Building a skin on frame canoe

Bogwoppit · 21-02-2023 11:02pm

I got all the spacers cut and dry fitted tonight, was hoping to get them glued in but the delivery of new nozzles for the epoxy didn’t turn up.

Weather is turning cold again and I’ll be busy with work so it will be at least a couple of weeks before that gets done.

Made a start on the floorboards, I’m ripping these off the face of a standard 2x4 pine board which will make them 90mm wide. There are 2 long boards which go almost the full length of the floor and 2 shorter ones which will go half the length.

I’ll have to get these run through a planer thicknesser and I’m hoping the Men’s shed will be able to help out here as I don’t have one.

kiwipaul · 20-03-2023 1:19pm

I'm about to start the Indian River river canoe that I got from Duckworks boat plans.Some details look very similar.Been looking for the right fabric.Found Ballistic nylon 310 gm/sqm at extrmtextil.de..What do you think.?

Bogwoppit · 20-03-2023 1:36pm

Best of luck with it, I had a look on duckworks but can’t see the design you’re referring to.

I don’t think the 310g/sqm would be quite heavy enough, you’d probably get away with it but you’d have to be careful.

If you’re on Facebook there’s a guy in Poland, Marcin Bober, who has a nylon in 430g/sqm which I’ll be using.

He also has the 2 part polyurethane coating that will give the toughest finish.

Make sure to post some pics as you go and feel free to ask any questions.

Bogwoppit · 20-03-2023 1:38pm

On my own boat I got the spacers between the gunnels and inwales cut and glued into place, just working my way through them at the moment with the chisel and sandpaper to get the flush and neat.

I have to get down to the men’s shed again with the floorboards I’ve cut and run them through their planer/thicknesser. Also need to make some supports for under the floorboards.

kiwipaul · 20-03-2023 2:52pm

Thanks for the info.Sorry,my mistake,it's actually the Indian Creek motor canoe that I'm making.I've made a cedar strip canoe years ago when I lived in New Zealand,but hated all the fiberglassing and sanding,so I thought I'd give skin on frame a go.Do you know of many other people in Ireland who are doing the same?

Bogwoppit · 20-03-2023 3:25pm

That’s a nice looking boat, I had considered it but went for the Wicomico as it’s lighter.

Same designer, Dave Gentry, a lot of it is the same construction so hopefully I’ll be able to help if you’re stuck.

I don’t know if anyone with a skin on frame in the country but I’m sure there are some. There is an old, nearly finished canoe up on Adverts at the moment.

Bogwoppit · 24-03-2023 9:15am

Weather, work and a long bout of covid have meant slow progress recently.

I finished off the spacers last night and started making some supports for the floorboards and getting the floor laid out.

Bogwoppit · 01-04-2023 8:19pm

Cut out and dry fitted the seats this week, I have to make a couple of supports between the seats and the keel later.

Still don’t have the floorboards ready so I took the canoe off the strongback and flipped it so I could attach the keel properly. All joints are now secure but when I had it flipped I noticed one of the stringers starting to crack at the last frame at the stern end. Option one is to remove the stringer and fit a new one, that wouldn’t be easy and I’m not confident I could do it without causing damage elsewhere. What I’m going to do is make a couple of supports either side of the frame and it should be fine.

Bogwoppit · 02-04-2023 4:52pm

Forgot to add the upside down pic

Bogwoppit · 06-04-2023 11:19am

Got around to reinforcing the stringer that’s trying to crack.

Cut out a couple of pieces from the 12mm ply and fit them either side of the frame with plenty of epoxy.

fergal.b · 06-04-2023 11:25am

Ouch hope it doesn't take the look of the curvy away, would it be worth splicing it further back and bend in a new piece.

Bogwoppit · 06-04-2023 11:35am

I think when it’s covered with the skin it will be unnoticeable to be honest Fergal.

I thought about splicing a new piece in without removing the stringer completely but I’m not confident I could get the joint good enough.

If the crack had been anywhere else on the boat then I’d have been left with no choice but to try remove the stringer and replace, where it is means the repair I’ve done shouldn’t have any effect at all.

Bogwoppit · 23-04-2023 10:22pm

I got the floorboards planed down so full steam ahead now.

I added some cedar either side of the tops of stems to improve the aesthetic, a small bit of work but they do really make a difference to the look. I’ll be drilling a hole to take a rope here later once I find a bit big enough.

Next up was the seats, I got the supports made up and fitted a couple of days ago and got the rest fitted and epoxied in place this evening.

I’ll clean them up when the epoxy cures and then onto the floorboards and varnishing everything.

I’ll be ordering the skin in the next week or 2.

Next thing I have to find is a 1/2inch 1/2 round strip of brass or stainless to use for the stem and stern bands to give some protection but so far drawing a blank. If I can’t find something suitable in metal I’ll get hold of some ash and steam bend it into shape.

fergal.b · 23-04-2023 10:27pm

Coming along nicely , can't wait to see her with her clothes on 😀

Bogwoppit · 24-04-2023 7:21am

Did some searching for the brass and stainless rod last night, I’ll definitely be going with ash!

Bogwoppit · 25-04-2023 6:10pm

All sanded and ready for varnishing.

nokiatom · 26-04-2023 8:21am

nice job

Bogwoppit · 27-04-2023 10:30pm

First coat of varnish done.

Bogwoppit · 03-05-2023 5:25pm

Varnishing almost done.

Sanding with 400 grit between coats.

The skin is en route from Poland, this is the bit I’ve been dreading but I’m told it’s easier than it looks, I hope so.

Bogwoppit · 12-05-2023 10:41am

Skin and coating have arrived today from Poland.

It will be the end of next week before I get to start the process which gives me a bit more time to research the best methods for getting it on there, there’s many many ways to skin a boat which is a little overwhelming!

I have to restock on the stainless steel staples as the dog decided the new box looked like a tasty treat, staples all over the garden.

Bogwoppit · 18-05-2023 9:57pm

D-day for the skin today.

First laid out the skin loosely on top of the frame and clamped it roughly in place.

We then flipped it over and put in a stitch the length of the canoe using a heavy braided thread.

We worked the stitch to get the skin as tight as we dared without pulling the braid through the nylon.

https://youtu.be/7tYLqaRuZpk

Next we ran a line of staples along the gunnels, a lot of staples.

Then on the the ends, not many pics of this as it was a quite tricky and we could have done with more hands!

It’s secured here with staples and a bead of epoxy. The nylon is trimmed with a soldering iron blade to seal the end and stop it unraveling.

There was quite a bit of pulling and manipulating to the the ends secured without creases, it’s not perfect but I think it’s tighter than I expected.

Next job is to shrink the skin with heat to remove the last few wrinkles and get it drum tight. I picked up a 2nd hand iron on Adverts for the job, I don’t think my wife would be too pleased if I used the one from the house!