First time solo builder

Canoered · Post by **Canoered** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 1:58 pm

Decided this year to build a solo boat. Bought Ted Moores book. Followed a workshop and built a Bobs Special with a group. Have cleared out the garage so nearly ready to go except cannot find the right design. Any suggestions?
Here is what I am looking for
. only for solo paddling (we have other boats for tandem trips)
. day trips and occasional weekend/week camping trips
. flat water on canals, rivers and lakes
. kneeling position (middle height needs to be at least 11.5 “ to be able to mount seat high enough)
. very light
. fast - need to keep up with strong men when paddling with a group
. my size 5’ 6 “, about 160 lbs
. bow and stern not too high (lots of wind where I live)
Like messing around in boat (Canadian paddling, freestyle) and like small rocker on a boat.
Not keen on hit and switch style paddling.

Own a Kevlar Bell Flashfire which is superlight and great for freestyling and paddling alone but to slow when paddling with others.
Paddled in a Hiawatha which someone had fitted as solo but found boat too wide and too heavy to carry alone.
Also considered Solo Portage (Laughing Loons - very lightweight) but not enough height in the middle to give a comfortable knieling position.
Thought maybe the Lorna / JG Brown 16' might be a suitable choice fitted with solo seat in middle?
Comments and suggestions welcome

pawistik · Post by **pawistik** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 5:35 pm

How about the Freedom 15-3 solo?

Canoered · Post by **Canoered** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 5:56 pm

Had looked at the Freedom Solo. I get the impression that there is an enormous amount of tumblehome so that boat could only be paddled from centre. Also no photo's available - or at least have not found one to see how the boat looks finished and no opinions yet as to how it actually paddles?

Glen Smith · Post by **Glen Smith** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:58 pm

You are right, nobody has posted any pics or comments about the Freedom Solo so far. It is a new product so it will take some time before we get any feedback.

I wouldn't dismiss a decent canoe just because the center depth is too shallow. It would be easy to just add a strip or two to obtain the desired depth and cut the sheerline where you want it.

Bryan Hansel · Post by **Bryan Hansel** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 8:17 am

From the plans it doesn't look like there is anymore tumblehome than my Wildfire.

By paddling from the center, do you mean that you can't get into the ends to do freestyle or do you mean you won't be able to lean it to paddle Canadian style?

I haven't built this one yet, but I don't see a problem with either from looking at the plans. The plans are very nice, BTW. Just need time and room and motivation to build another canoe.

Canoered · Post by **Canoered** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 9:12 am

Maybe Freedom 15 3 is the one. Just compared specs with the Wildfire as I also feel at home in that boat. Width, center height, bow height all very similar. Wildfire is more than a foot shorter - does this affect stability or only speed of the Freedom?
I meant with reference to so much tumblehome that it might be difficult to lean if you want to do some Canadian style paddling.

Bryan Hansel · Post by **Bryan Hansel** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:55 am

I really don't think it's going to be an issue for Canadian style. Leaning should be fine. The boat looks to have plenty of flare to give you some nice secondary during a lean.

I don't have stability curves for either canoe, but my guess is that the F 15'3" will be just about as stable as a Wildfire and probably be as close to as fast as a Merlin II. It might be just a touch more lively than a Merlin II though.

Just from looking at the plans, my guess is that it's going to be a nice match to your Flashfire. I won't be exactly like a Yost boat, but should be a nice speedy and somewhat playful solo canoe.

I got the plans for my birthday just after they came out, and if I didn't already own a Wildfire and a Magic, I'd have built one of these already.

Canoered · Post by **Canoered** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 2:28 pm

Thanks for your advice. Now convinced the boat will paddle as I want but have just read all the discussions in the Builders forum concerning the design of the boat. Am put off by the remarks that you need to start with the first strip at the tumblehome and then work up and down. For a first time builder, seems to me beter to start with a boat where I can conventionally put the first strip by the shear line and not have to much change in angle with each subsequent strip. So I will weigh off this design / ease of construction against the other contenders on my list, Osprey, Merlin or Soul-Mate.