard with a for sale sign on it for a couple months. That is usually a different price than it was on day...

Well, Bee, my main thing now is that I don't have the patience I had when I was younger. I like progress, and too much figuring and fiddling slows progress. My way is definitely not the best way or even a great way to build a boat. It produces a boat that does what I want. This last boat...

Thanks for the pics. I figured it had to be done something like that. He did a good job. Still, way too much figuring and fiddling for me.

This is the boat that got me back into boat building after 35-40 years. It was a heck of a cruiser. It also led me on a path to this site. From this site I met a host of new friends.... Islandpiper, Jack Voss, Chuck, Bearridge, seedtick, keith felder, Beekeeper, and many more. Through these...

Not critical at all. Our uses are so different, so we need different boats. I tried the enclosed cockpit kayak type of boat. It just didn't work for my use in my environment. I might have stayed with that style if I paddled in waters that had nice, sandy, sloping banks to get in and out on...

I think for your use, you've got the design about right. I don't imagine you'll find any flaws in it's performance. It's hard to get by the physics of the thing. Longer boats paddle better, but are usually heavier, harder to carry and store and require more material. Shorter boats are more...

No rocker and riding lower in the water would surely make it a bit harder to turn. This might not be the design for your type of use.

According to the math I used to get the draft for my weight ( which was pretty close), I'd say it would sink another 1 1/2". So, about 3" - 3 1/2" or so of freeboard. Doable, but not much leeway. More flair would give more initial freeboard than I have and sink even less with an additional...

It's got a good shape. Seems like you took care of any twisting problem. Specs??

I'd hate to do it, but probably solid wood in a strip, stitch and glue construction. No proof, but I'd bet even $100 a sheet ply has much lower quality than it had 10 years ago. My thoughts would be to go to Robichaux Lumber in Raceland and get some 12-14 foot clear cedar of some kind. Big...

Made a 3 mile trip this morning. The seat is situated with runners to keep it centered. The foot pegs came in yesterday and were installed. She's a real cruiser now! Pretty effortless to paddle. Glide is surpisingly good. I didn't hear or feel any gurgling or splashing from the bow. I...

Bee, I don't see much if any dip in the tumblehomes. Whatever you did seems to have worked.

"..... The stem piece sitting on top of the chine logs will hide a not so perfect fit. ....." Now you're talking my game! LOL. To borrow one of your lines "What's 1/2" to a boat? " Ha!

Well, I recognize that build style! Ha! So, how does it compare to your style so far? The only thing that's a bit tough is making a really clean fit between the chines and the stems. Whether they butt up into each other below the stem piece or they butt to the stem piece, it's still a nice...

Bee, I realized that you were just showing how you did it. When I was doing my stems, I realized that 1/4" ply will probably never make the curves that a real canoe stem has. It's just too stiff. I got about as far as I figured I could get with it and filled in the rest with putty. Almost...

Chuck, that's the problem I saw in doing a stem piece. Not that it couldn't be done. It's just that there's a LOT a geometry figuring that goes into that 5 or 6 inch transition section. I like a simple, gentle curve there. Simple to look at, but not necessarily simple to do.

The boat looks good. Yeah, varnish is definitely a double-edged sword. It takes a commitment to keep it looking good. If you store it out of the sun and rain, several coats should last a long while.

I'd guess about 5 1/2" of freeboard. I pulled alongside a dock and, while holding on, leaned until water came over the gunnel. It still seemed pretty stable there. BUT, to get into that position, you would have to do something drastic. True, an extra inch of freeboard helps in drastic...

Did 3 miles in Short Stuff yesterday. The first half was against the wind. No weather cocking that I noticed. The wind hitting me probably caused a bit of a slowdown rather than any fault of the boat. I put in a temporary foot brace. With the Sparky seat and a solid foot brace, it...

I went out and put a couple of miles on it today and a couple yesterday. Plenty solid now. The makeshift seat and foot braces were better than nothing so I have a pair of commercial footbraces on order and started cutting out the pieces for a Sparky seat, then I'll be set. The boat moves...