New member with Qs...

Welcome to the new Bear Mountain Builders Forum - an interactive internet service we provide to encourage communication between canoe and kayak builders
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Farmpunk
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2005 12:45 pm

New member with Qs...

Post by Farmpunk »

Hello Forum,
My name is Nathan. I live in southern Ontario, south of Tillsonburg. I built a Nick Schade strip kayak last winter, a 14 foot Auk, and had so much fun with the project that I'm going to attempt a canoe this winter. I would like to try one of the Bear Mountain canoes. So... which one? I've read most of the boat descriptions, checked the stability\capacity comparison index and I still can't decide on a design. Is any one design better than others? Who has built what and could give me their impressions? All of the 16 footers sound as if they'd suit my needs, and the 15 footers sound like fine boats as well. I'm looking for one with the simplest lines, the easiest for a first time canoe builder (but not a first time stripper) to build.
I know these questions are very newb-ish, and must get asked a lot. Bear, ahem, with me, if you will. I'll be doing more detailed searches of the forum and will be asking many questions.
Thanks ahead of time, and thanks for the forum.
n
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Patricks Dad
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Location: Warrenville, Illinois

Post by Patricks Dad »

FP, Welcome to the forum! As an experienced builder, you shouldn't worry much about building an "easy" canoe for "first time" canoe. You should find the canoe you would like to own and build it. You will get lots of opinions on this forum as to which is the best canoe (I'd say Redbird). But you get to decide.
Randy Pfeifer
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Rick
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Location: Bancroft, Ontario

Post by Rick »

I built the Huron over a year ago and am happy with it, since it's suitable for the purposes I was looking for - not too large or small, paddles solo and tandem easily, faster than the normal tripping canoe, will take a heavy load when needed, good traditional looks in cedarstrip, behaves well in rough water.

To narrow down the selection, it'd help to know what you want to use the canoe for, eg...

- solo or tandem, or both
- extended trips or day-use
- speed versus comfort (stability)
- max load to be carried
- weight on portage
- traditional looks or modern
- sitting or kneeling when paddling
- turns easily or tracks straight

Hope we can help, good luck!
canoeblderinmt
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Location: Butte, MT

Post by canoeblderinmt »

Nathan,
Welcome to the forum. As you have probably seen, you will finds lots of great ideas and supportive help here. I'm in the same boat as you, so so speak, as I'm going to build a Bear Mountain design for my next canoe and am trying to decide. After reading most of the posts in the "Choosing a Design" section, I think I'm going with the 17'9" Freedom. I do day trips and longer, and like the speed and stability plus load carrying capacity of a bigger canoe. I think it all boils down to how you intend to use it.

Greg
reinbilt
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Location: northern michigan

Post by reinbilt »

Welcome Nathan! In the 15 foot range I've built the Hiawatha and a Bob's Special. I found the Bob to be an easier build than the Hiawatha though. I think next year I'll try a Redbird
Farmpunk
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Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2005 12:45 pm

Post by Farmpunk »

Thanks for all the responses so far. This must be a very active forum. Perfect.
I guess part of my trouble is that I've never been in a canoe before. Ever. So I really have no idea what I like best in a boat. The uses of my boat will mainly be recreational: day trips, easy river running, and maybe some marsh paddling when I go duck hunting. Most likely I won't be paddling solo, since that's where the kayak comes in.
I loved building the kayak. Glassing it was not as much fun. I am not going to miss doing the interior seam, let me tell you.
Going to make my decision before the holdays. Leaning towards 15 footers right now.
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Glen Smith
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Post by Glen Smith »

With that information, the Ranger 15' sounds like a good choice.
Rick
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Location: Bancroft, Ontario

Post by Rick »

Another 15-footer suitable for recreation and hunting would be Carrying Place's Grey Owl... it's wider at 36 inches which would give greater stability and capacity (up to 600 pounds). The stems are recurved more than most designs, Redbird-style, and that, in combination with the high ends makes for some great-looking lines. Check out the cedarstrip version in the cradle shown here:

http://www.carryingplacecanoeworks.on.c ... strip.html

The PDF showing views and specs is here:

http://www.carryingplacecanoeworks.on.c ... reyowl.pdf
Farmpunk
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Post by Farmpunk »

Well, I decided on the Prospector Ranger, and the plans are now in my hands. I'm going to attempt to get the form together over the next week or so. Expect questions to begin soon.
Thanks for the advice so far.
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KARKAUAI
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Post by KARKAUAI »

That's what I like to see, a man who asks questions and gets answers from a lot of guys who really know what they're talking about....then builds one that nobody suggested. Don't get me wrong, FP, I'll be in your situation in a year and will check out all the postings and then build the one that I like the looks of, too. If it doesn't suit my needs precisely, I'll build another one with some experience in my pocket. Have fun with the build and let us know if it turns out to be what you needed once you get it in the water.
A hui ho,
Kent
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Glen Smith
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Post by Glen Smith »

KARKAUAI wrote:That's what I like to see, a man who asks questions and gets answers from a lot of guys who really know what they're talking about....then builds one that nobody suggested. Don't get me wrong, FP, I'll be in your situation in a year and will check out all the postings and then build the one that I like the looks of, too. If it doesn't suit my needs precisely, I'll build another one with some experience in my pocket. Have fun with the build and let us know if it turns out to be what you needed once you get it in the water.
So, I guess that makes me a "nobody", thanks Kent. Read my previous posting on canoe choice. :laughing
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KARKAUAI
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Post by KARKAUAI »

Oooops, read more carefully, Kent. You are NOT a Nobody, Glen, You are the MAN! I'm in Kauai again and just got my internet access hooked up, trying to catch up on all the stuff on this and the KBBB. Obviously going too fast so I can get out there and play golf, paddle, and hike in Paradise. Huna Kai is on it's way, crated and in a furniture truck somewhere between NC and Reno. It'll go in a container in Reno and will ship out of LA sometime around Jan15 and arrive here 1st or 2nd wk in Feb, so I'll have about a month to play with it before leaving for the mainland again. Yippeeee!!!! Wish her luck. I'll try to have a canoe blessing ceremony/luau for the canoe club here when she arrives. I have a little RAV4 here and have decided to have a lightweight trailer built for transporting around the island rather than trying to cartop it and the outrigger setup on top of that little vehicle....working on that now. Pics will follow on my website once she's here.
A hui ho,
Kent
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Glen Smith
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Post by Glen Smith »

So, you're out there soaking up the sun while I'm up here freezing my sanders off! :laughing

Good luck on the shipment, we want pics when she arrives. :tu
cherkas@shaw.ca
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which canoe

Post by cherkas@shaw.ca »

Hello Nathan

I had a 15' ? for my first canoe. Had a lot of fun in it caught a lot of fish.
I am building a Prospector now. Wanted a good stable canoe that would carry a bit of weight. 540 lbs. This canoe is good in open water and turns without much trouble. Every canoe is a good canoe if you use it for what it was designed for.
Good luck

Murray Cherkas
Farmpunk
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Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2005 12:45 pm

Post by Farmpunk »

Thanks, everyone. Going to start a build thread.
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