Setting the mast in the sailing canoe

The  canoe has been waiting in the rain for the past week while we worked on the skiff.

There was sun today so we installed the mast step and cross member.

The step is roughly a 5 x 7 inch by 2 inch piece of cherry.

We cut out a notch in its base so it sits over the end of the stem on the sole of the canoe.

Prior to installation, a 2.5 inch hole was cut halfway through the base then the hole was cleaned out with a chisel.  We then poured in a puddle of epoxy to create a smooth level bottom to the base.  The mast will rotate easily in it.

The surface of the canoe's sole was prepped and we epoxied the base in place

 with a colodial silica epoxy.

Next we cut a piece of Santos Mahogany to fit under the gunnels.

To place it, we found the center plumb over the base, then cut a slightly large hole in the mahogany.

This piece was installed then the mast was set.  To do this we blocked the canoe level side to side and fore and aft.  The mast was set plumb and the snug fitting collar was screwed in.

When the mast isn't being used, the base and collar make two excellent drink holders!

Mississippi River Skiff construction

Since the bottom of the Mississippi river skiff is "flat"  (it bends through only one plane,) is was super fast to finish.

Because of this we could use wide planks. The planks are 4.5 inch wide ship lapped cedar planks.
They are 5/8ths thick. We started with the bottom and are working down to the gunnels.

After the new poplar had thoroughly dried we planed the strips down to 3/8ths of an inch thick and started the hull's sides.  Working down on the form is different.  It is the opposite of our past projects but for this boat it is working well.

We are using edge clamps to press the strips together and additional clamps to keep the strips tight to the form.  The size of the boat meant it was going to require a trailer from the start.  This lessened the weight considerations and freed up up our choice of materials and thicknesses.  The transom is an attractive shape and we are going to cut it out of a cherry glue up.  It will be an inch thick.

The first hull we build will be set up as a row boat with two stations per the plans.  But the transom will be engineered to take the stress of an outboard.  This is always wanted around here. 

A sail version could be next.

A plumb bob is used to make sure the bow is not pushed out of alignment as the sides are built.

The bob is about 150 years old, and it still works!

Hull #1

A new canoe in the world.

Niangua 16  canoe is a durable tripping canoe with a nice tumble home profile for a classic look.

It is 16 feet long with a beam of 32.5 inches and a stem height of 20 inches.  It weighs 75 pounds?  No scale yet.

The Niangua river is fed by Bennet
Springs.  It is reported variously as the third or fourth largest in the state of Missouri, with an average daily flow of about one hundred million gallons and is the centerpiece of Bennett Spring State Park.

Missouri's Niangua River

One of the best fishing streams in the state, the Niangua also has the advantage of being closely associated with Bennett Spring State Park and one of the Conservation Department's trout hatcheries. Those who prefer floating to trout fishing in the park often make the park their headquarters while floating the upper sections of the river or the section immediately below the park. However, the river itself provides many fine campsites for put-in-and-go type floats. In high water, a float could be made from as high as Hwy. M, but the river above Hwy. 32 is seldom floatable. 

River description Courtesy of Mo Dept of Conservation.