15' 0" Bob Special

Use the Project Directories as quick-reference tools to help you find other builders working on similar projects to yours.
Post Reply
User avatar
Joan and Ted
Site Admin
Posts: 63
Joined: Wed May 05, 2004 10:58 am
Location: Peterborough, Ontario
Contact:

15' 0" Bob Special

Post by Joan and Ted »

Use this forum to post information specific to your 15' 0" Bob Special project. Use POST REPLY when posting information. Please stay on topic. For general boatbuilding discussions, please use the Builders Forum instead.
Last edited by Joan and Ted on Mon Nov 15, 2004 11:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
bert304
Posts: 47
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2005 6:26 pm
Location: Mohrsville
Contact:

15' Bobs special

Post by bert304 »

I am looking for a general all around canoe for me and maybe my daughter every once and a while? I think this is the right canoe for me. I weigh 250 lbs and I am 6' tall. I like the looks of a light colored main body with a darker bottom below the water line and maybe Cherry trim. tell me if this is a good combination for the type of canoe and maybe match with the darker wood for the rocker part of the canoe?
Thanks
:smile
User avatar
Denis
Posts: 313
Joined: Tue May 11, 2004 8:11 am
Location: Lakefield, Ontario

Harvey Underhill's Bob Special

Post by Denis »

I got together with Harvey a few weeks ago and took some digitial pictures and noted briefly the process he used to build his boat which we are sharing with you here.

Canoe was built using the stripper method on forms 12 inches apart using 1/4 by 1 inch planking with a 1/8 th rabbet along both edges on opposing sides. Joints were glued up with Elmer Ultimate Glue which is similar to Gorilla Glue. After the hull was completed it was removed from the forms without glassing. Harvey made up a set of forms to follow the outside of the hull and fastened them to the strongback every two feet. Hull was clamped to these forms. Harvey notes that the boat held together very well and retained its shape during the process.

Image

Ribs were contstucted of 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch white cedar and one side rounded using a router.

Image

A jig was constructed using every mold for the shape. A series of blocks were used to follow the outline of the mold lines. A few blocks were positioned on the opposite side to hold the ribs in place. Ribs were steamed in a piece of plastic pipe for about 30 minutes. Rib was removed from steamer and for the most part were easily formed into place. Two ribs were shaped this way each time stacked on one another. each section of mold created 4 ribs for placement on each side of the mold outline. Ribs were spaced 3 and 1/2 inches apart.

Image

After being on the mold for 15 minutes the ribs were put in place in the hull and forced down to match with the inner hull shape.
Clamped in place for about an hour, then ribs were predrilled through the rib and hull from inside the boat. Copper canoe nail was placed in predrilled hole from the exterior of the hull through the rib. Nailing started at the centre of the bottom of the hull and proceeded towards the gunnel. Nail heads were shimmed in shape with the "Iron" being shimmed tight to the hull. Nail was then beant over and clenched from the inside.

This process continued till approaching the bildge were it could no longer be shimmed. A thread was used to mark the outline of the rib (wrapped around last nail head and fasten to top of rib) along the exterior of the hull. Holes were then predrilled from the hull through to the ribs and nail inserted, bent over with iron and clenched in place hammering from the exterior side of hull with iron along rib.

Image

As Harvey approached the bow and stern sections he noted that the ribs naturally began to lay back towards centre of boat. Also ribs nearing the bow and stern had to be made in two parts and ends were glued again using Elmers Ultimate glue. Where the inner stems begin the ribs were glued to them.

Image

Image

Harvey notes as well that it was not necessary to steam the ribs which go in the centre half of boat as they were pliable enough they could be placed dirrectly into place and clamped. He also says he feels screws would hold much better than clenched copper nails. The nails he used were copper Canoe nails 15 gauge 25 mm long. Used 2 1/2 lbs of nails.

There are some other pictures which can be found at this link

http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l272/ ... Underhill/

Denis Gagne from Lakefield Ontario
Ben
Posts: 69
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2009 11:51 pm

Re: 15' 0" Bob Special

Post by Ben »

Here is the Bob's Special that I finished up in October. It was definitely a pleasure to build. It planked up great and the curves are excellent on the eyes. I lofted it from the offsets in Canoecraft, and it was much easier than it looks!

The strips are all WRC, gunwales, seats, and yoke are cherry, and the decks are curly maple.

Image
Image
Image
User avatar
Moonman
Posts: 164
Joined: Wed May 26, 2004 11:24 am
Location: Vandorf, Ontario

Re: 15' 0" Bob Special

Post by Moonman »

Ben, that's a beaut! Great work!

Moonman.
Post Reply