Recently I watched a show aired here in Ky called KY AFIELD, its the longest running outdoor show in the U.S. something like 57-58 years??? Some local guys were on the show with their homemade wooden jon boats. It reminded me of the one we had when I was a kid (Im 37 years old) and the show and my dad said everyone had wooden boats years ago but its hard to find gunnel patterns anymore. Alas one click of the internet and I find theres a whole world of boat building. Now I like the local patterns but I decided I wanted to do a canoe first and jon boat later. Then I found pirogues which are extremely interesting. They look fairly light, I like that they float in extremely shallow water so I won't have to wade riffles. The minuses is I dont like that you sit so low in the boat like a kayak, I like my feet flat in the boat, knees up, rather then out stretched. I hear they are wobbley until you get used to it and I want one for fishing and a big small mouth in fast current might make you wobbley whether your seasoned canoer or not. I then found a couple of plywood sheet canoe designs the Iroqouis and the Algonquin that were also light, looked very stable (could sit up in). Im sure they don't float in low water as well and didnt look as durable. I guess my question is does anyone have experience with these styles and would you give me your opinions. I will be floating Green River, KY exlusively, its deep in some areas and extremely shallow in others, no real boat traffic. I always fish and I want something I can handle by myself and thats durable. I also prefer something thats not complicated to build like the pirogues and plywood canoe designs. Sorry this is so long but I need some direction. Thanks in advance.
Im a newbie to boat building and need advice!
- Thread starter bg64vw
- Start date
From what's it's worth department.....
If you have not built a wood boat in the past the Pirogue is a good one to learn on , ( Three flat panels and you have a boat ) after it is built and if you decide this is the way to go ( A lot of folks do ) then move on up to the more complicated builds but in reality they are just as simple , just more wood panels to work with. Especially after you have picked up the basic principal of building a wood boat and working with the wood , epoxy and fiberglass.
Several good Pirogues to start with .. The Uncle Johns Pirogue and if you get the kit it is even simpler ( I have made a lot of them for friends and my self ) , Or the TV Pirogue from JEM Watercraft , a little more effort is required since it is a stitch and glue one but one great boat for just about every use.
The pirogues are like riding a bicycle , the higher the seat the more you will wobble , the lower the center of gravity the more stability but that is about universal in any narrow paddling craft. It is something new to you.... a short time and it becomes old hat.
Heck I have a sail on one of my Uncle John pirogues..... Try that it is tons of fun. The 1st time ... Wear a swim suit. :lol:
I have built everything from a lot of Uncle John Pirogues , to Pygmy Coho kayaks and Canadian style canoes and the last canoe was the Sasquatch from JEM Watercraft.
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=5530
When you get the principles of how to build a boat down there there is nothing to stop you ... One person on here in the past started with a pirogue and the next thing we knew he made a 25 foot ( sleeps 6 ) sailboat. :wink:
Your biggest decision is two parts ... Do you want to do it ...... Which one do you want to make.
If you have any questions , ask them and you will get answers ... Your decision is which one do you want to go with. The dumest question you can have is the one you do not ask about.
Now that you are total confused ..... Welcome to the NUT House...... Don't give up you should have a lot more answers to your question , as soon as they wake up from there naps. :lol:
Chuck.
If you have not built a wood boat in the past the Pirogue is a good one to learn on , ( Three flat panels and you have a boat ) after it is built and if you decide this is the way to go ( A lot of folks do ) then move on up to the more complicated builds but in reality they are just as simple , just more wood panels to work with. Especially after you have picked up the basic principal of building a wood boat and working with the wood , epoxy and fiberglass.
Several good Pirogues to start with .. The Uncle Johns Pirogue and if you get the kit it is even simpler ( I have made a lot of them for friends and my self ) , Or the TV Pirogue from JEM Watercraft , a little more effort is required since it is a stitch and glue one but one great boat for just about every use.
The pirogues are like riding a bicycle , the higher the seat the more you will wobble , the lower the center of gravity the more stability but that is about universal in any narrow paddling craft. It is something new to you.... a short time and it becomes old hat.
