JEM Watercraft

Hi,

I'm a newbie builder and have nearly completed my build of the free DK Touring Canoe. Can anyone advise if glassing the hull with tissue mat will add strength or am I best off just painting it ?

Many thanks,

Neil

Tissue mat is used mostly to hide the weave of thick fiberglass. The fiberglass used for this canoe doesn't really need that. 2-3 coats of epoxy will take care of that.

Many thanks ! I'll try to post photos when finished.

Hi neil,

Welcome aboard mate.

Yes, please post some piccies and tell us about your build adventues.

Hi,

Here are some photos of my first attempt at the free plans.

http://photos.yahoo.com/laserelises2@btopenworld.com

There was a slight hold up after I drilled a 1cm deep hole into my index finger. When drilling the stitch holes in the hull I was using a small offcut of ply to stop any splintering but the new drill bit I was using went through both the hull and the offcut !!! Anyway I've now updated my tetanus but I'm still waiting for the nerves to grow back (hopefully) !

I'm actually making two of these canoes which I'm going to combine to form a catamaran which will be raced in our local annual charity raft race. I've altered the plans a little to give 12 foot boat (plans were for 18 foot) and adapted the ends a little and I'm hoping that once it's all finished it's going to look sort of like an old Viking boat. The theme for the raft race is musicals and we're going as Monty Python's 'Spamalot'. I'll let you know how we get on.

I was going to paint it but I've decided it looks great left as is. Shame I didn't sand all the pencil marks off first though (doh !).

Many thanks to JEM for the free plans ! I'll keep updating the photos as the catamaran takes shape

If anyone's got any questions about the experience from a newbie builder's point of view then ask away.

Regards,

Neil

neil4444 wrote:... If anyone's got any questions about the experience from a newbie builder's point of view then ask away.

Neil,

You've no idea how much we enjoy watching, helping, kibitzing, and cheering other builders - even the holy ones. We celebrate building wooden boats.

I just bought a new, cordless drill a couple weeks ago. Darned thing has a little crank on the side of it. Must be some new fangled generator, I guess?

Jack

That drill works the same way your phone does when you crank the handle on it after you pick up the ear piece. Except with the drill when you crank the little side handle the bit will turn , can't use it for making a call.

Chuck.
PS. It is more like when you make Ice Cream , have to keep cranking that handle to make it work.

The high quality expertise here just has no end!

The hand cranked drills do have an advantage though... as soon as the bit breaks through the wood and starts on your finger you tend to stop cranking immediately

No overrun as you get with these new fangled electric thingys (says Steve who would be lost without his!)

stevesteve wrote:The hand cranked drills do have an advantage though... as soon as the bit breaks through the wood and starts on your finger you tend to stop cranking immediately

No overrun as you get with these new fangled electric thingys (says Steve who would be lost without his!)

Mine has a place for one hand to hold the drill while the other hand turns the crank , making both hands perfectly safe. Unlike my portable electric drill which will drill anything and a few things it should not.
Now I will not .. even ... say anything about electric saws , I used hand operated ( push / pull ) ones and they still get me.

Chuck.