The Bear Mountain Boat Shop

I've read descriptions of laminated gunwales, but the reason it was done was for light weight: a thin strip of hardwood provided wear resistance on the outside of gunwales mostly of spruce. If you have a sharp compound bend, it certainly could complicate things. My approach is to avoid such designs....

You might also want to take it out on a warm day while wearing a swimming suit, and capsize it intentionally to see how easily it happens. The seats do sound very high though.

Whether there is any benefit to precoating possibly depends on the epoxy you use. I can see several disadvantages to precoating, but don't see any advantages with the epoxy I use (sys 3 clearcoat or silvertip). Precoating takes longer, and the bond is either worse, or in the best of circumstances, e...

I agree that the first on strip should be widest, because you don't want to cut through when you smooth out the edges. I use three strips, 6", 4", and 2" wide, applied in that order.

It should be fine. Check to make sure the resin has not crystallized (you'd see solid at the bottom, and if there you can fix it by warming until it dissolves) and the hardener has been closed properly to prevent soaking up crud from the air (it would likely have darkened significantly, which would ...

I used the synthetic cane from hhperkins. It has no stretch at all after several years, and looks exactly the same as natural cane even on fairly close examination. I used it because I had been told that the natural stuff stretched a lot when wet, but that may not be true if properly treated. Anyway...

Woodchuck:

Brilliant!
Here is the tool:
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?Fa ... 00&pcs=fam

I agree with Bryan that a circular saw can do an excellent job ripping strips. Here is a link to our description with photos: http://www.home.earthlink.net/~durgerian/id5.html At the time I did not have a tablesaw, but having ripped strips for canoes with a tablesaw and with a circular saw, I prefer...

I built mine as trapezoids, and followed the edge for caning. However, I used an unusual caning pattern designed for that particular trapezoidal shape, which is a regular pentagon, missing one corner. The holes are not evenly spaced for my pattern, but are much closer together than 3/4", which ...

It's beautiful and traditional looking. Very nice job.

If it is peeling, I might try a scraper first, then sand what doesn't come off easily.

A half lap should be fine, but I would definitely make the bottom of the crosswise load bearing parts continuous, as the other way would severely compromise strength. Glue with epoxy. That said, if you want mortise and tenon joints, do it. You can chop them by hand, or getting a router may be a fine...

I think it looks OK, but can't see myself ever doing it because I like the look of wood so much better.

You should not need a syringe. If you put a strip of masking tape on each side, exposing only the crack, and then mix up small amount of epoxy and sawdust, you can put a blob on the tape, and work it down into the crack. Don't worry if it doesn't fill the bottom of the crack, or if it hangs out the ...

I agree that it's likely to be pretty strong as is, and worth a try. I'd just try paddling it around for a while first, to see how it handles, before taking it on a long trip. You can always try later to make changes, if they seem necessary. As long as you stay out of whitewater and high waves on a ...