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Here's a Kevlar felt bumper strip that was infused flush with the hull.

The name 'Prospector' has been mob-hijacked by canoe makers all over. It seems that if one declares, "I've just bought a Prospector canoe!", it would be perfectly natural to ask, "What does it look like?" If a Chestnut Prospector is a Prospector, then many other Prospectors aren't. As...

Jim is correct, and I agree with the application technique he outlined. A yard of polyester might cost you $5. and a yard of Kevlar mat is about $30. While the $30. is a lot more than $5., it will last many years for this type of application, and it's the real thing. I've used Kevlar mat/epoxy...

Thank you for this beautiful video. I hope your hands are feeling better. Some years ago I paddled this route in a group, but we did it clockwise--- yes, up the Otterslide. I really enjoy the Canoe Lake entrance to the park. Take care.

VARTM explored from an amateur perspective necessarily includes the cost of the entire setup. De-gassing the resin after mixing is necessary to some extent for sure, and in an earlier post I mentioned letting it stand for a period of time before infusing. The amount of time you can let the mixed...

The seat is exquisite; nice work.

I'm in the same boat as you Turtle because the bearings in my right shoulder are pretty much shot. The joint creaks and grinds, and sometimes lurches between positions with a short, dull 'pop'. It aches at night, and whenever it gets cold. The Doc laughs and says I've exceeded the number of...

Thank you. She is sleek and sophisticated.

Weight matters: absolutely-- if you cycle the paddle 25 times per minute and the stroke length is 18", that's 2250 feet per hour. If paddle A is half a pound lighter than paddle B, the paddler using paddle A is moving 1125 lbs less wood each hour. In a direct-drive engine, horsepower varies as...

Beautiful boat Alan-- congratulations! What are its general dimensions?

The resin technology is constantly improving, and the case for epoxy resins in VARTM (vacuum assisted resin transfer molding) is now more compelling than ever. Historically, there have been many reasons for choosing vinyl ester and its derivatives over epoxy for VARTM. These include lower...

The vacuum level is controlled with a shut-off valve that may be installed anywhere in the line between the pump and the pressure pot or catch pot. You can control the amount of suction with this valve by bleeding off some pressure at the pump and closing the valve. Alternatively you could...

This is an interesting topic and it comes up a lot-- but surely there's no right or wrong. It seems everybody has to encounter an experience that drives them down one path or the other. For years we used a ground sheet outside the tent, and from time to time we got wet from below. We talked...

Alan, good work! As you are discovering, there are a great many variables to explore in order to answer all the questions that will emerge as you work. It isn't necessary to put peel ply and flow mesh on the bottom; for small flat layups I use a 2' X 2' X 10 mm thick piece of shower door glass...

Here's how the infusion looks.

Hi Jim. The setup sprang a couple of air leaks half way through the infusion, and I couldn't find them fast enough to save the layup. I had lost some of the bottom seal around the mould, as well as a couple in the upper end seal (there's about 60 feet of seal in a 2-piece mould infusion setup...

Here's one of my bumps on the Infusion Learning Curve: ​Carbon fibre cloth $400. Core material $100. Resin $200. Bagging materials $200. Time to assemble 16 hrs. Time to cut in half, 45 seconds.

Alan, if you're using foam or balsa as a core, you might consider installing a hardpoint before you infuse. As you know, the hardpoint is denser material that will carry the loads from the gunwales through the bolt to the thwart. It prevents crushing of the thwart caps and elongation of the bolt...

Nice work Robin!

Good work Alan! I found learning resin infusion to be a somewhat steep (and expensive) learning curve. When it comes together, though, it's a magical thing to behold. And I agree, even with infusion, it stinks out the shop.