Heck I have a sail on one of my Uncle John pirogues..... Try that it is tons of fun. The 1st time ... Wear a swim suit. :lol:
I have built everything from a lot of Uncle John Pirogues , to Pygmy Coho kayaks and Canadian style canoes and the last canoe was the Sasquatch from JEM Watercraft.
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=5530
When you get the principles of how to build a boat down there there is nothing to stop you ... One person on here in the past started with a pirogue and the next thing we knew he made a 25 foot ( sleeps 6 ) sailboat. :wink:
Your biggest decision is two parts ... Do you want to do it ...... Which one do you want to make.
If you have any questions , ask them and you will get answers ... Your decision is which one do you want to go with. The dumest question you can have is the one you do not ask about.
Now that you are total confused ..... Welcome to the NUT House...... Don't give up you should have a lot more answers to your question , as soon as they wake up from there naps. :lol:
Chuck.
Welcome aboard, BG64VW. (Mine was a '57)
If you start with a simple boat, and seating low, you will grow with the boat, raise the seat, and go on to more "complicated" boats. In the process, you will both enjoy the rides, share the boats with friends and family, and have a great fleet of boats.
If you have kids, involve them in the build process. You will not be building your boats with kids - you will be building your kids with boats. They will always remember their experience, and will always love boating. You will gain a fishing partner or two along the way.
We'll listen to your fishing stories - but they HAVE TO BE TRUE. Over two hundred years ago, Cap'n Meriwether taught me to be honest and I have been ever since. So should you.
Again, welcome aboard.
If you start with a simple boat, and seating low, you will grow with the boat, raise the seat, and go on to more "complicated" boats. In the process, you will both enjoy the rides, share the boats with friends and family, and have a great fleet of boats.
If you have kids, involve them in the build process. You will not be building your boats with kids - you will be building your kids with boats. They will always remember their experience, and will always love boating. You will gain a fishing partner or two along the way.
We'll listen to your fishing stories - but they HAVE TO BE TRUE. Over two hundred years ago, Cap'n Meriwether taught me to be honest and I have been ever since. So should you.
Again, welcome aboard.
For once I agree with what both Chuck and Jack already said. There are all kinds of plans out there. Matt at http://www.jemwatercraft.com/ has a couple of wider pirogues that you should be able to sit pretty high in. He also has some canoe plans like his Iroquois that would probably be as easy to build as his pirogues with the tumblehome panels. Any of these would give you experience working with the wood, epoxy and fiberglass and after using them for a while, you would know better what you wanted to build next.
All good information although I'm not intimidated by the complexity of the build as long as its not a strip built boat. I am actually pretty handy. Im just asking if you had to take ONE design out of the pirogues and canadian style canoes out there for fishing shallow creeks and waters which would you build. I understand everyone says building one is addictive but Im really in it for a fishing vessel and not another hobby of building multiple boats. I will be honest Im leaning to the Iroqouis but I want more info from people who have had several styles. Again I greatly appreciate all the information provided so far and Kayak Jack Ive had a 57' Vw as well. Ive had dozens of old vws.
bg64vw,
If you weren't so emphatic about shallow water, I'd advise a round bottom boat. But a flat bottom will get you in shallower than a round one. Be a bit careful in leaning whilst in a flat bottomed boat; they tend to lean and then break all of a sudden and go over so fast you can't recover.
I traded in the 57 bug for a 64 microbus. Not nearly as good a vehicle. Didn't have enough power to pull the hat off your head. Rugged, but slow and cold and clumsy to handle after a bug. Got a 69 Ford LTD and thought I'd died and gone to heaven. It was so quiet that, one day at 50 mph I thought it had quit - got out to see what was the matter.
If you weren't so emphatic about shallow water, I'd advise a round bottom boat. But a flat bottom will get you in shallower than a round one. Be a bit careful in leaning whilst in a flat bottomed boat; they tend to lean and then break all of a sudden and go over so fast you can't recover.
I traded in the 57 bug for a 64 microbus. Not nearly as good a vehicle. Didn't have enough power to pull the hat off your head. Rugged, but slow and cold and clumsy to handle after a bug. Got a 69 Ford LTD and thought I'd died and gone to heaven. It was so quiet that, one day at 50 mph I thought it had quit - got out to see what was the matter.
