19' 9" Chaa Creek Expedition
- Joan and Ted
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19' 9" Chaa Creek Expedition
Use this forum to post information specific to your 19' 9" Chaa Creek Expedition project. Use POST REPLY when posting information. Please stay on topic. For general boatbuilding discussions, please use the Builders Forum instead.
- jimlgordon
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:57 pm
- Location: Bainbridge Island, Washington
Re: 19' 9" Chaa Creek Expedition
I recently bought the plans for the Chaa Creek Expedition. I was inspired by the photo of Ted working with locals to build them in Belize. I run a non-profit organization that operates primarily in Nicaragua and Honduras. I have been dreaming for many years of introducing wood plank construction to my indigenous friends on the Caribbean Coast. I took a copy of Canoecraft down and left it with friends there a few years ago. They loved the book and the boats. Plank construction would be more expensive and complex than the dugouts they use now but it would use much less wood, from smaller, younger trees, and result in some very nice, lightweight boats. Our first step was to deliver and set up a saw mill on their ancestral homeland. The mill is working well for them. I am going to build a Chaa Creek Expedition for my own use around the Puget Sound area and on Washington Rivers then maybe someday my friends in Central America can build one or many.
Last edited by jimlgordon on Wed Nov 29, 2017 12:33 am, edited 3 times in total.
Re: 19' 9" Chaa Creek Expedition
Hopefully you plan to share the build with us on this forum.
You will find the forum has a wealth of knowledge and there are a lot of good folks to help if you need any.
Good luck on the build.
Brian
You will find the forum has a wealth of knowledge and there are a lot of good folks to help if you need any.
Good luck on the build.
Brian
- jimlgordon
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:57 pm
- Location: Bainbridge Island, Washington
Re: 19' 9" Chaa Creek Expedition
Started cutting the strips using the awesome woodshop at BARN http://bainbridgebarn.org/.
Since BARN is a community workshop I am trying to do as much prep work as possible before planking and glassing.
Since BARN is a community workshop I am trying to do as much prep work as possible before planking and glassing.
Last edited by jimlgordon on Sat Nov 25, 2017 2:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- jimlgordon
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:57 pm
- Location: Bainbridge Island, Washington
- jimlgordon
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:57 pm
- Location: Bainbridge Island, Washington
- jimlgordon
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:57 pm
- Location: Bainbridge Island, Washington
- jimlgordon
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:57 pm
- Location: Bainbridge Island, Washington
Re: 19' 9" Chaa Creek Expedition
The beginning of the strongback. All wood in the strongback is leftover scrap from cabinet companies that my parents collected. I am trying an experiment with building a strongback that can be broken down in five segments for transporting and storing. A 20 foot permanent, one piece strong back would take up a lot of space when not in use. With five segments, I can store it in the attic. I did a test of this arrangement and found it to be very rigid when I bolted the segments together and added a couple supports in the middle between the supports on the ends.
Last edited by jimlgordon on Wed Nov 29, 2017 12:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
- jimlgordon
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:57 pm
- Location: Bainbridge Island, Washington
Re: 19' 9" Chaa Creek Expedition
Stations cut and sanded from MDF scrap... that's like a 19 ft 9 inch boat squashed down
Last edited by jimlgordon on Wed Nov 29, 2017 12:24 am, edited 2 times in total.
Re: 19' 9" Chaa Creek Expedition
Great start !
What kind of wood are you using for this build ?
Jim
What kind of wood are you using for this build ?
Jim
Keep your paddle wet and your seat dry!
- jimlgordon
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:57 pm
- Location: Bainbridge Island, Washington
Re: 19' 9" Chaa Creek Expedition
spanish cedar and fir for the hull ... it was some material found in someone's barn that they wanted to find a home for
Re: 19' 9" Chaa Creek Expedition
Great to use what is at hand !
I'm thinking Washington should have an abundance of Western Red Cedar.
Again great start !
Jim
I'm thinking Washington should have an abundance of Western Red Cedar.
Again great start !
Jim
Keep your paddle wet and your seat dry!
Re: 19' 9" Chaa Creek Expedition
Looks like you have a great start ... will be following the build.
Keep the updates coming.
Thanks
Brian
Keep the updates coming.
Thanks
Brian
- jimlgordon
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:57 pm
- Location: Bainbridge Island, Washington
Re: 19' 9" Chaa Creek Expedition
I am considering making the gunwales from laminating some thinner (1/4 inch maybe), shorter (8-10 feet), pieces of wood together, possibly maple. I am thinking they will need to be something like 21 feet for a 19 foot, 9 inch canoe like the Chaa Creek.
Re: 19' 9" Chaa Creek Expedition
21' feet sounds about right, if you are going to be sticking/laminating those, I think you will still need to skarf the individual pieces to have the strength.
Where you going to epoxy or glue them up?
Brian
Where you going to epoxy or glue them up?
Brian