Symmetrical or Asymmetrical hull shape

[clwpaddler]

Hi everyone,
I am getting ready to build my first Piroque and would like to know if the boats that you have built and are paddling are symmetrical or asymmetrical in hull shape. I am thinking that the plans for the first one will be to one that comes from Uncle John. Any recommendations on hull shape and plans would be greatly appreciated. 8)

Woody

 

[redfisher]

I think the beauty of building one of these boats is that you can do what suits you. If you want to experiment with maybe a teardrop shape that might be cool. Maybe one of these experienced fellers here will have some insight that may save you a disaster though.

 

[jdupre']

Anyone? I know a few people have built JEM's touring pirogue. How about some opinions on stability, tracking , glide, etc.

Thanks

Joey

 

[jheger]

I think its hard to go wrong with Matt's touring pirogue. I have built a couple of them and they are stable, track excellent and paddle great.

 

[jdupre']

Thanks, jheger. That's probably going to be my next boat. They look fast just sitting still.

Joey

 

[Kayak Jack]

...That's probably going to be my next boat...

Don't build it at home, Joey. Build it at hand. :wink:

 

[Jimmy W]

I have just finished building the Jem Watercraft Touring Pirogue-T. This is my first build and I am very happy with it. I have spent a lot of time in wider canoes and some time in a couple of kayaks, but this is the first pirogue that I have paddled and I have only used it once in a pond for about an hour. I can not compare it to a Uncle John's since I haven't tried one of them. The Touring Pirogue-T is asymmetrical. Stability is good. It felt a little tippy when I first got in it, but I started feeling comfortable very quickly. I was able to lean it over until the upper tumblehome panels touched the water and it firmed up and felt pretty stable at that angle. I was able to stand in it, but I don't think that I will be doing much of that. Tracking was fine, I was using a single blade paddle and could go straight paddling on one side with a little course correction at the end of the strokes. Glide is excellent, you can quit paddling and it will keep gliding along for quite a long time.
Note: I only weigh about 160 pounds and boat was empty except for me, PFD and paddle. I haven't yet built a seat, so I was only kneeling and squatting on the floor. The tumblehome panels make reaching over the gunnels with the paddle very easy.

Jimmy

 

[Jimmy W]

I built mine at home with my hands and quite a few tools, both hand tools and power tools. I have been referring to it as a homemade wood boat, but I am not particularly PC.

Jimmy

 

[hairymick]

G'day Joey,

Mate there is a assymetrical touring pirogue amd a symmetrical prototype one with a tumblehome panel in my shed (P5)

Both are superb boats in their own right yet very different boats to paddle.

Touring Pirogue can perhaps carry more load but doesn't seem as fast or as easy to paddle as the P5

I think the ideal would be Matt's new design, the pirogue with the assymetrical hull and the tumblehome panel.

Touring pirogue.

P5

 

[jdupre']

Thanks, Jimmy and Mick. I always like to go by someone's first hand experience. Sounds like the boat for me.

Jack, I might be able to build this boat at work, not at home, soooooo........... :wink:

 

[tx river rat]

Paddler
I am a firm believer in the asymmetrical hull I think it tracks better and is supposed to be a faster design, My hot air pirouge is asymmetrical ,wide and stable ,it is very simular to the touring t I have also built two more pirouges ! symmetrical and 1 asymmetrical and like I say they asymmetrical
is the best performer to me.
There is one boat that breaks all the rules and that is the Laker with its v bottom glides forever fast symmetrical, I have a theory about this boat it is narrow 22 inches on the bottom and sits pretty deep in the water with my 215 in her narrow for speed and the tracking from more hull being in the water deeper.
My favorite is the touring pirouge T-V a design Matt did for James it is asymmetrical v bottom tumble homes and 15ft plus my favorite of all the yaks This boat is fast stable turns on a dime handles rough water well
and I think will perform even better with a load in her.
Take all this with a grain of salt I sure am not the most experienced on this board.
Ron

 

[Kayak Jack]

There are generally two kinds of asymmetry in paddle craft. Fish form has the wide part forward, and then, aft of center tails off in a finer departure line.

Swede form has the fine entry up forward, and then gets wider aft of the center of the boat.

I've never seen any laboratory evidence that one is superior to another. Likely, they are - but in rather a niche area of performance in narrowly defined environments. Intuitively, the Swede form looks more streamlined. But that may be because we've been conditioned by comic books and such with drawings of Buck Rogers type craft and such?

Asymmetry can be so subtle that it is often not even noticed by observers. It works its magic below the waterline, out of sight.

 

[Jimmy W]

I got the plans for my Touring Pirogue-T before the plans were officially released. It has a 26 inch wide bottom and is 31 inches wide overall. The Touring Pirogue has a 24 inch bottom and the Jem Watercraft site says that the present Touring Pirogue-T is a little narrower than the Touring Pirogue at the bottom and is 29 inches wide overall. I think that jheger asked for a wider version and that is what he and I built and the boat now seems to have been narrowed down. I am very happy with mine.

Jimmy