That type of boat was developed by Platt Monfort. I built a 12' "Nimrod" designed by Platt in 1990. He called the construction "Geodesic Airolite" His had diagonal strands of kevlar over the frame and under the Dacron skin. You can find Dacron at Aircraft Spruce and Specialty Co. You can put two layers of Dacron with the weave running diagonal to one another to create a tougher more "rip-stop" covering. Mine now hangs in my wife's office and looks pretty cool. Fun little boats and quick and easy to build.
built one of them from scratch about 30 years ago, 12 foot, 13 lbs. I put a couple thin wood slats on the bottom where you step and kneel. It was so light it flew out the back of a horse trailer on a long transport. I'll bet someone on the pa turnpike got a big surprise that day. all I saw was after 300 miles, no boat.
So that's where my little beauty came from eh, thank you george, lol, just kidding. I can relate though. My then 11yo son and I once built a wooden canoe, also about 30 years ago. Took us a few weeks but when finished she was a beauty...to our eyes. We used it on many trips. It disappeared one night from the stand we made for it while we were camping near a lake, we were heartbroken. Someone else has enjoyed the long term fruits of our labor too.
I remember watching this video years ago and thinking it would never work and boats like this would be too weak. Now I build almost identical but larger canoes for a living. We use artificial sinew to lash together every stringer and rib joint, we've found this helps hold it together when it hits a rock or something. But overall these type of boat are really amazing and much tougher than you would think.
Indeed....I was going to lash mine together as well, even bought some expensive kevlar string, but decided not to...I would if I did another one in the future though. I'd like to make one about 9-10 feet but have it come in half and one side nest into the other and have a hiking bag built into it so you could carry it like a back pack. the joint would be about mid way, a little heavier than the rest and go together with brass bolts and wing nuts with some sort of gasket in between. I'd like to see your boats if you have a link or something.
Neat design and work. I have experience steaming spruce strips to form wing tip bows for antique aircraft. Also aircraft coatings would work well on the dacron, a little more expensive but also repairable.
Thanks! I was looking for a way to make a lightweight body at home for a 'Velomobile', a little car propelled by a person's pedalling. I already have the recumbent trike, but I want a fairly cheap way to keep off the rain, and also to be able to use it during our Canadian winters.
Good times, beautiful lines. Before you said your friend is using it as a Chinese lantern I was already thinking it looked like a Asian screen/room divider. Another great project, thanks for posting. I might just give this a try on the local river.
I also had it hung in my room for quite a while under my outdoor equipment shelf above my bed, I'll post a photo to facebook, check it out when you get the chance. facebook.com/pages/The-Homestead-Craftsman/151656998374912
Nice Sweet Pea. Airolite does have some nice skin on frame designs. Historically, skin on frame goes back to umiaks, curraghs and coracles. They've been covered with everything from hides to canvas and even paper. You can even use duct tape.
I have a 16 foot Old Town and it can be quite difficult to handle on your own or with a helper.......this little thing can hang on my pinky! If you don't mind me asking, how did you come across this video. I've had it posted for a long time and recently the views have spiked, trying to figure out if it was posted somewhere. Thanks.
Great little boat. Glad you thought to share it. I wonder, now that you have built a couple of these, if it wouldn't make a great video challenge to see if you could build at least a utilitarian canoe from scratch with native materials. I would be riveted.
Thanks for this video man. I am a woodworker from Utah, and have considered this company's kits. Great to see it, and I want to pursue this further. Your channel is great. I don't subscribe to much on youtube, but I'm stoked on what you do.
Cool, I've seen people make kayaks out of 2 sheets of luan. One piece was an ellipse shape with pointed ends and the other an ellipse with split ends. Basically the two halves are duct taped together, closing the split ends of the bottom piece and attaching the top. You seal all the seams and then pour fiberglass resin inside and flip the kayak around letting the resin get into all the seems. Once it sets, you pull off the tape, sand it smooth and fiberglass the outside. It's a pretty clever construction method.
This is one of the lightest skin on frame canoes I've seen so far.. and I love it! I'm looking to attempt a build this spring once things warm up outside but the problem is I've never attempted something of this caliber before.. I'm no woodworker by any means. Building is my only option as I could never afford to buy something this amazing.. I can afford the time and materials tho and follow the examples of others! Thanks for sharing this, that's one hell of a canoe!
+Random Andrew I've got another one planned that will be a takedown version that you can pack into areas on your back. It will be in sections that attach and nest into each other when apart. It will have a built in back pack. Probably make the skin mote durable too but still translucent.
