Well, like I said, if it all went wrong and me and/or the boat went Tango Uniform, all the blame would be mine, and mine alone.
But the way things went, I owe it all to
YOU GUYS, for you support, help, words of encouragement, and humorous comments that had nothing much to do with boat building!
My thanks to
all y'all, each and every one.
Rather than load this thread down with even more pictures from that first trip, I just finished posting my very first "Trip Report" in that section of the Forums. Be warned, it's just a tad long-ish, with a number of pictures.
Now, back to "bidness!"
No idea how it might have worked out otherwise, but I'm glad I made the boat wider per Uncle John's advice, so I could do some "stand-up" fly fishing. For that purpose, the Pirogue is quite stable.
It was also Uncle John, along with several of the Forum members who suggested I NOT add a keel runner or inside stringers until I'd tried the boat, as designed. Very good advice! I will not have to add any internal stringers to prevent the bottom from "oil-canning," it has no tendency to flex, none at all. This could be partially due to it having 5 frames, instead of the usual 3 or 4. Per Uncle John, I looked at it and went with what my eyes told me. At that width, 30 inches across the bottom, with the two middle ribs spread that far apart, the boat clearly called for that 5th rib, right over the butt joint in the center.
But I Do think I'll be adding that keel runner on the bottom. Despite some small loss in the ability of the boat to "turn on a dime," I'd like to have at least some additional tracking help. I used the kayak paddle for most of my trip, finding the single paddle to offer very little in the way of control of the boat. True, this may well be due to a lack of technique and experience on my part, but I had very little luck at all moving in anything resembling a straight line with that single-blade paddle.
The addition of a keel runner on the bottom will increase the draught of the Pirogue less than in inch, so I'll take the trade-off. It should also help when polling the boat, but that actually went fairly well.
My "one-wheel wonder" boat dolly worked well enough, but two wheels would certainly be a lot easier! Lashing a paddle cross-wise did make it usable, but frankly, it was a pain in the posterior. That will be corrected before my next trip out.
Some time in the near future, probably when the boat is sent back to the "shipyard" for painting, a graphite bottom, and the installation of the keel runner, I would like to replace the PVC part of my truck rack with 2 inch, schedule 40 pipe, without any "extra spacers" like my current version, made with 1 1/2 inch pipe. Just for peace of mind, as it did get me and the boat too and from the river without incident.
As soon as those "final" mods are done, the graphite bottom completed, and the rest painted and varnished, I'll get an "all-up weight. Before the epoxy-glass was done, the boat weighed in a 64 pounds. Even with the additional work to be done, I'll be quite surprised if it goes as high as 80 lbs.
As is, the LOA is 15' 10", the beam is 30" across the bottom, 36 1/2" at the top of the sides.
I will be finding the time and place to do those "stability test" and pictures, but that will be a little later on.
Right now, I've got to absorb having gone from one of these, to the other!
Later!
Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL
