Most wanted build type/size/model?

[DeniseO30]

Just wondering what is the most wanted build people think about, when they realize they want a wooden canoe? ( I love and have built strip canoes too. but this is not about them)

I may be a bit skewed in this as I'm a devoted prospector lover; to quote or paraphrase Bill Mason "if I had only one canoe it would be the prospector." I'm currently searching for a W/C prospector form that may be in my area (SE PA) The prospector is not so great on large lakes when solo but it really comes to life when the water is moving! (opinion, not trying to start an argument)

I was in on a build of an Atkinson Traveler . and it's beautiful. and much desired, I've not paddled one.
Old Town HWs are lovely also.. I had a 1912 15 ft and a 1955 18ft. (sold them years ago) I was very ok paddling the 18 solo but it was BIG!

Just to touch on hull design.. I'd leave it at "I believe there is no such thing as a new canoe (meaning hull design)

I had quit or promised myself to "never build strippers anymore" and only go with traditional building. and when my son passed on at 35 I swore no more woodworking,turning, boat building, canoe restoration, boats in general. but... I'm back at it.. less and way slower, but I cannot deny how much much I love building and restoring old canoes and more. This is, what I'm about and love. "Old as new" We even restored a baby grand piano! my house is 150 yrs old!

Glad I found this site!
Denise

 

[memaquay]

I think you'll find there is a fan club for the Chestnut Chum and the Chestnut Pal here, for solo tripping.

 

[Iskweo]

Chum fan club Manitoba chapter. I am pretty sure these are the nicest combination of desirable traits in a canoe that you can want. Substitute Pal if you need a tandem. I personally like my Hurons but then again, if able to score a chum it would be a quick farewell to the beloved Bastien.
I tend towards the 15 foot tandems converted to solo.

Christine

 

[DeniseO30]

Chum fan club Manitoba chapter. I am pretty sure these are the nicest combination of desirable traits in a canoe that you can want. Substitute Pal if you need a tandem. I personally like my Hurons but then again, if able to score a chum it would be a quick farewell to the beloved Bastien.
I tend towards the 15 foot tandems converted to solo.

Christine

Most interesting, thank you! 15 foot does seem to be a magic number, it works for solo and also works for tamden, and they are generally not too heavy no matter what they are made of.
My solo W/C is 15'2" 30" beam, 1.5" rocker if I remember correctly. We built it about 18 years ago I haven't used it in at least 10 and hoping to get back into her this spring. as I write, the canvas filler is curing. I did outfit her with a Stern seat hopefully it'll make her more desirable if I decide to sell her off. The third photo is about the time she was built roughly 18 years ago as mentioned the other two are only weeks old

looking at this video you can definitely see it it is a chestnut https://youtu.be/OVlCfQvf9VA

 

[Robin]

I have a thing for Chestnut Chums also, and the Chestnut Pal too. I have restored a few Old Towns and a Morris, plus a few other brands I can't quite remember anymore but never paddled any of them. They all looked too big for solo travel or too pretty for tripping.

My Chum has 2 busted ribs and an outer canvas patch from a few years ago, I planned on fixing it over the winter but I never did. Another member here, Coldfeet (David) has a Chum in my shop and we will get back to it in early May.

I find the Chum to be very seaworthy and since I'm not really a fan of solo canoes, I like sitting on the bow seat with the canoe reversed and having the beautiful canoe with canvas packs out in front as I paddle.

Here's one from Carry Place canoe works, they sell the plans for stripper or w/c.

 

[DeniseO30]

I have a thing for Chestnut Chums also, and the Chestnut Pal too. I have restored a few Old Towns and a Morris, plus a few other brands I can't quite remember anymore but never paddled any of them. They all looked too big for solo travel or too pretty for tripping.

My Chum has 2 busted ribs and an outer canvas patch from a few years ago, I planned on fixing it over the winter but I never did. Another member here, Coldfeet (David) has a Chum in my shop and we will get back to it in early May.

I find the Chum to be very seaworthy and since I'm not really a fan of solo canoes, I like sitting on the bow seat with the canoe reversed and having the beautiful canoe with canvas packs out in front as I paddle.

Here's one from Carry Place canoe works, they sell the plans for stripper or w/c.

Robin seems to me you just described solo paddling! although freestyle paddling is usually done from almost dead center, kneeling in the canoe but whatever works!

