The Bear Mountain Boat Shop

I've got some non-tool related ideas. Being cheap in nature, I will never spring for one of the nice inflatable life preservers that go for about $130, I make do with the cheap $30 foam ones. Consequently, most of the time it just stays at the bottom of the canoe. I wouldn't buy one for myself, but ...

That's a great story Danny. It's nice to get the second and third generation hooked on such a fun sport. You mentioned that you plan to build two more canoes. If your budget permits it, I would suggest building two completely different canoes, just so you could have a variety of styles at your dispo...

It is very tough to buy tools for someone else. You want to get them something they really desire, while at the same time you want it to be a surprise. Here is my suggestion, based on what we do here at home: 1)order a free " Lee Valley Tools" catalog from leevalley.com or call 1-800-267-8...

Great job on the canoe Danny. Looks like you have a nice spot to enjoy it and put it through is paces. When were these pictures taken...please don't tell me that Ireland is still that lush and green in October! I'm curious about your sign-off: "Ireland is a land of calm lakes and slow rivers bu...

Thanks guys, I'll give it a shot.

I've got some half full cans of epoxy resin and hardener that date back to 2001 and am thinking of using it to laminate some paddles. I've tested it on scrap and it still seems to work fine. Any of you had experiences with old epoxy that seemed fine at first but then deteriorated in some way? Am I j...

Patricks Dad wrote:...An example can be seen here:

http://www.amtraders.com/c-detail.asp?M ... aterial=WE

Yep, that's what they look like except the strips were wider.

Fiberglass on the outside, varnish on the inside.

Glen Smith wrote:Was it anything like this canoe?
http://www.bearmountainboats.com/phpbb2 ... +underhill

Not really.

Essentially, it was built like a traditional canvas canoe (ribs and mabey 4" wide slats) but the canvas was replaced with a sheet of fiberglass.

Just saw an episode of "How its Made" on the discovery channel where they were making canoes.They made it using the traditional methods of bending ribs over a form and brass- tacking boards to them. Then they covered the outside of the hull with fiberglass and coated the inside with varnis...

Hi Mike, that is a truly great looking kayak. The vertical planking gives it natural/organic look, and in this picture, when one looks quickly, it almost looks like the inside layer of birch bark: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v507/mtpocket/Kayak%202007/Kayak07086Changed.jpg Can't wait to see so...

Hi R. Maxwell, Your Champlain looks great, and I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun with it. If it handles as well as the original Peterborough Champlain's, you are in for a treat. In 2000, I restored a 1938 Peterborough "Champlain Pleasure", and was surprised to find it one of the best handl...

RonMc1954 wrote:Thanks Tijos, them (the stripes)are made from Redwood,spruce and walnut.

Wow Ron,

That sure is a lot of work, but the end result is definitely worth it.

Congrats again,
Joseph

Hi Ron,

That is a great looking kayak.

Please pardon my ignorance, but how did you do the stripes? Are they "stained" on or are they created by gluing different species of wood together?

Either way, it still looks amazing.

Cheers,
Joseph

Thanks Rick,

I'll give it a go this w-e.

Cheers,
Joseph

Thanks for the help guys. I plan to use some "Interlux Goldspar" and my main concern is that by thinning it down (like one does on the first coat on furniture...to get deeper penetration) would somehow be too hard on the rawhide. Rick, you said: "... the rawhide on my canoes has turne...