I built a couple of kayaks with 10 oz canvas stapling the canvas with stainless steel staples at the gunnels and of course at the ends. You can either paint the canvas or use aeroplane dope painted on ( like they made the wings of a plane on old planes) to make it tighten up and water proof, it will be heavy to carry
Bob Wilson Sounds cool, I'd like to make a small breakdown canoe or kayak next with a more durable skin. Canvas could be a good option. Thanks for the comment.
If the back rest was removable then several could be built in decreasing size to be nesting. The whole family could each have one but rooftop would look like only carrying one. Also fiberglass to strengthen would only be needed up to waterline which would save some of the added weight.
Not sure what you could use to make a clear boat, I have seen clear boats Googling, very clear plastic of some sort. You'd have to find some sort of heavy duty shower curtain like material. You could also do "windows" out of plexiglass instead of the whole thing clear. Unless it's cosmetic, your not going to see a whole lot unless you are in really clear water....but I get wanting to do something off beat, so have at it. I want to make another one of these, a little more heavy duty that comes into several pieces and has a built in back pack. It would nest together and you could carry it on the pack anywhere you want, paddle would break down as well.
I believe you could use fiberglass resin without using the fiber mesh or polyurethane. I wonder about using/making a mold, or even copying a cone like yours but wrap it with a single layer of clear plastic wrap and then coat it with multiple layers of resin or polyurethane!
Beautiful boat! I really want to build my own soon!! I was wondering if a few layers of epoxy resin would give a better scratching protection.. I guess I'm going to try..
I think the dacron coated with Spar varnish on a close knit wood frame would make an EXCELLENT GREEN HOUSE. As far as trusting my life in it, nope. Maybe if you mounted floats around the whole rim, or even empty jugs tied around the whole rim. If you've ever been on one of the Great Lakes, you'd understand my concern. Storms and rain kick up fast, and the waves can be three to five easy, and the water is deep. When it's like this, a barge is a better choice. Lol! Your canoe is beautiful, and would be great as a lantern or over my tomatoes come spring.:)
@@thehomesteadcraftsman8975 My husband has actually drowned more than once, and was saved, and he'd probably go into hysterics just thinking about a trip in that canoe..lol!!! He now wears two life vests when boat fishing. Lol. I can't blame him, but it is funny. Haven't shown him your vid. I hope you are a born again Christian and right with God. If not, please do that before risking yourself in that canoe. Your life is valuable. Keep that in mind.
have you thought of using black flexible sealant/glue. sticks to almost anything and sets like a stiff rubber so it provides the needed give a SoF boat needs. ive used the stuff once on a boat and it works good-a 17' kayak
I highly recommend it, you can also build one for two people. But I prefer to be in my own boat, kind of an insurance policy for at least half the cargo if your on a trip and you've got more freedom. I do both canoeing and kayaking, but most of the time i'm in a kayak for that reason and portability. Thanks for watching.
You should learn the J stroke. You should be able to paddle only on one side of the canoe, and get either left or right turning, depending on how aggressive your J is. It eliminates the wasted time and effort of switching your paddling side, and lets you only switch to rest muscles.
Maybe with the joints, drill a small hole at each intersection and glue in a dowel. That way you're not adding weight while making the joint much stronger.
+Noble909 Maybe drilling holes would weaken the wood strips and cause them to break at the holes when they are bent. Putting binding round them sounds like a good idea.
I'm interested in trying something like this, but then adding a layer of polystyrene (with graphene added) in acetone over top vs fiberglassing. Will be interesting to see how it turns out.
If you don't mind me asking, what is the length and breadth? You did a great job, it reminds me of the old aeroplane structures used not so long ago. I tested guerilla glue against other glues when I used to do boat repairs and found a product called timber max and timber max express, same product but express sets faster, they come in a tube and are squeezed out using a silicone gun, expands like guerilla glue and any stuff remaining outside the joint can be easily taken off with a chisel, when I soaked glued timbers overnight, the guerilla glue was not good when whacked with a hammer to separate the two pieces but the timber max did not break, it took the grain of the mahogany with it, I love the stuff, shelf life is amazing too. I just thought I would share this with you and hope it helps.
+martin rodriguez It's a fairly easy project if you have some experience making things. All the materials are common for the most part, just need to order the dacron.
the construction seems pretty straight forward and really nice build. . have you tried to increase the durability by using fiberglass and resin on the dacron (or instead of ) it would be a few pounds heavier, but not substantially so, but would GREATLY increase it's durability and resistance to damage....