G'day Bg64ww and welcome aboard mate.
Have a look at this one,
http://www.jemwatercraft.com/proddetail ... ourPirogue
or this one
http://www.jemwatercraft.com/proddetail ... ourPirogue
I have built them both and both will fit your needs beautifully
The Swampgirl is more stable.
Also worth a look is Matts lovely Wabanaki solo. It is listed on the Duckworks site and will probably be my next build.
Matts plans are clear, concise and easy to follow. He is a gentleman to deal with and his boats are superb.
Iroquois would do the job well enough but being a "true" canoe, with high sides, I think it would be subject to wind drift
Have a look at this one,
http://www.jemwatercraft.com/proddetail ... ourPirogue
or this one
http://www.jemwatercraft.com/proddetail ... ourPirogue
I have built them both and both will fit your needs beautifully
The Swampgirl is more stable.
Also worth a look is Matts lovely Wabanaki solo. It is listed on the Duckworks site and will probably be my next build.
Matts plans are clear, concise and easy to follow. He is a gentleman to deal with and his boats are superb.
Iroquois would do the job well enough but being a "true" canoe, with high sides, I think it would be subject to wind drift
My first build was Matt's Touring Pirogue-T which is a very nice pirogue. If the Touring Pirogue T-V had been around then, I likely would have built it. I then built the South Wind 15-30 which I like even better. For a Canadian style, I'm leaning toward the Sasquatch in either 14 or 15 foot length, unless I decide to make a strip built instead.bg64vw said:
OK Im getting lots of good imput and I guess theres no perfect boat for every application. I guess if I had to rate everything I would say weight and stability above all else. Im looking for something solo so I can handle it easier. Id prefer the flat bottom but videos Im watching make them look too wobbley and I dont want to sit flat on my butt and paddle. Some of the designs suggested sound good. Just make sure to explain where I can find the plans. Remember Im new to the game so I don't know who these builders are. I am familiar with Duck Works, JEM, and Uncle Johns and thats about it. Again thanks everyone, all this info is great!
Mate,
In my opinion, these are the only people you need for a very good fishing boat.
I found my Swampgirl 16 very stable (as in rock solid) and my seat was about 8 inches off the bottom. Speed was adequate and was probably the best fishing platform I ever owned. Worked equally well as a tandem when my daughter came to visit and she has never forgiven me for selling that boat.
The Swampgirl is like a pirogue with a fine entry each end for less wave slap and better tracking and has a very nice tumblehome panel for easier paddling. I would think it is a way better option as a fishing craft than the iroquois.
There is now a wide version of the TV
http://www.jemwatercraft.com/proddetail ... gueTV15-32
That brobably is even superior as a fishing craft but I haven't built one (yet)
Check out the Cruising Mouse by Gavin Atkins. Plans are free and can be downloaded through the Duckworks site.
I have to vote for the T-V . The Brazos here in TX is deep holes with shallows between them ,the boat is fast light easy to build
and a heck of a fishing machine.Here is a little catch from last night.
Ron
Ps I was in the boat for several hours and still very comfortable.I have a 15 ft perow and the T-V is way more boat
Here is the link to the build and how I set it up for fishing
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4347&start=90
and a heck of a fishing machine.Here is a little catch from last night.
Ron
Ps I was in the boat for several hours and still very comfortable.I have a 15 ft perow and the T-V is way more boat
Here is the link to the build and how I set it up for fishing
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4347&start=90
Thats a Jem design ,the decks are mine. Jem has a open top configuration on his website.
http://www.jemwatercraft.com/proddetail ... gPirogueTV
I have the 15 bye 29
he also has a wider version of the T-V.
Strength is still good on mine.
Chuck Bear and Jack have paddled with me when I was in this boat and I can promise it is used hard.
Ron
http://www.jemwatercraft.com/proddetail ... gPirogueTV
I have the 15 bye 29
he also has a wider version of the T-V.
Strength is still good on mine.
Chuck Bear and Jack have paddled with me when I was in this boat and I can promise it is used hard.
Ron