Aussie Trapper

[RobRassy]

Hi Col

Some good tips there from Hairymick, I was wondering what size to make the center thwart myself.
I am hoping the seats with small knees up to the gunwales will do in place of the other thwarts.
Have you given any thought to seat height?
Will test paddle first but I'm thinking about 9 inches from bottom, which is about level with the bottom of the top panel at the rear seating position.
Not sure about your rubbing strip it may effect maneuverability, but I guess it would be easy to remove if it was a problem
I use a Boat Craft Pacific product, "Aqua-coat" clear. It's a water based polyurethane paint, nice to use, but hard to get a good finish as it dries very quickly and leaves brush marks. I always cut it back with 1500 grit and polish with Farecla 300 cutting compound, comes up like a mirror!

Rob

[jem]

Plans have suggested thwart dimensions and seat height.

[RobRassy]

Matt

I have re-checked the plans and found the thwart dimensions but can't see any measurements for seat positions or heights. The only reference I can see to seats is to test paddle.
I have all the pages to 37 am I missing something or is that it?
An approximate seat position and height would be nice to have

Col do you have any seat measurements?

Rob

[jem]

oops. You're right. Anywhere from 8-11" [20-28] should be stable and comfortable.

[ColCollyer]

Ha.... I went and checked last night too...
Thwarts... I made the suggestion 12 x 100 laminated, about the same cross section as both Mick and Matt suggested. The question really is are they mainly under tension, or is compression an issue. While the plans say 2 thwarts, the 3 view only shows one, so there is plenty to confuse a newbie
Seats.... I was going to measure the ones on my f/g canoe, and make them similar. Because I am boxing in the ends back to the former, I'm guessing the seats will move about 3 to 6 inches toward the middle, and like you, I thought the front seat could double as a thwart. Also. a third seat aft of the front seat would be about the right spot for solo paddling in the other direction. As for height, I would err on the low side, and pack up later if required.
Years ago a man talking about Bee's used a phrase..... your way, my way, right way, wrong way. I recon a bit of that applies with canoe's!
Cheers
Col

[RobRassy]

G'day Col

The question really is are they mainly under tension, or is compression an issue

I would imagine tension if rope can be used

As a matter of interest how high are the seats in your other canoe?

Rob

[jem]

The thwart is for both tension and compression. Tension to keep it from folding end on end. Compression for when it's strapped down. Many other scenarios too.

[ColCollyer]

Hi Rob
Measured the seat height..... 5inches the front, 7 inches the back. add about another inch for the canvas seat that get's added.I think Ill start about there, it's fairly easy to pack seats up, not so easy to pack them down !
Cheers
Col

[ColCollyer]

Hi
not a lot been happening really, apart from sanding. I made the inner gunwale " over the top " of the outer. I have since cleane them up, shapped the inner and outer, after diliberating for a long time weather to use a router or not. Eventually I jumpped in and tried it out on the outer gunwales.... not easy enough to control for me, so I reverted to hand planes and sander. They have since been stained and goven a coat of epoxt, rubbed on with a rag. Then I filled a few voids in the laminations, and are about to glue the spacers on ( 30mm dowell cut to 10mm, 40 of them, cut with a cut off saw, like a drop saw. accurate, and showing loverly grain. it was from the centre of a blind, I will try and find some other uses for it.I still have to get my head aroung the breast plates(decks) thinking 8mm ply, with 8mm of ply gusset along the sides( side to deck joint) figureing the glue joint is the weak spot.
Also thinking Ill only have 1 thwart, in the middle, and I will gusset the seats to the gunwale, and will incorporate something to hold spare paddles. I have a few ideas, but no wood cut yet.
Still enjoying the trip, and keeping an eye on Rassy's. Also need to make up a JEM logo to lay in under some glass
Col

[RobRassy]

G'day Col
Keep plugging away at the sanding,you'll get there eventually, it's the bane of boat building, especially when fiberglass is involved. I spent 9 full days doing the inside join fillets and still wasn't completely happy with them when I decided I couldn't spend any more time.
Have you done your inside glass yet or are you doing the inwales first?
Have you posted any more pics?

Rob