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On the thwart, based on how you'll be using it, figure out the shape you need and like, then find the lightest available material to do the job. If you'll be engaging the thwart from below, like on the tops of your legs, you might want a D-shaped thwart with the round part facing down (like a...

A splendid birchbark canoe I was fortunate to paddle on the Glenmore Reservoir in Calgary last fall. It went to the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough ON.

Here's a photo I posted in Photo of the Day, but it seems it belongs here too. It's a Caribou S outfitted for play in the river.

YC, test this on one of the Velcro tabs: try mineral spirits first (it's benign). But if it doesn't work, use some acetone to saturate it and let it sit for a couple of minutes (it won't hurt the gelcoat, but don't let it run as it could leave 'clean' streaks). Then apply light heat to the...

Jim, yes-- nice boat on a splendid river! Where is that?

I always felt the Rendezvous had a deep forefoot that translates into that grabbiness you speak of crossing the eddy line. I moved the seat back a few inches on both models. The Kevlar version was lighter up front and felt less grabby crossing the line. However, I would add a little weight aft...

Jim, that's a nice Kevlar canoe you've made. Did you make a plug, then a female mould? What are its approximate dimensions? It looks to be symmetrical, with fine ends; it surely carries a good load at respectable speeds. Mike, if you invert the RX and Kevlar Rendezvous hulls side-by-side, you...

The Nate Stick! Who knew? I will absolutely try that. What's the origin of the name 'Nate Stick'? The nylon cord lashing is one continuous length that runs through holes drilled in the fuselage, just below the gunwales. Kevlar is very hydroscopic, and the holes need to be waterproofed after...

Jim, the CF sleeves are perfect for composite gunwales, but they need to be bagged (preferably resin-infused) to achieve good structural numbers and nice aesthetics. Sleeves may be used for grab-handles and thwarts too, but they too should be vacuum bagged. Charlie Wilson is the man on...

I paddled a Supernova one afternoon and enjoyed it a lot. If I remember correctly, the seat was well-placed with the front rail a few inches aft of centre, and the seat high enough to get my size 12's underneath. I fit my solo seats with the front seat rail 5" aft of centre, and the bottom of...

Alan, I think the use of very thin aerospace cloth enables gentle transitions between areas of varying stiffness-- to avoid mechanical steps, or stress risers. How thick is thick enough? That's a good question, and I spent some time attempting to answer it. For a 3/4" X 26-inch thwart to feel...

Here's something from Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Non-Sterile-Graduated-Plastic-Medicine-Count/dp/B000IFBFXI

Robin, nice work. Alan, the CF hockey shafts I have are hollow. They're made by wrapping stacked layers of thin pre-preg carbon fibre material around a mould or mandrel, and then it's oven-cured. First the mould is wrapped with thin clear poly release film (this stays inside the shaft), and...

Caribou S outfitted for river play.

That will be fun. I cut the CF shafts by hand in a mitre box with a hack saw. It's tempting to use the chop saw, but carbon fibre is very hard and things can start to fly-- CAUTION. The CF seat I made weighs 24 oz. An equivalent size ash seat weighs 32 oz. (the CF seat is 25% lighter). I didn't...

Here's an interesting point on attaching nylon webbing to composite structures: See in the second photo above how the webbing is attached flat to the bottom of the seat rail? The rail surface is roughed up (60 grit sandpaper), the webbing is saturated with epoxy resin, and it is simply clamped...

As you know, CF hockey shafts vary in stiffness (which translates roughly to wall thickness), and in general, the stiffer shaft will withstand greater deflective loads. Therefore, for a canoe seat it's best to find sticks that are made for full-grown players, rather than sticks made for youth...

wysedav, the CF hockey stick thwarts are straightforward-- just insert a "hardpoint" at each end of the shaft to take the bolt through the inwale (about 1" of a hardwood -- ash, mahogany, walnut, oak etc). Trim the shaft to fit its location under the inwale, rough up the inside of the ends of...

I am very impressed with the work you folks are doing! Right now my shop is, well, stuffed; I'm stuck in Clutter Corner. It seems I have to get down to my last square foot of clean workspace before I say STOP, and clean it up. I'm nearly there. I'm working on a couple of canoe carts using...

I use West's metered pumps too, and I do as Canotrouge does. From time to time I use my little scale to test the accuracy of the pumps-- should be 5:1 (the ratio for 105/205 and 105/206 is 5:1 by volume or weight). Also, when I mix up a small batch smaller than a full pump, I use the weigh scale.