Another New To Me Canoe

[dave0]

No Title

Come hell or high water I was going out yesterday, temps near 60 degrees for Dec in NH is rare and I have be wanting to try this hull out. I will admit I was nervous about it being a hull that would toss me in the minute I turned to look over my shoulder but that wasn't the case at all. Very stable, faster then most of my other boats and with an aching back I found the backband to be extremely comfortable. I think I could add a bit of height to the butt seat but I was more then happy with how it handled. I did find a couple of spots that need attention, one being a through and through hole where the seam around the lower and upper parts of the boat had separated. Did a temp fix with gorilla tape for the day but will fill it will thickened GFlex and then plumbers epoxy to make the gap whole again. For an 18 year old boat it's in great shape!

 

[snapper]

Great looking boat. Glad to hear that paddling with your back being the way it is seemed to go well for you. Looks like you've got a new traveling companion!

That's it for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[yellowcanoe]

with one exception all David Yost designs are started out with seaworthiness and seakindliness in mind. Some are less in initial stability than others of his but all have excellent final stability.

Look on the ACA Legends of Paddling award in 2004. DY is still designing.. and has that shirt. ( the Tropical Bell shirt). You can still find DY around at canoe events.. or antique steam engine events.

 

[charlie wilson]

Bell used Vinyl Ester resin exclusively. The Tweed was, is, longitudinal strands of yellow Kev 49 with alternating strands of yellow Kev 49 and black Kev 29 as fill. The reason is partially cosmetic, because alternating yellow black in both directions gets muddy looking and partially structural as Kev 29 is treated for use in fireproof clothing and bullet proof panels and does not resinate. 25% is the manufacturer's suggested maximum 29 content for adequate lamination strength. Yeah Bell the 2nd time ordered a production lot with red K29 alternating in fill, but seems to have dropped that.

Interesting to compare DY's Bell RobRoy and Placid's Rapidfire. Similar length and width and rocker but RR is faster is shallow water due to increased Swede Form and RF is faster in deep water due to being closer to symmetrical.

I've never cottoned to RR. It took and extra day to build so messed with production scheduling and we never got around to designing a descent seat for it. Also, decked, it always will weigh more than an open topped canoe but it does have improved windage.

 

[Guest]

with one exception all David Yost designs are started out with seaworthiness and seakindliness in mind. Some are less in initial stability than others of his but all have excellent final stability.

OK, I'm curious, what DY design was the exception?

I think I may know, didn't Yost design one of the early rec kayaks that sold like hotcakes. Maybe the Swifty?

 

[yellowcanoe]

MY#1 never made it past a few boats.. I think one or two. A wood canvas boat..people that tried it said Oh(but not MY) It was fast and not user friendly. Thats when Tom MacKenzie decided to leave DY alone to design boats and Tom would build them.
The Aquaterra Spectrum was a DY boat. I had that one. It was the most cantankerous kayak. It was a poly craft and insisted on strongly slewing up in to the wind even with rudder. I knew DY well enough to ask him "What were you thinking?" He was kind enough not to get upset and explained that when it came out of the form for some reason the stern sprang up and Aquaterra didnt want to redesign the mold.

I don't think he designed the Keowee.. But I'm not sure . That was a decent rec kayak.. Had one.. Sometimes I wish I still had it.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

What a great find, Doug!

It sort of reminds me of the SOF "kayak" that I built in my junior year of high school - only longer. My wife's Wilderness Chesapeake is closer in size to my old SOF, but closer in construction to your Rob Roy. Every time I get in that boat, I can't help but think how great it would be if it was 14 or 15' instead of 12'. I have yet to even see one of those in my vicinity.

 

[Guest]

What a great find, Doug!

My wife's Wilderness Chesapeake is closer in size to my old SOF, but closer in construction to your Rob Roy. Every time I get in that boat, I can't help but think how great it would be if it was 14 or 15' instead of 12'. I have yet to even see one of those in my vicinity.

The Wilderness Chesapeake was a pretty cool little boat. It was kind of a pumpkinseed kayak, 12 feet long x 28 ½ inches wide, but it paddled much better than any of its plastic cousins. The 33 lb weight didn’t hurt. I don’t think Wilderness made or sold many, and I’ve never seen one for sale used.

As far as a stretch version the Pamlico 145 T-Pro in kevlar remains one of my holy grails for a daytripping or weekender hull. 15’ 1” x 30 ½”. That was a boat that Wilderness produced for years and I’ve seen a total of one for sale used since it was discontinued 15 years ago.

That rarity on the used market tends to speak strongly about the desirability of a boat. Don’t see many Rob Roys on the classifieds and there’s a reason for that.

Paddle it like you stole it Doug; for what you paid you did.

 

[dave0]

Well, today I unscrewed the gunwales on one side to see if they had been glued or resined together. Nope, said with a huge sigh of relief. The previous owner had not laid them up evenly and they are too short on the inners. The current ones fall short by a good inch and am thinking they should tuck in behind the back deck plate.

I have a ton of left over stock from other rebuilds so that is the next step in this simple rebuild. I have thoughts about the front deck. In pictures I have seen on line they have the famous Bell inlaid deck. Being the tinkerer I am I want to add something for a few extra items I want for this boat so may add a modified deck. This boat is a keeper for me. Has to be one of the sweetest hulls I own right now. Now finding some way to make a spray skirt is another story as no one seems to have one for sale for the boat. Would be good for cold weather paddling. I see sewing in my future and I have been banned more then once from the family sewing machine for good reason which I'll keep to myself so I would have to beg for a favor from the better half. That can be a dangerous road to take! ;-)

 

[yellowcanoe]

Of course you can get a spray skirt for the Rob Roy from Dan Cooke of Cooke Custom Sewing.

If you get your wife to sew it.. don't be a pest.

http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=advice&tid=682256#682276

Are your knees that fugly?

 

[Steve in Idaho]

No Title

The Wilderness Chesapeake was a pretty cool little boat.....

Oh, yeah - it's cool even though it's short. Very easy to paddle and makes a nice little fishing solo too. And it is the longest boat that will fit into the space we store it in. If I ever find one of the longer composite decked canoes, I'll have to add some covered storage somewhere.

I'm under strict orders from my daughter that if I ever find another Chesapeake for sale, I am to buy it for her.

Always been a fan of decked canoes, but the better ones are nearly scarce as turtle feathers around here.