Boat Builder Central - Builder Forums

Since joining friends on a day cruise along a river in South Africa about 10 years back, it has been my ambition to own a canoe. We moved to Canada 2 1/2 years ago, and with many waterways almost within walking distance, this yearning has just got stronger. About a year back I purchased the plans for the NC16, and finally got down to work yesterday April 17, 2005.

With the ply purchased and marked, the project is underway. I have been lurking on this site for some time now, and am encouraged by all the positive postings and support.

I guess going public, will keep me enthused. We are a family of four, so it won't end with just the one canoe, I'll need to build a small fleet.

I am a total green horn when it comes to boats, leave alone building them, so any help will be greatly appreciated.

Looking forward to the help, new friends and launch date ...

Managed to get all the panels cut this evening. I have done a fair bit of woodwork, so am familiar with measure and mark and cut and sand etc.... but now I'm headed for unchartered waters. viz EPOXY !

I'll be "butt-blocking" in the next couple of days, so wish me luck. Any last minute advise will be appreciated.

Meantime, I have started my "Picture journal" of the process at

http://gallery.bateau2.com/displayimage ... 3653[url]*

As for boatbuilding... I think I'm gonna like it here !

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Welcome to the forum, Laurence! And top marks for immediately starting a picture gallery so we can follow your progress!
Advice on butt blocks? They are easy - just make sure you maintain a good epoxy glue layer under the blocks. You need to apply pressure with a moderate weight of some kind, but don't apply too much - you don't want to squeeze all the epoxy glue out! Then leave the glued up pieces undisturbed for a couple of days to allow the glue to thoroughly cure. Here's an example from my FL14 thread:

Good luck!!

Congrats on starting your first boat! Everthing in your pictures look fine!

Good Luck and keep us up to date!

Thanks, Mike and Dane, for the words of encouragement and advise. I blocked my butts (can I say that?) last night. You're right Mike, nothing to it. Just take your time, don't rush, and check yourself constantly.

I've never seen anyone building a boat before, so can't say if I'm doing things right or wrong, but if I were to find fault, I have made one 'small' blunder so far. I intend leaving the inside clear (is this what is referred to as "bright work"?), but forgot to sand off the pencil markings. So, I guess I'm going to have to sand through the epoxy to get the pencil lines off. Luckily I realised this before going too far, just a little around the bottom panel butt-block.

While on the subject, is it a good idea to sand before epoxying, or better to leave the wood as is, to allow the epoxy better purchase, and sand and fair later?

Pics will be posted later today.

I've been lightly sanding before applying the epoxy in places where appearance will count. Also, I used a big eraser to remove the pencil lines in places where I hadn't already coated them with epoxy . . . for me it was easier than sanding them out.

Most of us hadn't built a boat either when we started, so it is just a matter of not rushing, measuring and checking often, following the plans, and asking for ideas/suggestions here when something just doesn't feel right!?

Good luck and keep at it!

I've added a few more pictures to my photo journal. In order not to repeat my entries, read this thread in conjunction with the notes associated with each picture.

The start picture of the new batch is at.

http://gallery.bateau2.comdisplayimage. ... =284&pos=7

Now I understand all those posts where people exclaim that their pile of wood "Now looks like a boat". I've been at it for a little over 8 1/2 hours (actual working time), and at last "It looks like a boat".

Did the taping tonight, so tomorrow I'll be filleting (instead of taping as I mentioned in an earlier post). Just couldn't wait, now could I?

See my updated photo journal at

http://gallery.bateau2.comdisplayimage. ... 284&pos=10

Thanks for looking.

Looking good, Laurence! You are making fast progress. It's great to see it all start to take shape, isn't it? Keep the pics coming and keep building!

When it comes to the question of whether to keep the forum, and picture gallery updated, or building a boat... I've decided Building a Boat takes preference !!!

Bottom line is, I have a boat, and am sanding, sanding and oh, did I mention sanding. The construction of my NC16 is complete but for the breast hooks. I'm leaving those until the sanding in the bow corners is done.
I do have pictures of each step along the way, and will post them soon enough, but getting on the water is my prime objective. I hope you all understand.