The Bear Mountain Boat Shop

I guess it is time to formally post that I am building a Chestnut Prospector Ranger 15'. Time line: 1) About the time I launched my Merlin on June 25, 2011, I was thinking of the Ranger. I had found (locally) 7 planks of 5/4 X 6 X 16' clear cedar about a year before and on June 23, I bought the lot....

Time is really not that important. There is no race to be won. I find that I chew up much time thinking (and planning) my attack........ maybe more time than is actually used on the task. But I find my mind happy when engaged in "canoe thought"...... time slips away, and I let it :)

I am building a Chestnut Prospector Ranger 15'. I selected this canoe because I wanted to build a canoe with history and I also wanted the sweet shape of the Ranger. The history portion of this build has me digging into the "flowering days" of Chestnut (I bought the book and have found goo...

A tip to create Full Mold Plans from ½ Mold Plans using "Mirror Image Copy" I find the process of transferring mold lines to the board difficult enough and working with ½ size patterns (with an upside down carbon paper tacked to the back) doesn’t make the task any easier. It is relatively ...

Ed Thanks for responding to this post. So, you have the "store bought" prints and you also get 23 and 1/4. I was thinking that there was a change in the plans. So, I guess there is an error in the published specs. I think I am getting the upper hand on my loft attempt. I am now playing aro...

I have completed lofting the mold stations for the Ranger 15. I am now checking dimensions on my drawings to the published specifications of the Ranger 15 (shown on this WEB site and in the "Study Plans and Catalogue"). From my drawings I come up with a bow height of 23 1/4 ". From th...

Thanks Glen.
I am at a pretty steep point in my "lofting learning curve" but, I think I got the idea. Right now I am planning to draw out a 1/4 section of Ranger side view and (of course) the body plan.

When I get to the build, station 7 won't be on the strong back

I have been looking at pictures of two 15' Ranger builds (where I can count mold stations) * Shawnwaite's (excellent) WEB site * The Peterborough RONA Building Store fund raiser canoe Shawn's site has pictures that show the full scale (store boat) Bear Mountain plans and enough pictures that I can c...

My final step (after applying 6 coats of varnish and fighting the ever present dust nib) was to go over the hull with a brown paper bag. I had a few small nibs and this trick worked for me and does not dull the finish. I found this "Brown Paper Bag Trick" at "The Finishing Store.com&q...

I had the pleasure of touring the museum last friday (July 22, 2011). I used my Kodak Z1012IS w/o flash. The camera did the thinking for me and every shot was A+. I found the museum a spiritual place..... time slipped by as I stepped back in time. A wonderful place. My visit to Peterborough also inc...

Thank you. I am gearing-up to loft the plans for the Ranger (as a first time lofter).

I do not understand the values (revised offsets) for the bow and stern stem of the Ranger.

Sheer is shown as 1-02-1+@1 1/2"

I understand 1-02-1+ to mean 1 foot, 2 inches, 1/8, and 1/16 (or 14 and 3/16)..... but what does @1 1/2" mean ????

I had the same question about the Ranger that I am planning to build (before I looked carefully at sketches on page 51). I believe that the Ranger seats should be placed between mold stations 2 and 3 (for bow) and centered over mold station 4 (for the stern) When I look at Rob Roy, it looks like the...

Hi I have completed and launched my first cedar strip. This canoe is the Merlin solo design of Bruce Kunz (my plans were dated 1985). Basics on the canoe are: Western red cedar strips White ash (sapwood) inwales, white ash (heartwood) outwales Black walnut scupper blocks, decks, thwarts, carry handl...

MrKim
I saw your post on duct tape and tried it.
Thank you. Your little low tech tip has saved me from my glasses.