The Homestead Craftsman Mmmmm ......... there is another guys out there who makes a similar item , but more beautiful fit & finish , the stringers held in place by bits of twine etc . But your looks like you have taken the " this is a very light boat " and all the work will turn into match wood , so i ' ll only put in a feasible amount of work , not a , i buried a month of my life in that ! Like the gluing . If the technology is there , and it ' s not too expensive , use it .
The Homestead Craftsman It is intended as a compliment . You obtain a great solution . You did not guild the lilly . It is an effective and pragmatic piece of equipment , not an exercise in craft engrandisement , not a cut too few or a bracket too many .
magna59 It's pretty bare bones, you can't do much more and keep it under 8 pounds. It was a cool project, but the most interesting part is the dacron material, you could do a lot of stuff with it, it shrinks with heat, therefore will take the form of whatever framework you like (within it's limits).
have you ever considered using fiberglass resin rather than water resistant varnish? it could solve the issue of delicate 'skin' of the canoe? If the material you use as it's skin saturates with the resin it could make quite a tough compound 'skin'? Although... that being said, i'm not sure how much weight it would add considering the surface area.. might be an interesting experiment at some point anyway~ I'm curious now... But yeah, that project's amazing, keep up the good work~ ^^
Just FYI to anyone whos interested, Kevlar is actually the material used in airbags. So you can get this otherwise expensive material for cheap (or free depending) from expended airbags! I wouldnt mess around with unexploded ones tbh... Call up your local junkyard and see if they have some.
+Virginia Hoffman Your confused on this one. i did not mean the joints popped loose when I made it but way after. Guerrilla glue does expeand, but the joint is clamped when I glue it up, I just clean up the excess after, but the joint it's self is closed. I'm not saying it was the best glue for the job, but it did ok for a pretty long time.
we had both an aluminum 17' canoe, and a canvas skinned canoe in my family when I was growing up, the Canvas Skinned canoe had a wood frame only a bit different from yours- quite nice design, and I like your use of Dacron (I think that's the kind normally used to form aircraft wings, and fabric planes, tube and fabric) nice, although if I build one, I'd make it a bit longer, the fundamental design looks easily scaled up or down.
Brad Altemeyer You can pretty much make any size or shape boat you'd like with this type of construction, in this case I was going for small. I'd like to also make a small sailboat like this and also another small canoe that comes into two or three sections for even easier portability. But that's two ideas in a huge list, so not sure when I'll get around to it. Thanks for watching.
+John W I've had it for 5 years and it's still going strong. I bought the dacron form an air craft suppy house, and it's got spar varnish on it which has some uv protection, and I keep it inside when not using it.
+The Homestead Craftsman... Dacron will deteriorate rapidly when exposed to sunlight. Many builders will have no way to keep their boats out of the sun.
+John W Well it works good for me and many others. The sun will tear up anything, even a plastic canoe or kayak. This is just a different kind of a thing in general. It's not the kind of boat you throw on the edge of the woods until the next time you need it.
+The Homestead Craftsman This is a source for 11.6 oz polyester fabric which is much stronger the the 3.5 oz aircraft fabric. www.kudzucraft.net/11-6-oz-polyester.html
Note to all--a boat this light and short would best be served with either learning the J-Stroke, with a single blade canoe paddle, or, use a kayak style double. That back and forth with every stroke is terrible waste of energy and looks silly. Kudos however, on building a water craft. Not enough people give such things a go these days. Pretty little boat too. My first build , 43 years ago, is still pleasantly remembered. I just bought a house on a coastal river in Washington state and will be starting a 12' row-sail craft in June. --This planet should be called "Aqua", not earth, since so much of it is covered with water.
rustybuttpate I already know the j stroke, your looking at a guy getting in a boat similar to the build of a kite for the first time in a creek full of rocks that's only 6-12 inches deep. This was a trial run. I'm also not trying to impress anyone.
+reyray I've done class 5 rapids in it no problem! Just kidding, it's a still water or slow river with no rocks and sticks kind of boat. A novelty more than anything.
I realize it's been a few years since this has been posted but have you considered using a composite material (fiberglass) on the frame? It would make it significantly stronger and still maintain its lightweight.
I think it's a cool project. Would be just fine in quiet waters like we have here in Florida. Ha, I thought my little 12' Old Town Pack canoe was light... compared to this one it's a heavyweight at 33 pounds. Nice project...
Ha, Thanks. If you don't mind me asking, how did you come across this video. I've had it posted for a long time and recently the views have spiked, trying to figure out if it was posted somewhere. Thanks.
I am making my youtube page and I have seen thousands--It takes a alot of work and some special interesting crafts to get a page going....I thought like with anything--what NEW something you could come up with...? I really like to do the things your doing and I think you should get more creative so you feel like you could have done more....you can get wood --from the forest and make tables -dressers- chairs-and very interesting things .......If I were younger I would have wished to have a friend like you and make all kinds of things...and maybe a house--that you made interesting and your own...its a good start to a canoe ---have to reinforce it with some more wood---you could make a beautiful hand carved made-stained canoe....keep going and you will do more interesting things:) good luck
Would you be interested in adding another layer of dacron to make it sturdier? Do you think it would make much difference? My thought is that it would add quite a bit of life to the exterior, less patching, etc..
James O'Brien I have not had to patch mine, I just keep it away from stuff. If I was going to do anything, I would fiberglass it probably, or try skipping the cloth and just coat it with resin. But the fiber glass would make it hard and puncture resistant. I think of this boat as fun for what it is, and not lacking, it just is what it is. If I was to make a more durable boat, I'd make a strip canoe.
That type of boat was developed by Platt Monfort. I built a 12' "Nimrod" designed by Platt in 1990. He called the construction "Geodesic Airolite" His had diagonal strands of kevlar over the frame and under the Dacron skin. You can find Dacron at Aircraft Spruce and Specialty Co. You can put two layers of Dacron with the weave running diagonal to one another to create a tougher more "rip-stop" covering. Mine now hangs in my wife's office and looks pretty cool. Fun little boats and quick and easy to build.
built one of them from scratch about 30 years ago, 12 foot, 13 lbs. I put a couple thin wood slats on the bottom where you step and kneel. It was so light it flew out the back of a horse trailer on a long transport. I'll bet someone on the pa turnpike got a big surprise that day. all I saw was after 300 miles, no boat.
+airplane george That's a shame, thanks for watching.
So that's where my little beauty came from eh, thank you george, lol, just kidding. I can relate though. My then 11yo son and I once built a wooden canoe, also about 30 years ago. Took us a few weeks but when finished she was a beauty...to our eyes. We used it on many trips. It disappeared one night from the stand we made for it while we were camping near a lake, we were heartbroken. Someone else has enjoyed the long term fruits of our labor too.
I remember watching this video years ago and thinking it would never work and boats like this would be too weak. Now I build almost identical but larger canoes for a living. We use artificial sinew to lash together every stringer and rib joint, we've found this helps hold it together when it hits a rock or something. But overall these type of boat are really amazing and much tougher than you would think.
Indeed....I was going to lash mine together as well, even bought some expensive kevlar string, but decided not to...I would if I did another one in the future though. I'd like to make one about 9-10 feet but have it come in half and one side nest into the other and have a hiking bag built into it so you could carry it like a back pack. the joint would be about mid way, a little heavier than the rest and go together with brass bolts and wing nuts with some sort of gasket in between. I'd like to see your boats if you have a link or something.
I'm planning on wrapping it with raw hide. We use that when making bows. Acts like sinew, but easier to work with.
The boat is beautiful, the creek even more so. Looks like southern Apalachia.
So lucky to be living in a place like that.
Awesome work. You remind me of a guy that I watch renovate houses.
Neat design and work. I have experience steaming spruce strips to form wing tip bows for antique aircraft. Also aircraft coatings would work well on the dacron, a little more expensive but also repairable.
It really reminds me of a birch bark boat. Beautiful. :)
Beautiful! That is a cool canoe and a work of art. Excellent video...very well explained.
THanks
Thanks! I was looking for a way to make a lightweight body at home for a 'Velomobile', a little car propelled by a person's pedalling. I already have the recumbent trike, but I want a fairly cheap way to keep off the rain, and also to be able to use it during our Canadian winters.
Brian Templeton
Brian Templeton
Good times, beautiful lines. Before you said your friend is using it as a Chinese lantern I was already thinking it looked like a Asian screen/room divider. Another great project, thanks for posting. I might just give this a try on the local river.
I also had it hung in my room for quite a while under my outdoor equipment shelf above my bed, I'll post a photo to facebook, check it out when you get the chance. facebook.com/pages/The-Homestead-Craftsman/151656998374912
That's a pretty neat project.
Thanks, it was fun to build.
Nice Sweet Pea. Airolite does have some nice skin on frame designs. Historically, skin on frame goes back to umiaks, curraghs and coracles. They've been covered with everything from hides to canvas and even paper. You can even use duct tape.
This is beautiful. Do you sell them? I'd love to buy one.
all i can say is that is cool . ive got a heavy one and i cant handle it myself my girl and i have alot of fun i love paddling!
I have a 16 foot Old Town and it can be quite difficult to handle on your own or with a helper.......this little thing can hang on my pinky! If you don't mind me asking, how did you come across this video. I've had it posted for a long time and recently the views have spiked, trying to figure out if it was posted somewhere. Thanks.
Great little boat. Glad you thought to share it. I wonder, now that you have built a couple of these, if it wouldn't make a great video challenge to see if you could build at least a utilitarian canoe from scratch with native materials. I would be riveted.
Man every time I watch one of your videos I learn something. Thank You for another great video.
Beautiful light canoe.
Thanks for this video man. I am a woodworker from Utah, and have considered this company's kits. Great to see it, and I want to pursue this further. Your channel is great. I don't subscribe to much on youtube, but I'm stoked on what you do.
I love it. Ironically I have access to the tools and scrap wood on a building site, but no safe place to row it.
Holy shit I just realized this is the exact video I subscribed to you for a little while after it came out
I'm going to be watching a lot more of your videos
when i was about 10 my dad and i built a one sheet plywood boat and i still have it till this day but im getting a big now but its sure fun
Cool, I've seen people make kayaks out of 2 sheets of luan. One piece was an ellipse shape with pointed ends and the other an ellipse with split ends. Basically the two halves are duct taped together, closing the split ends of the bottom piece and attaching the top. You seal all the seams and then pour fiberglass resin inside and flip the kayak around letting the resin get into all the seems. Once it sets, you pull off the tape, sand it smooth and fiberglass the outside. It's a pretty clever construction method.
Absolutely awesome!
I am a fan of your work and channel. Thanks for sharing your talents with us.
This is one of the lightest skin on frame canoes I've seen so far.. and I love it! I'm looking to attempt a build this spring once things warm up outside but the problem is I've never attempted something of this caliber before.. I'm no woodworker by any means. Building is my only option as I could never afford to buy something this amazing.. I can afford the time and materials tho and follow the examples of others! Thanks for sharing this, that's one hell of a canoe!
+Random Andrew I've got another one planned that will be a takedown version that you can pack into areas on your back. It will be in sections that attach and nest into each other when apart. It will have a built in back pack. Probably make the skin mote durable too but still translucent.
Hi how did it go?
@@RG-xr2rc it honestly didn't yet, just no resources like a decent saw.
I built a couple of kayaks with 10 oz canvas stapling the canvas with stainless steel staples at the gunnels and of course at the ends. You can either paint the canvas or use aeroplane dope painted on ( like they made the wings of a plane on old planes) to make it tighten up and water proof, it will be heavy to carry
Bob Wilson Sounds cool, I'd like to make a small breakdown canoe or kayak next with a more durable skin. Canvas could be a good option. Thanks for the comment.
What a beautiful thing ... Thanks for sharing
ThirdDegreeWitch Your welcome. It is a nice little boat.
If the back rest was removable then several could be built in decreasing size to be nesting. The whole family could each have one but rooftop would look like only carrying one. Also fiberglass to strengthen would only be needed up to waterline which would save some of the added weight.
Good ideas
I'm looking for a way to build a clear kayak or canoe and I'm confident this is a good place to start!
Not sure what you could use to make a clear boat, I have seen clear boats Googling, very clear plastic of some sort. You'd have to find some sort of heavy duty shower curtain like material. You could also do "windows" out of plexiglass instead of the whole thing clear. Unless it's cosmetic, your not going to see a whole lot unless you are in really clear water....but I get wanting to do something off beat, so have at it. I want to make another one of these, a little more heavy duty that comes into several pieces and has a built in back pack. It would nest together and you could carry it on the pack anywhere you want, paddle would break down as well.
I believe you could use fiberglass resin without using the fiber mesh or polyurethane. I wonder about using/making a mold, or even copying a cone like yours but wrap it with a single layer of clear plastic wrap and then coat it with multiple layers of resin or polyurethane!
drill & glue in 1/4" wooden dowels at the cross-joints. It would only add ~ 25 grams
That is extremely cool.
+Dieter Schneider Photography thanks
My left ear loved some of the video
Beautiful boat! I really want to build my own soon!! I was wondering if a few layers of epoxy resin would give a better scratching protection.. I guess I'm going to try..
What a fun project! Definately going to keep this video for referance!
Regards
Chris
I think the dacron coated with Spar varnish on a close knit wood frame would make an EXCELLENT GREEN HOUSE. As far as trusting my life in it, nope. Maybe if you mounted floats around the whole rim, or even empty jugs tied around the whole rim. If you've ever been on one of the Great Lakes, you'd understand my concern. Storms and rain kick up fast, and the waves can be three to five easy, and the water is deep. When it's like this, a barge is a better choice. Lol! Your canoe is beautiful, and would be great as a lantern or over my tomatoes come spring.:)
I would not use it in a life threatening situation, nor would I do any canoe in that situation. A life vest is the back up and being a good swimmer.
@@thehomesteadcraftsman8975 My husband has actually drowned more than once, and was saved, and he'd probably go into hysterics just thinking about a trip in that canoe..lol!!! He now wears two life vests when boat fishing. Lol. I can't blame him, but it is funny. Haven't shown him your vid. I hope you are a born again Christian and right with God. If not, please do that before risking yourself in that canoe. Your life is valuable. Keep that in mind.
Good design and excellent video. Many thanks.
+Dewex Dewex Thank you.
have you thought of using black flexible sealant/glue.
sticks to almost anything and sets like a stiff rubber so it provides the needed give a SoF boat needs.
ive used the stuff once on a boat and it works good-a 17' kayak
No, but if I make another one I'd use a different glue than what I used. Thanks for the idea.
Titebond II is the way to go for wood glues when it comes to boats. :D
Awesome! I want to build one for me and one for my wife. Thank you for another great video.
I highly recommend it, you can also build one for two people. But I prefer to be in my own boat, kind of an insurance policy for at least half the cargo if your on a trip and you've got more freedom. I do both canoeing and kayaking, but most of the time i'm in a kayak for that reason and portability. Thanks for watching.
You should learn the J stroke. You should be able to paddle only on one side of the canoe, and get either left or right turning, depending on how aggressive your J is. It eliminates the wasted time and effort of switching your paddling side, and lets you only switch to rest muscles.
Your looking at someone in a shallow creek paddling a kite for all practical purposes. I was worried about it breaking, not my paddling.
This is a great project and an even more entertaining video, boat spinner! Thank you for your videos. They are inspiring.
And yes, i would like to see more of past and new projects!!!
That's a very interesting project. I'll have to add that to the list!!
This is so awesome. I want to make my own because weight is a major factor. I would attend the class btw. Great video, thanks again!
Subscribed!
all kinds of amazing, I love it
Maybe with the joints, drill a small hole at each intersection and glue in a dowel. That way you're not adding weight while making the joint much stronger.
Noble909 That is a good idea. People also bind the joints.
+Noble909 Maybe drilling holes would weaken the wood strips and cause them to break at the holes when they are bent. Putting binding round them sounds like a good idea.
In building 5 ga boats we have done just this. It has eliminated the need for the kevlar roving almost entirely.
Cool video!
Thanks
Cheers! Im going to make one i've always wanted something like this ever since i was a kid.
You'll have fun.
I'm interested in trying something like this, but then adding a layer of polystyrene (with graphene added) in acetone over top vs fiberglassing. Will be interesting to see how it turns out.
If you don't mind me asking, what is the length and breadth? You did a great job, it reminds me of the old aeroplane structures used not so long ago.
I tested guerilla glue against other glues when I used to do boat repairs and found a product called timber max and timber max express, same product but express sets faster, they come in a tube and are squeezed out using a silicone gun, expands like guerilla glue and any stuff remaining outside the joint can be easily taken off with a chisel,
when I soaked glued timbers overnight, the guerilla glue was not good when whacked with a hammer to separate the two pieces but the timber max did not break, it took the grain of the mahogany with it, I love the stuff, shelf life is amazing too.
I just thought I would share this with you and hope it helps.
thanks, good to know
some wOOood
only reason im in the comments lol
Marb Lboro I
lololol omg 2:22
Marb Lboro I'm laughing my ass off rn
I had to replay it a couple of times shit is great
That is brilliant! I love it.
Thanks for sharing.
Richard T Glad you like it!
Hello. Nice litle canoe, would like to make one to my son.
Can I ask what rating of Dacron you used? 4 oz or more
Best regards Norway.
TR
Very nice ! Thanks JOE
beautiful
beautiful design & build
Thanks
that's so cool, love it we might give this a go,
+martin rodriguez It's a fairly easy project if you have some experience making things. All the materials are common for the most part, just need to order the dacron.
the construction seems pretty straight forward and really nice build.
. have you tried to increase the durability by using fiberglass and resin on the dacron (or instead of ) it would be a few pounds heavier, but not substantially so, but would GREATLY increase it's durability and resistance to damage....
I've thought about making another one and fiber-glassing over the dacron, maybe a portable version that comes into several sections.
Great piece of pragmatic design .
magna59 Thanks, it was fun to make
The Homestead Craftsman
Mmmmm ......... there is another guys out there who makes a similar item , but more beautiful fit & finish , the stringers held in place by bits of twine etc . But your looks like you have taken the " this is a very light boat " and all the work will turn into match wood , so i ' ll only put in a feasible amount of work , not a , i buried a month of my life in that ! Like the gluing . If the technology is there , and it ' s not too expensive , use it .
magna59 This is one of those comments your not sure how to take.
The Homestead Craftsman It is intended as a compliment . You obtain a great solution . You did not guild the lilly . It is an effective and pragmatic piece of equipment , not an exercise in craft engrandisement , not a cut too few or a bracket too many .
magna59 It's pretty bare bones, you can't do much more and keep it under 8 pounds. It was a cool project, but the most interesting part is the dacron material, you could do a lot of stuff with it, it shrinks with heat, therefore will take the form of whatever framework you like (within it's limits).
this was brilliant hope you are rich/happy
+bigearedmouse17 Ha, working on it.
have you ever considered using fiberglass resin rather than water resistant varnish?
it could solve the issue of delicate 'skin' of the canoe?
If the material you use as it's skin saturates with the resin it could make quite a tough compound 'skin'?
Although... that being said, i'm not sure how much weight it would add considering the surface area.. might be an interesting experiment at some point anyway~
I'm curious now...
But yeah, that project's amazing, keep up the good work~ ^^
I have thought of that, I would probably give it a layer or two of fiberglass as well. It would be heavier but much tougher.
30 pounds heavier.
Luke Gannon a boat with just a single skin of Kevlar would be more expensive. But it would be only a little heavier. It would also be the strongest.
Much more expensive. I think he was going for low weight and low cost. He succeeded. One can also use muslin or canvas with paint.
Just FYI to anyone whos interested, Kevlar is actually the material used in airbags. So you can get this otherwise expensive material for cheap (or free depending) from expended airbags! I wouldnt mess around with unexploded ones tbh... Call up your local junkyard and see if they have some.
Gurilla glue expands which is why the joints popped, nice video I want to try this.
+Virginia Hoffman Your confused on this one. i did not mean the joints popped loose when I made it but way after. Guerrilla glue does expeand, but the joint is clamped when I glue it up, I just clean up the excess after, but the joint it's self is closed. I'm not saying it was the best glue for the job, but it did ok for a pretty long time.
Understood, beautiful boat.
lovely video
we had both an aluminum 17' canoe, and a canvas skinned canoe in my family when I was growing up, the Canvas Skinned canoe had a wood frame only a bit different from yours- quite nice design, and I like your use of Dacron (I think that's the kind normally used to form aircraft wings, and fabric planes, tube and fabric) nice, although if I build one, I'd make it a bit longer, the fundamental design looks easily scaled up or down.
Brad Altemeyer You can pretty much make any size or shape boat you'd like with this type of construction, in this case I was going for small. I'd like to also make a small sailboat like this and also another small canoe that comes into two or three sections for even easier portability. But that's two ideas in a huge list, so not sure when I'll get around to it. Thanks for watching.
I'd love to see a canoe made of PVC pipe that can be disassembled and carried in a backpack.
do think the framing can handle fiberglass cloth with the resin ? So it could take a beating ?
I believe some use the nylon material used for bullet proof jackets, I forgot what they call it something like ballistic nylon I believe.
Carmel Pule' kevlar
This reminds me of the small canoe W. Douglas Burden wrote about in his book, "Look to the Wilderness". I think he called it "The Peanut Shell".
I'll look into that, thanks.
You're welcome. It's mentioned in the opening chapter.
looks fun
UV Rays will make short work of that Dacron. Take a look at Aircraft fabric covering technique.
+John W I've had it for 5 years and it's still going strong. I bought the dacron form an air craft suppy house, and it's got spar varnish on it which has some uv protection, and I keep it inside when not using it.
+The Homestead Craftsman... Dacron will deteriorate rapidly when exposed to sunlight. Many builders will have no way to keep their boats out of the sun.
+John W Well it works good for me and many others. The sun will tear up anything, even a plastic canoe or kayak. This is just a different kind of a thing in general. It's not the kind of boat you throw on the edge of the woods until the next time you need it.
+The Homestead Craftsman This is a source for 11.6 oz polyester fabric which is much stronger the the 3.5 oz aircraft fabric.
www.kudzucraft.net/11-6-oz-polyester.html
Note to all--a boat this light and short would best be served with either learning the J-Stroke, with a single blade canoe paddle, or, use a kayak style double. That back and forth with every stroke is terrible waste of energy and looks silly. Kudos however, on building a water craft. Not enough people give such things a go these days. Pretty little boat too. My first build , 43 years ago, is still pleasantly remembered. I just bought a house on a coastal river in Washington state and will be starting a 12' row-sail craft in June. --This planet should be called "Aqua", not earth, since so much of it is covered with water.
+skinner B "Note to all" ......ha! You are one of those guys.
rustybuttpate I already know the j stroke, your looking at a guy getting in a boat similar to the build of a kite for the first time in a creek full of rocks that's only 6-12 inches deep. This was a trial run. I'm also not trying to impress anyone.
rustybuttpate 💥 boom 💥! That just happened!!!!
that thing is awesome it does seem like it wouldn't be good in rough water's though
+reyray I've done class 5 rapids in it no problem! Just kidding, it's a still water or slow river with no rocks and sticks kind of boat. A novelty more than anything.
that is a great lil build!
Thanks
My left ear enjoys this.
Beautiful work!
I realize it's been a few years since this has been posted but have you considered using a composite material (fiberglass) on the frame? It would make it significantly stronger and still maintain its lightweight.
Yes I have, I would still use the dacron and then fiberglass over it. It would be heavier, but tougher.
I think it's a cool project. Would be just fine in quiet waters like we have here in Florida. Ha, I thought my little 12' Old Town Pack canoe was light... compared to this one it's a heavyweight at 33 pounds. Nice project...
***** It's a perfect still water boat, especially if you need to walk it in pretty far.
***** I have an Old Town Pack too, and I've put some miles on it.
www.tamiasoutside.com/2010/11/27/higgins_trip/
HOLY SHIT GIMME ONE OF THOSE THATS JUST GENIUS
Ha, Thanks. If you don't mind me asking, how did you come across this video. I've had it posted for a long time and recently the views have spiked, trying to figure out if it was posted somewhere. Thanks.
i was looking for small boats etc.(did you know what lighter the boat is,more stable is in water)
very cool.. looks great
Thanks
The original GA boat design braced the wood strips with Kevlar tape to prevent twisting.
I had that as well, but it was a mess. It frayed up........not to say it is a bad material.
Amazing video
Cool I'd try making that 👍
Nice job!
Thank you
Great boat loved viewing the how to.
a coating of spray in bedliner would greatly increase the durability
Not a bad idea, havn't thought of that. You could mask off and spray on select areas. Like a keel guard.
I am making my youtube page and I have seen thousands--It takes a alot of work and some special interesting crafts to get a page going....I thought like with anything--what NEW something you could come up with...? I really like to do the things your doing and I think you should get more creative so you feel like you could have done more....you can get wood --from the forest and make tables -dressers- chairs-and very interesting things .......If I were younger I would have wished to have a friend like you and make all kinds of things...and maybe a house--that you made interesting and your own...its a good start to a canoe ---have to reinforce it with some more wood---you could make a beautiful hand carved made-stained canoe....keep going and you will do more interesting things:) good luck
Have you managed the 0 pound canoe yet?
I love your voice, you sound really friendly.
This is so cool!
Awesome! Beautiful!
Thank you
Thank you for sharing this . That was fantastic. A+.
left ear enjoyed this video
+z09adam clever
Very cool
very nice!! looks fun!
Very Nice. Great work.
Check out Platt Monfort, Geodesic Airolite Boats.
That is so cool....
It looks like a easy canoe to build. Can or have you built a kayak using the same building technics?
It's not bad, I've only built the canoes, 2 of them and taught a class.
Total genius 👍🏽😊
Not my idea, but it is pretty genius.
Would you be interested in adding another layer of dacron to make it sturdier? Do you think it would make much difference? My thought is that it would add quite a bit of life to the exterior, less patching, etc..
James O'Brien I have not had to patch mine, I just keep it away from stuff. If I was going to do anything, I would fiberglass it probably, or try skipping the cloth and just coat it with resin. But the fiber glass would make it hard and puncture resistant. I think of this boat as fun for what it is, and not lacking, it just is what it is. If I was to make a more durable boat, I'd make a strip canoe.
Ok, I completely agree and I think it's a really cool idea and sounds like a fun project. Thanks!
What would be the maximum weight this boat would carry?
When clicking it I thought it would cost 8 pounds, then I realized it was the weight haha