Pirogue build in Delaware

[mds]

This is my first post but after reading this site for the last 2 months I wanted to post my build, as it is about 12 years in the making. I first started in CA in '97 in my in-laws garage. It was together and filleted when we moved and it went to storage in my mothers house. After 7 more years and 4 more moves I landed in Delaware. It was too far to send a 1/2 built pirogue so it was scrapped. I got the bug again after seeing a neighbors boat and hearing about taking the kids on the mill ponds. So, I have now been working for about 2 weeks and will have the stems and sides together tomorrow. The wife just figured out what I am up to in the garage , as I have been working around my "honey do" list and kids.
After reading this and several other sites on builds, I have yet to venture onto u-tube, I want to share my build. The posted builds are what sold me on this design and I learned alot. I am not a professional, just a person who must fullfil the urge to build. This will be a budget build, as I have 2 little ones and the wife is not real keen on the idea, yet. But I think it will provide hours of fun for us.
I made a simple set-up to scarf the rub strip on my compound miter. It was quick, safe and worked well. I am also using a router to notch the stem as it was simplier to set-up and safer. I found wood for the stems in the basement from a project 23 years ago. I will try to keep the progess posted and post photos.

 

[seedtick]

keep us posted on your progress

 

[Kayak Jack]

MDS,

Let us know how it's going there. You likely won't make a mistake that we haven't already invented a few hundred times. sigh And, we'll join in drunken revelry with you when your successes emerge.

(Some of us are better at the drunken revelry part than others. Practice does help.)

 

[mds]

In the first two weeks I already made a some mistakes but I have figured out work arounds. The plan also changed and the finish will now be paint to hide the fore mentioned issues. The wife justs wants to know how long and where is it going, so I had some time today to work on it.
The stems and sides are together but I will be removing glue from my hands for the next week. I even have a box of gloves but forgot to put them on until I was already covered. I also added station lines, referance lines, prior to assembly, to assist in locating the ribs. I will see if it helps.
The rub strips were glued up last night and I notch them to top the plywood, with a second strip on the inside as a cap. I have the outer strip clamped on but stopped to put a 1/4 round on before final assembly. I have attached a picture of the stem, I think it will turn out nice. It gives me a built in place to hang it from.
My kids thought it was great and my daughter wants to know if I will put some pink on it for her since I told her it was greem and yellow for me and my son.

 

[Jimmy W]

It is looking good. Nice touch on the rub rail. Jack has probably already started on the drunken revelry and I might just have to join him.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Shucks, Jimmy, come on along. But, you know me, I'm already into a nap.

 

[mds]

Made some progress but the mistake I made with the stems is biting me in the butt. I made it 90 degrees off on the first cut and added a piece to make it tall. The extra glue area would help and it does, hold the nose in tight and mess with the angles for the ribs. It looks like I will have to increase the angle on the outer rib a degree or 2 to get better alignment. The center ribs created a flat spot so I moved them around to find a better shape. I plan to close in the ends for the ribs spacing will not be visible.
The outer rub strips are on but the weird angle took a clamp every 6" to try to keep it flush. I am going to notch the other strip to create clearance for the mismatch on the outer strip. I will post a pic once cut. It was a good thing I have a few clamps. You can never have too many clamps.
I mentioned the ref lines before and they do help. I marked every 6" from the center, and labeled every 12". This helps align the rub quickly in the same location. I maked off the line 2" to locate the bulkheads. It makes matching the 2 ends real easy.
I plan to notch the inside rub stip and rib together. This is taking some planning and compounding cuts but, at least I have the compound miter saw.

 

[mds]

Here is the set up to use a router on the stems. I used a 1/2" bit set at the final depth. Then I start at the final line for the notch then work my way towards the end. After the first cut I feed the wood in the opposite direction to match the bit rotation. The bit will pull the wood through other wise. The final cut left about 1/16" that I cut off with a knife, then planed smooth.

 

[seedtick]

bending the sides around a center point (rib) will often create a shape that is not fair or smooth.

