Opinions for next project

[Charles G. Clark, Jr.]

My Freedom 17 is about to be launched. It is an exciting time since I made the canoe for my daughter and we will spend time together with the canoe. However, it is also a sad time. I imagine that many of you enjoy the building process as much as using the canoe you made. I find myself already contemplating my next project.

Half of me wants to build a rowing boat. Something light a Whitehall seems like it would be cool to build. Something like an Adirondak Guide Boat would be faster. But what if I want to go to the Gulf? :confused

Another half wants to build another canoe. My Freedom 17 has fewer mistakes than my Wee Lassie II that preceded it. Maybe the next one will have still fewer mistakes. :rolling eyes
A third half of me would like to build another kayak. My first building effort was a Great Auk. I pains me to look at it and see all the shortcomings. Something like a 14' GA would be nice. Or, the other extreme in complexity is something like Laughing Loon's Shooting Star. :razz
The fourth half----oh wait! That is too many halves!

Anyway, I would enjoy comments from the group that addresses:
1. How do they decide what to build next?
2. How do they justify to their significant other the NEED to build yet another boat?

[Arctic]

If you would like more info. on the guideboat- let me know- I am in the process of building one now. I have been keeping track of my progress etc... in the project directories forum, under non-Bear Mountain Designs. I also have some links to some photos there.

I will caution you, that unless you have "full time" to work on this, it is not exaclty a "fast" project when compared to a stripper canoe- at least that is what I have found.

Good luck deciding.

Mark,
Cantley, Quebec.

[Bryan Hansel]

I don't decide on my next project until the day I go out and buy the materials. Probably why I haven't started on anything new....that and I need to sell my Nikumi and my Greenland SOF to make room for a new boat.

These are on my mind:
1. Freedom Solo in the 15' size.
2. 16'22" kayak
3. A lighter Freedom 17'
4. A lighter Euro paddle with a twisted shaft like my last one.
5. A new Greenland paddle.
6. A small 3 or 4' canoe for the wall.

I saw some pictures at Canoecopia of an Adirondak Guide Boat being used in very rough water. I was impressed.

[Rapt]

Personally I don't think there is a NEED to justify anything...

Its a hobby that you enjoy and that should be enough, its better than going out drinking with the boys as a way to "relax".

But if you want to get into details:
- its cheaper (usually) than buying the equivalent boat, if such a boat actually exists.
- it fulfills a human need to create something,
- provides a sense of purpose outside of the daily 9-5 grind
- it feels good to see something take shape
- the sense of satisfaction when its complete

I have a design of my own that I have been working on for several years... Because I didn't feel that any manufacturers or designers offered exactly what I was looking for. I haven't built it because I'm hesitant to commit the resources to an untested design. So I've been trying to find a fast, cheap way to build the design and determine if its enough what I want to be worth the time to do it right afterwards. Or if I would then need to revise the design.

The closest commercial boat I've seen is the PlacidBoatworks Rapdifire, and the closest design is the Freedom Solo 15'3". The design goals for it came close to what I wanted. Although I suspect I am less concerned about stability since it will only be meant for me rather than trying to match a broad appeal. My taste in handling/tracking is a boat that tracks well in the glide, (a boat that broaches while gliding drives me nuts) but responds quickly and precisely to steering inputs when they are made to allow close following of tight shorelines and poking into beaver creeks etc.

So this spring I'm hoping to clear the shop and start on my prototype (quick, cheap and dirty). If it turns out close to what I want then I'll tweak and rebuild. If its perfect I'll rebuild as is. if its a total failure, then I'll probably look to one of the above boats as the next step.

Those are my plans for the coming while.

I have a double blade paddle (ultralight) that's also partly complete. Need to finish the shaft shaping, apply the FRP reinforcing (carbon) and then install the ferrule.

[cecbell]

Charles, I can sympathize with your problem. As others have put it, so many boats... so little time...

I'm also at a similar point. In my case, family politics plays a role. Having built a canoe for my son a while back, my daughter now wants one. Of course this is just the excuse I've been looking for. (Justification is automatic.) In mulling over a couple of designs, it occurred to me that by using the same forms as my son's canoe and rearranging them a bit I could make something more suitable for her than the other options and it would also save me the time of cutting new forms. I just need to work out the new alignment. In any case, it will be a canoe I would be happy paddling so if it turns out she hates it, Plan B is a no-brainer. Perhaps it would help in making the decision if it's one that lends itself to a nice backup plan.

The decision for the project that preceeded this one was, at least in part, extremely easy. I had the hots for a sailing canoe. The trouble is that there are several million ways (at last count) of going about this and I had only a rough idea of what I was looking for. So I chose a utility design that had the capacity I needed and looked as though it would be a reasonable platform for messing with while I sorted out a suitable sail and rig. As the project went along, ideas about what I wanted began to gel and I made the corresponding modifications as they came up. Plans are out of the picture at this point so I was just making it up as I went along (not an approach I'd suggest if you want a quick build!). What I ended up with is rather different from what I started with--and a lot nicer, I think. I guess the moral of this story is that even after you make the big decision, things can happen and there's no absolute guarantee that's how it will turn out.

In my highly inexperienced opinion, I think you're right at the single most difficult part of any small boat project. Once you get this solved, the rest is just a matter of clearing up the few remaining details so you can launch it. :smile

[Tom in MN]

Maybe you could build her something, so the two of you could go paddling together. Since you have a Wee Lassie II, perhaps a Wee Lassie for the little lady. How can she possibly argue with you spending time and money when you are doing it for her. I built a Wee Lassie and my wife really likes it, so my next project is the WLII so we can go paddling together. The tie in for her is it is great upper body workout and aerobic excercise to paddle with a double paddle.

Or, you have to take a step back and look at your "fleet". The gaping whole in my fleet is a large, tripping canoe for the whole family ("wife and three young children). So I recently scaled up the plans for a 20' White Guide out of Gilpatricks book to build after the WLII.

You should have a canoe for all types of paddling or it's just not "safe", like taking a lake canoe in white water, etc.. You can always play the safety card and wives have a hard time arguing with that. There usually under the misconception that all canoes are the same. It takes little education to get them to understand they are as different as pickup truck and a Porshe.