Stretch the Ranger or buy the Nomad?

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Dan.
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Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2005 4:10 pm

Stretch the Ranger or buy the Nomad?

Post by Dan. »

Hey Guys,

Its been a decade since my last build. I was 22 at the time and single. Now I am 32 with a wife and 2 toddlers. Life has been good.

Anyway, I need a bigger canoe. I still have the forms for the ranger in my basement. So I am thinking about stretching it to 17'. The other choice is to build the Nomad to scale. I will be buying the forms, and the cost/time is not really the issue. I just REALLY like the ranger with the tumble home and the lines are the prettiest I have seen.

SO, what say you canoe build gurus... which will be the prettier, faster, safer craft for

2 adults, 2 (maybe 3???? kids) + gear for a week until they are big enough for us to take 2 boats?

Stretched ranger or a nomad?

Thanks,
Dan
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Cruiser
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Location: Bowmanville, Ontario

Re: Stretch the Ranger or buy the Nomad?

Post by Cruiser »

Hi Dan,

Unless you are stuck on the Nomad, there are a couple other popular designs for your described uses. My first boat was the Freedom Solo and I absolutely love the boat, so I am planning on building a Freedom 17 for tripping, there is also the Freedom 17'9" (family size?) ... and the boat I am just completing, the Kipawa, which is a 16'6" favourite of my camping group.

Just some thoughts.



Brian
sedges
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Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2004 5:37 pm
Location: georgia

Re: Stretch the Ranger or buy the Nomad?

Post by sedges »

Using your Ranger forms stretched to 17 feet would be just fine. Its will be very similar to the Nomad. Do your calculations carefully and after the forms are set up check the fairness with full length strips or battens.

For your family I would suggest adding some depth at center and then faired out to the original depth at the ends. Having two children moving around in the canoe will challenge stability a bit and the extra depth will add comfort.

That said, and understanding that you like the way the old Chestnut designs look, I still wish you would consider the Freedom 17-9 for a family canoe. It is going to feel much more stable with children aboard and the flare carried the whole length of the hull improves that secondary stability for when you REALLY need it.

I have paddled a lot with children recently and find that having a boat that allows them to move around is much better than demanding that they be still and not rock the boat. The new canoe designs, especially by Steve Killing and John Winters are extraordinary.
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Jim Dodd
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Re: Stretch the Ranger or buy the Nomad?

Post by Jim Dodd »

I know I've gone the route of stretching a few designs, even shortening one.

Looking back, stretching usually presented stability problems, that could have been avoided by also enlarging the plans.

If you, like me search to improve, and are willing to live with your mistakes, go for it. Nothing pumps me up more than building a NEW design !

Hind sight tells me go with a tried and true design. But.
There is some great design software out there, some even free. If you are computer savy. I would venture forth !

The best of luck !

Jim
Keep your paddle wet and your seat dry!
Dan.
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2005 4:10 pm

Re: Stretch the Ranger or buy the Nomad?

Post by Dan. »

Thanks for the insight guys.

I have spent a good amount of time in a raven, kipawa, dumoine, temagami and winisk. I don't really like how they paddle at all. To me they feel like full keeled sailboats. They hold a great course but dont dance on the water. For me in production boats I like the novacraft prospector, and the esquif mistral, evergreen starburst. I find boats that dont respond to paddle strokes to be frustrating.

That being said, I often reccomend the Winters designs to first time buyers and paddlers who paddle occasionanly. Those boats go straight really well.

I am afraid that the freedom for better and worse will be too much like those other hulls.

As far as stability goes, my wife and I kneel 90% of the time. We are both comfortable in CIII and light duty CIV... Welll maybe comfortable is pushing it... At any rate, we have never had much of a stability issue.

The real question is whether the beamier Nomad makes a sufficiently better tripping hull to offset the loss of the beauty of the tumblehome.

Thoughts?
sedges
Posts: 325
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2004 5:37 pm
Location: georgia

Re: Stretch the Ranger or buy the Nomad?

Post by sedges »

The Ranger is the beamier hull, except at the gunnel as it has more tumblehome


nomad
Maximum beam 35"
• Beam w/l 32.6"
• Beam gunnel 34"
• Bow height 25"

ranger
Maximum beam 35.2"
• Beam waterline 33.72"
• Beam gunnel 33.5"
Dan.
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2005 4:10 pm

Re: Stretch the Ranger or buy the Nomad?

Post by Dan. »

Well... I built her. Streched out the ranger to 16'8". Beautiful looking hull... today was sea trials. Very happy with how she handles. The only issue is she is oilcanning a bit more than I would like.

I am used to it in my royalex boats, -and its probably not a structural problem... but.... if I did want to fix it-- what do you think the best method would be? I am considering glassing in transverse strips of carbon tape. Might look neat if I do it right, or I could paint over the football on the interior.

Thoughts?

Dan

PS. We did have that 3rd kid. Going paddling for 4 nights with 2 adults a 5, 4, 9 month old.
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Cruiser
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Re: Stretch the Ranger or buy the Nomad?

Post by Cruiser »

A few pics of the completed build.... plz

I think general wisdom is to add to both inside and outside, to keep the panels similar. The inside piece(s) will be the ones that stop the flexing, but adding both will stiffen the bottom equally.


Just my opinion.

Brian
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Jim Dodd
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Re: Stretch the Ranger or buy the Nomad?

Post by Jim Dodd »

Me ? I'd add an extra layer to the outside.
It will stiffen the hull, and add abrasion resistance.
It's also the easiest.

Have you varnished both sides of the hull ?
If so, how many fill coats did you apply to the inside. If only one or two, you will be sanding into the weave of the cloth right away. Not good, if you plan to add another layer to the inside !
Mask off an area of the outside of your hull, up to the 2 or 3" waterline, sand and apply cloth, and fill.

A friends tandem needed Duct tape to get it out of the BWCA, because of Oil Canning !
It won't happen to me !
Good luck !

Jim
Keep your paddle wet and your seat dry!
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