wooden boat building
~ my dad's art!
My father made ALL the Boats you see in the photo above. He has been making
beautiful things out of wood for as long as I can remember. I still have a wooden desk he made
in High School Shop Class (see below). I've had this desk since I was about 4
years old and inside one of the drawers my name is scrawled in crayon! I hand stamped the desk a few years ago
with decorator blocks and glaze and now I think it is really so beautiful.
Click on the photos for full-size images!
My
dad has also made many other gorgeous pieces of
furniture, wooden bowls & spoons and . . . lots of wooden BOATS! He
has made at least a
dozen hand-made cedar strip canoes in different sizes and a few Melonseed sailboats.
We always get compliments when we take these boats out paddling! Below is
a photo-diary my Dad sent us I via email of the process of making an 11 foot Wee Lassie Canoe
(for
Steven)!
January 3rd, 2006 - my Dad writes from Florida:
He sent this photo with his note, showing the beginnings of the boat being shaped around a form. The wood you see in the middle is the form, or mold.
I wrote him back on the same day: oh dad! Steven was SO excited to hear this question from you! He has always admired the other Wee Lassies that you built for Dale & Ian . . . . . and, I know he has already written you & said, YES! -- but I wanted you to know that he told me you "made his year" with this wonderful gift! It will be used and loved. I may even learn how to maneuver it myself!
On January 6th: Cedar strip construction, formed on a mold! Click on the photos for full-size images!
January 14th: Boat is coming along slowly but surely. Hope you're feeling better. Dad
January 16th, Subject: One Day at a Time - After stripping you take a block plane and smooth ridges and remove glue.... another hour or 2, then a 36 rough sand followed by an 80 grit. Making progress.
January 23rd, Progress Report: outside has been planed and sanded. One coat of epoxy applied and now ready for the fiberglass and 3 more coats of epoxy.
Click on the photos for full-size images!
January 29th: after the 1st coat of epoxy is soaked in and dried, the fiberglass is put on with another coat of epoxy. you will see that the glass basically becomes translucent.
The outside, "all glassed"
February 3rd, Progress report: This sanding is after the 3rd epoxy coat. The 1st is to prepare the wood, the 2nd, 3rd, & 4th after the fiberglass goes on. Notice the bow and stern are still rough from the extra support strips of glass over the ends.
4th epoxy coat--ends looking a little better
2/4/06 - 5th coat of epoxy on and today popped it off the molds.
February 11th update -after last session of the 36 grit sanding (to remove glue streaks), today hit it with 80 grit and then 120 grit to remove all random orbit swirls. inside sanding complete -- ready for epoxy base coat.
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The base epoxy coat -- when dry, I'll glass the inside.
February 12th, my dad writes: feather light at about 10 to 12 lbs at this point. outside fiber glass, epoxy and glue 5 lbs estimate and wood strips another 5 lbs. Yes, it's light!
February 13th:
time for the inside fiber glass plus epoxy
2/13/06: 3rd coat of inside epoxy -- one more should do it 
February 23rd: epoxy inner rail: the 3 1/4 inch blocks are
placed on an epoxied rail 3 3/4 inches apart. Reason ? It looks good. One
blocked rail is stacked on the other with no epoxy and clamped.
a little belt sander cleans things up
Have to round over bottom edge of inside rails at this time - very difficult to
do when on canoe
A quick
measure and cut to fit the rails
Epoxy & clamps: You can never have too many clamps!!
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2/23/06: secured inner rails with a few screws
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The
outer rail epoxied on and clamped, last picture also rounded bottom of rails
with router
My dad writes: Lots and Lots of clamps! Then he adds . . . . Steve, do you want a seat made? I'm sure I can figure out how to make it removable. It's up to you. Decks? They can be small, medium or large. Your preference? I'm planning on having the thwart placed 54 inches from the stern point. Paddle? Normally I make a double paddle (a la kayak) plus a small get out of trouble paddle to store under seat. If you have a picture or dimensions send them on and I'll whip one up for you. Dale
February 24th, 2006: my dad sends this photo and writes, Not sure how much time I will have during the next 3 weeks to work on your masterpiece. I expect to have it finished by 3/22 when you get here. Dad
(He did!)
- There is now a second page - to see the rest of the story & the finished canoe Go Here : ) ~ Lenna 6/04/06
