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  1. J

    Grand Banks Dory

    I've been interested in learning more about the common dory. Many versions are out there, but the Grand Banks Dory seems to be the classic style. A typical one would be 19 1/2 feet long and 5 foot 7" max beam..........a pretty formidable boat. VERY stout construction. Bottoms were 1" to 1...
  2. J

    Sampan or plank pirogue

    More than one way to build what is, essentially a plank pirogue. Looks heavy as heck, but I doubt it will ever be more than 20 feet away from the water for the rest of its life. Cara Membuat Sampan Kayu || Perahu Kayu (Part 1) - YouTube
  3. J

    "Short Stuff" pirogue

    I went to Lowe's this morning and got 2 sheets of sanded pine 1/4" ply and a few sticks of Western Red Cedar. Came back late morning and drew out the sides. After lunch, I cut out and planed and sanded the sides to shape. I just finished putting on the glass patches on both sides and what...
  4. J

    pirogue building form

    Someone commented about the form I use to build my pirogues. I use this form on all my 3 panel boats. I got the design from my neighbor over 45 years ago when I built my first pirogue. It's pretty simple......one board with the proper side flair angle and bottom width and two clamping...
  5. J

    heavy wood vs light wood

    This just popped into my mind from something I learned years ago. We spent a week in Colonial Williamsburg and toured all of the trade shops. Something the wagon builder said just struck me as counter-intuitive. They made heavy, cargo carrying wagons as well as small, light personal wagons...
  6. J

    Planning new pirogue

    It's been a year or two but it's time for another pirogue build. Initial thoughts are for an approx. 13ft fairly standard ply pirogue with a couple of new things. Y'all know I have to have new things! I'm thinking a verticle stern angle and a either rounded bow or more upright bow angle. In...
  7. J

    Don't scorn me!

    Beekeeper told me I should fess up. I bought a PLASTIC kayak! Yes, a bright lime green plastic kayak.......and it's great. I was just not in the right frame of mind to build anything right now. I had some mad money from selling a bonsai tree and doing some leatherwork and decided to...
  8. J

    Life goes on.....

    I've been watching some carpentry videos on Youtube and found one featuring Larry Haun. Evidently, he is the crown prince of framing carpenters. He had it down to a science. He wrote books about it and everything. At 79, he and his brother could still frame an entire modest sized house in...
  9. J

    sold the Swamper

    A nice young couple New Orleans just drove away with my old Swamper kayak. They strapped it down on top of their Prius. One less thing cluttering up the shop. I got what I had in it plus maybe a little. Fair enough.
  10. J

    First excursion in the China Syndrome.

    Went out today about a mile from my deserted hometown. Went down Grand Bayou to an old oilfield canal. At the end of the canal, I noticed somewhat of an opening I'd never noticed before. Keep in mind I spent my childhood and teenage years living in a boat in these bayous. Never saw this...
  11. J

    Thinning epoxy for final coat

    It looks like the outside bottom of this pirogue needs a bit more epoxy. I'd like to get away with less sanding of the surface. Has anyone experimented with thinning the epoxy so it will go on smoother for the final coat? What solvent is normally used to thin Raka epoxy?
  12. J

    Perfect vs good enough

    On this last pirogue build, I've come to the conclusion that I don't have the "perfect' or the "excellent" gene. Just don't have them. I admire the people that can put out the effort required to make the " perfect" boat. I just don't have it in me. The work and effort required to make...
  13. J

    fan

    It's a little slow today, so I thought I'd show the fan holder I came up with. It's got a hook on the top that can be hung over a ceiling joist anywhere in the shop. The fan is free to pivot around on the larger of the two discs. It's free to pivot up and down too. So, you can have the fan...
  14. J

    New pirogue .....hybrid build

    Well, it's been a while since I built a pirogue and I'm ready. Beekeeper and I have been burning up the phone and email lines figuring all the best ideas. I ordered the epoxy and ring shank nails. I have glass cloth left over, but I won't need much. I guess you could call this a hybrid...
  15. J

    strange idea for a 2 in 1 boat

    Ok, stick with me now. o_O Short , manuverable boat transforms into a long and lean cruising machine. Nesting and 2-4 piece boats are nothing new. My take is a little different. Picture a two piece pirogue type boat about 16-17ft long with, say, a 24-26" bottom. Now the rear piece is...
  16. J

    pirogue with no rocker

    Hi, all. It's been a while since I've posted anything. I'm getting the itch for another pirogue and am going over designs in my mind. Has anyone built a dead flat pirogue, i.e. , no rocker. This is my thinking. When a pirogue with rocker goes through the water, the front 3 feet of the...
  17. J

    8 foot pontoon boat

    I'm trying a new way to post pics.
  18. J

    Tx river rat's "pontoon boat"

    Whatever became of Ron's two-hulled foam-cored boat from years back? I remember seeing pictures of it ( pictures.......remember pictures???) in the building stage and don't recall seeing or hearing of a completed project.
  19. J

    penetration of paint, epoxy , varnish and danish oil

    A couple of years back I looked into the depth of penetration of epoxy. My findings mirrored some others with a LOT more credentials than me( which are almost ZIP). Epoxy penetrates, thinned or not, about .003 to .004 inch. I just checked a test piece of pine plywood that had 1 coat of...
  20. J

    Not tiny house..........tiny boat

    It's been a couple of years since I built a boat. I needed something to throw in the back of the truck and fish close in to the different local landings. This is what I came up with. One 4x8 sheet of 1/4" sanded pine plywood.......plus a few scraps for the stems. The really crude model is...