Yet Another 38

[WoodsWalker]

Its Da Ja Vu (sp?) Looks like you guy's are off to a great start. Its funny that you routed out the sabots that way, I was thinking of the same thing, until I decided to not use them. That is an awesome idea, to add strength. You should send a photo to Al at NW he may modify his plans.

Good luck with the staple-less approach, I had considered it. But then I decided that I was building my 1st canoe to paddle not one to hang on the wall....LOL... & I knew it took longer to go staple-less & I would have had to but a bunch more clamps. After I got the glass on, I kind of like the more rugged look that the staple holes gives it.

Can I ask why you opted to build the 38 instead of the Merlin. Your boy don't look that large.

Keep us posted Tim[/color]

[woodbender]

Hey Troy,.

I'm not too worried about the stapless approach - but I have some ideas up my sleeve that I want to try. A couple cool webpages to try out are
michneboat.com/Building%20the%20Wee%20Lassie%20II.htm#Stapless%20clamping
and
www.greenval.com/FAQnostaples.html
I'll be using some of these methods plus those ideas rattling around in my head.

I did talk to Al at NW Canoes about the size of the Merlin vs. the 38 Special. Al asked how much Chris weighed and how tall he was. Right away he came back with the 38 as an answer.

The boyancy is not the issue he says, nor is it the center of balance. It is how far above the water line that person's center of mass is. Chris is built more in the chest and shoulders (hard to see in that tee shirt he's wearing but,..) than I am so he has more mass farther above the water line. So according to Al the waterline needed to be broader to accomodate that reaction arm (moment of righting).

One of the biggest reasons we went with stapless is - I am building more boats in the future and wanted to get the stapless system under my belt. Our next one we already have the plans for is the NW Cruiser for me and the missus. Then after that I am building a Rangeley Lakes Trout Boat for rowing my better half around on the lake.

Rangeley Lake Trout Boat is a real honey of a rowing boat. Real nice lines.
www.newfound.com/rangeley.htm

woodswalker said:

Good luck with the staple-less approach, I had considered it. But then I decided that I was building my 1st canoe to paddle not one to hang on the wall....LOL... & I knew it took longer to go staple-less & I would have had to but a bunch more clamps. After I got the glass on, I kind of like the more rugged look that the staple holes gives it.

Can I ask why you opted to build the 38 instead of the Merlin. Your boy don't look that large.

Keep us posted Tim

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