We bend around two temporary jigs that allow the midpoint of the sides to bend without the point pressure of a rib. The jigs can be moved to achieve the desired bottom width and the ribs can be installed without any undue bending of the sides.

 

[mds]

I was able to get the sides to smoothed out and only mislocated one rib but it was during dry fit. I will fill the holes later when I fillet. Capping the plywood with the rub rail did not turn out flush all the way. The glue foamed and covered the mismatch. I had to make a clearance cut for the areas where the ply stuck out just a little. The cut was about 1/16" deep, the was the test piece.
I also notched the rub rail to the ribs on the inner piece. I will add a dowel to connect both next week. I will be rounding them off with a file and sand paper.

 

[mds]

The boat is now ready for the bottom.
My kids are too young to help much, they vacuumed the floor today, but as you can see, they're ready to go. I am building it to make memories with them and hope to make another when they can really help.
To get the wood home inside my car I had Lowe's cut it 1/2" over rib width. I needed about 2" over but did need material for the bulkheads and bow covers.
I have the deck plates already, great deal on Ebay for 6", under $10 each after shipping.
I am still trying to decide how much reinforcement to put around the rings and inside the bulkhead. The current plan is: a 1" doubler and backer blocks 3/4" think, cross-beams running above and below butted up to the doublers and connected to the side at supports running bottom to rub strip. The small deck will have stem, middle and bulkhead supports going left to right and undersupport on the sides to keep the deck flush to the rub rails. Any suggestions?

 

[bearridge]

Friend mds,

That boat iz really beginnin' ta look good. Same with the kids. [grin]

regards
bearridge

The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't.  Unknown high school student

 

[Kayak Jack]

MDS, Good on you for involving the kids. Being a Dad is hard - and joyful - work.

 

[Bellybuster]

lookin good

 

[mds]

Some progress made, I scarfed the bottom joints with a large center peice with short end peices. It was a real pain to scarf and I would recommend to plance the joint as much as you can before starting the sanding. I did use a 50 and 80 grit but it still took a lot of work.
I now have a bottom. I did the glue and stack method, which worked out well.
I then used a router to trim it close to the edge. The angle of the sides kept bit from being flush. I went back with a block and jack planes to make them flush. It was a workout to plane the edges flush. Next step it to fillet the inside to stablize the bottom. Spaces will be needed to make room for the gussets and bulkheads.
Plans changed, epoxy and glass will cover bottom, with a graphite bottom.

 

[Kayak Jack]

MDS,

When you finish the boat with varnish or paint, have the kids help with that, even if a little. Then, when they invite a friend along for a ride, they can say, "I helped dad build this boat!" Watch their eyes gleam when the do.

 

[Bellybuster]

I've found the best tool for flushing the bottom with the sides is a flap sander on my angle grinder. They are very aggressive so some restraint is in order but wow!! quick job!!

 

[mds]

I made the gussets with patterns and a pattern bit in router table. Doublesided tape held the parts together and I nailed on the pattern. The shapes we rough cut on the bandsaw before final trim. They turned out nice and uniform. The material for the patterns is UHMW, polyethylene, that I get from the scrap/trash bin in the maintenance shop at work. I also made stir sticks since most things don't stick to it.
I glued and clamped all the gussets in place at one time. I had enough clamps to make it work.
A note on Gorilla glue. I think it works good but I will not use it on a boat again because of the foaming and clean-up required. I have spent hours scraping, sanding and picking it out. I will use Titebond III instead.

 

[Wannabe]

Your lucky to have a free source for UHMW polyethelene. That stuff is expensive.
Bob

 

[gbinga]

You are doing some sharp looking work!

I had the same experience with Gorilla Glue. The stuff is useful, but clean up is about as fun as eating a bar of soap. I decided if I was going to put up with that much mess, I might as well just use thickened epoxy to glue with. Another irritating thing about Gorilla Glue is shelf life. It doesn't pay to keep the stuff on hand unless you are using it constantly.

Your shop is way too clean and orderly, by the way. It may prevent you from fitting in here.

George