stemless

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Trailguide Pictures
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 4:04 pm

Re: stemless

Post by Trailguide Pictures »

Thanks for the welcome.

I think that there are a couple other points that should be mentioned here. The first is that the designs available through Bear Mountain Boats are IMHO some of the best available as plans/kits, designed by Steve Killing who is a trained designer.

These boats are planned to have an inner stem, so unless its not your first rodeo (so to speak) new builders should just stick to the plans so that they end up with a boat that they are 100% satisfied with. You need to plan and make changes to the set up of the forms and so either need to loft them out to be built without an inner stem or make other changes.

Whether a canoe "needs" an inner stem - the answer is simply, no it does not.

The other point is in regards to bulkheads. I've added airtight bulkheads under the decks of a bunch of different boats including a small sailboat, an AGB, and a few canoes. Having an inner stem was never an issue installing these. I just had to either slightly angle the bulkhead or extend the deck a little longer. No big deal.

Again, it all depends on what you're going for.
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jimlgordon
Posts: 109
Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:57 pm
Location: Bainbridge Island, Washington

Re: stemless

Post by jimlgordon »

The boats flying off the truck at 60 mph is an excellent test and tribute to the durability of glass/epoxy/wood laminate construction. I would not want to replicate that test personally.
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Jim Dodd
Posts: 1359
Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2006 11:08 pm
Location: Iowa

Re: stemless

Post by Jim Dodd »

Just a pic of how I do my flotation chambers.
No notching for the inner stem required.
Image

Image

Image

A stemless stem. Strips appear to wrap around the ends

Image

Jim
Keep your paddle wet and your seat dry!
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themrbruceguy
Posts: 31
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2017 2:46 pm
Location: Kansas City, Missouri

Re: stemless

Post by themrbruceguy »

Wow Jim, that most recent photo you posted is a beauty! Great work!

A quick question for you: What is the purpose of the flotation chamber? Seems like most canoes float pretty well without them ;) If there is a separate thread describing this, could you help point me in the right direction?

Thanks!
~ Jake
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Jim Dodd
Posts: 1359
Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2006 11:08 pm
Location: Iowa

Re: stemless

Post by Jim Dodd »

Hi Jake

Safety is the biggest reason !

Strippers, without flotation will float. Usually with the gunnels just above the water.

Push down on them and they will take a long time to resurface.

WITH flotation, they float higher, and return to the surface a lot faster.

I've dumped a few times on the river, and it makes emptying the water easier.

I don't build without flotation, unless it's going to be a Cabin Ornament !

I think I've posted this, and how I build the chambers here some where.


Jim
Keep your paddle wet and your seat dry!
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cedarphile
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Jan 22, 2017 11:41 am

Re: stemless vs ash stem test

Post by cedarphile »

I like Jim's idea of having a test to see which bow/stern construction method is stronger, stemless with alternating strip joints, or inner and outer stems of white ash.

Jim sailed a canoe off his vehicle at 60 mph and the hull was destroyed but the stem survived intact. That's his entry in the test.

I also have an entry in the stemless category. having sailed a stemless cedarstrip off my car in the same way. The hull and the stem were scratched but otherwise just fine. Unlike the guy tailgating me who was nearly impaled by a canoe through his windshield. He also was fine–after a good stiff drink and a Valium.

Now for the competing part of the test. Anyone out there have a nice stripper with ash stems that they want to sail from their car at 60 mph in the interest of science?

Gary
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