New member - choosing a design

Al Meyer · Post by **Al Meyer** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 10:41 pm

Hello, I'm a new member. Last year I finished a glued ply lapstrake daysailer (Penobscot 14 by Arch Davis), but I'm at "greenhorn stage one" on woodstrip construction. I've never done lofting before, but took a drafting class more than a few years ago, and think I can handle it. I'll try lofting using the table of offsets given in Canoecraft, but if that doesn't work out, I can always order the plans.

I need a canoe that has traditional looks, and can be paddled solo or tandem. I'm 6-foot and about 220 lbs, my wife is somewhat shorter but "not petite." I've done a fair amount of canoeing on flat water, but my wife has not, and doesn't like tippy boats. The canoe will be used for short trips (couple of hours to a day at most) in and around the local bayous. My workspace also limits me to a canoe with a length of about 15 feet. I've looked at the section on stability factors, and think that the Ranger 15 will suit my needs.

Am I on the right track, or am I missing something and need to look at another design? I appreciate any advice.

Al

Glen Smith · Post by **Glen Smith** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 10:52 pm

Welcome aboard Al, I think you are on the right track with the Ranger.

Doug · Post by **Doug** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 1:03 am

....but what do you want to do with your canoe?

Sunday paddling?
White water?
Show?
A week into the wilds?
Go fast? slow?
Two people?
Gear?
Big water? Small water?

There are so many flavours out there.

Doug

Al Meyer · Post by **Al Meyer** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 7:00 pm

Doug, I'm looking at slow and easy paddling on flat water, Sunday-morning type stuff. No white water! Canoe needs to be big enough for me and my wife, but would like to solo paddle every now and then also. There's a lot of bayous in my area, so I'm pretty sheltered from wind and big waves. Other than my wife and I, about the only gear we'll be packing is perhaps a picnic lunch.
Al

Rick · Post by **Rick** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 8:02 am

The Ranger sounds good, there's also Carrying Place's Grey Owl - beamier with fuller ends and should have even more stability and comfort when slow and relaxed paddling is the thing. The high ended sheerline has the traditional looks that go well with cedarstrips.

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

The plans page has the various views on PDF to compare with the Ranger.

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

Doug · Post by **Doug** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 8:45 am

Something under 16' for your soloing thoughts?

Bear Mountain Boats
Bob Special; http://www.bearmountainboats.com/15-0BobsSpecial.htm
Freedom 15; http://www.bearmountainboats.com/15-0Freedom.htm
Prospector Ranger; http://www.bearmountainboats.com/15-0Pr ... Ranger.htm
Hiawatha; http://www.bearmountainboats.com/15-0Hiawatha.htm
Here is your best forum for these boats.

Green Valley Boats
Mattawa; http://www.greenval.com/mattawa.html
excellent on-line help

Noahs Boats
http://www.noahsmarine.com/Canada/Strip ... e-can.html

Another source of information is Canadian Canoe Routes;
http://www.myccr.com/ (forum)

There are basically two different canoe styles today;
the classic / traditional, such as the Bob Speacial, Ranger & Hiawatha
and the modern tripper, such as the Freedom 15 and Mattawa.
The preferences could be heatedly debated here.
But ultimately you get to choose your flavour; I'm a modern tripper canoe head.

Happy hunting,
Doug