I've come to realize most / many people won't even consider going if they're going to have to paddle alone. Which stinks in one respect because I only want to paddle alone LOL

I'd like to look at the offsets for the Chestnut Chum.

 

[Mihun09]

Our little boats. The 3 wood canvas I restored, the stripper I built. There will be another Jacks Special being built. The chestnut was sold, the green Bastien was sold, the yellow Bastien and my Jacks we still have

Karin

 

[lowangle al]

I don't have plans to build one, but the model that I am thinking about is a 20' boat. I thought I wanted an OT, but after a conversation I had with Jerry Stelmok I am leaning towards an E.M. White which I was familiar with from Gil Gilpatricks book. Jerry thought the White is about 10 or 15 lbs. lighter and more streamlined and better designed to paddle. He told me the 20' OT guide was designed after the advent of motors and more conducive to that. I have no reason not to believe Jerry but can anyone else confirm or add to this. I'll just add that Jerry was not trying to sell me one of his.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Jerry doesn't ever try to sell something.. Like many builders he is quiet and self effacing. Jerry does build the wooden canoes Old Town sells currently.

 

[DeniseO30]

I don't have plans to build one, but the model that I am thinking about is a 20' boat. I thought I wanted an OT, but after a conversation I had with Jerry Stelmok I am leaning towards an E.M. White which I was familiar with from Gil Gilpatricks book. Jerry thought the White is about 10 or 15 lbs. lighter and more streamlined and better designed to paddle. He told me the 20' OT guide was designed after the advent of motors and more conducive to that. I have no reason not to believe Jerry but can anyone else confirm or add to this. I'll just add that Jerry was not trying to sell me one of his.

I would agree Jerry AND Rolin but you don't build a 20-foot Laker IE canoe to save a few pounds!

[video]http://www.newfound.com/whiteguide.htm[/video]

Al, here's A build blog on a w/c em white 18ft
https://smallboatsmonthly.com/article/the-e-m-white-guide-canoe/

 

[lowangle al]

Thanks for the link Denise, but that was for a measly 18.5 footer. The weight at 65 lbs. was good though.

 

[yellowcanoe]

My preference is for Loon Works boats. The Mistral would have been my next want. its for tripping. But the builder died. This is the closest I can find but its a little longer and tubbier
http://www.stewartriver.com/canoes/traveler.html

I dislike soloing tandems from the bow seat. When I want a solo I want a dedicated solo.

 

[lowangle al]

Jerry doesn't ever try to sell something.. Like many builders he is quiet and self effacing. Jerry does build the wooden canoes Old Town sells currently.

Jerry was about the nicest guy I've ever done business with. Maybe I should have said I wasn't inquiring about purchasing one of his boats. He was pretty confident in the superiority of the 20' White over the 20' OT for paddling.

 

[DeniseO30]

Jerry was about the nicest guy I've ever done business with. Maybe I should have said I wasn't inquiring about purchasing one of his boats. He was pretty confident in the superiority of the 20' White over the 20' OT for paddling.

I'd be surprised if the form for the 18 and the 20 were very different from each other. And on a wood canvas build it's quite easy to adjust the length

 

[lowangle al]

I dislike soloing tandems from the bow seat. When I want a solo I want a dedicated solo.

I got the 18' guide to use as a tandem that was big enough to fit our three grandkids in. It was a big surprise to me that it would become my favorite boat to solo. That's for pleasure paddling not tripping. If there were no big carries I'd trip with it solo.

 

[DeniseO30]

I got the 18' guide to use as a tandem that was big enough to fit our three grandkids in. It was a big surprise to me that it would become my favorite boat to solo. That's for pleasure paddling not tripping. If there were no big carries I'd trip with it solo.

well you could make it into a 20 easier then building another.

 

[lowangle al]

I did not know that.

 

[DeniseO30]

Really! Unlike other boats most canoes don't have the heavy structure of a keel. the rails and planking are what give a canoe it's long ways support. It's also why they are so easy to restore.

 

[lowangle al]

Then I'd have to find another 18 footer. This boat has nice cherry trim, maybe a boat that needs more work would be a better fit.

 

[DeniseO30]

Then I'd have to find another 18 footer. This boat has nice cherry trim, maybe a boat that needs more work would be a better fit.

I'm restoring a near hundred-year-old boat called a Delaware Ducker it's built just like a canoe except it has an actual keelson and notched in garboards.


I must admit Al, you could be first person I've ever seen that actually wants large canoes, most big canoes just sit and rot.