Trapper 15-38

Builder show and discuss their progress.
LesForgue
Posts: 197
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:29 pm
Type of boat I like: JEM Trapper by Matt
Location: Chicago
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Re: Trapper 15-38

Post by LesForgue »

AFTER TWO MORE YEARS I am finally getting the build done, planning to finish by end of September (only nine non-Sabbath days left).
Spent the last 2 days stitching panels and reference frames,
building bow alignment jigs,
shopping for buying and pre-bending inner and outer gunnels (ended up with 3/4 inch radius clear poplar quarter round from Menards).

for the bow alignment jigs I lack the equipment to print the templates in one piece, so I made copies of the full size panel-end templates from Matt and used those to build the bow alignment jigs copying Matt's template best I could.

2 1/2 years ago I got laid off my job and after all income from that ended I started day labor work, but I decided to take off this last half of September to get this thing of beauty onto the water (yes onto not into).I still have one more big dollar purchase to make and that is the varnish. But I figure a can of good UV protect, underwater grade varnish wouldn't cost more than renting a canoe for a few days.

I Thank Matt for his design and advice and tutorials, also I thank Larry at RAKA for tutorials and helpful articles, also I thank the other builder log contributors and commenters for good advice, lessons learned etc. Mostly I thank God for my health and strength to be doing this especially at age almost 71 years.
Les Forgue, Illinois, USA
Les Richard Forgue
Wannabe
Posts: 94
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2007 7:44 am

Re: Trapper 15-38

Post by Wannabe »

Like Mick used to say, Good on ya Les. Keep on keeping on and never give up. Let us know how it behaves on (not in) :mrgreen: the water.
Bob
Oh! And pictures too, please.
LesForgue
Posts: 197
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:29 pm
Type of boat I like: JEM Trapper by Matt
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Trapper 15-38

Post by LesForgue »

Almost another year later. It was spring of 2012 when I first started marking the plywood to cut panels.
Now all that left is to glue 50 pieces in place (after scrubbing most with soapy water for amine blush).
The 50 pieces are 2 decks, 4 deck cleats, 36 inner gunnel spacers, 2 inner gunnels, 2 thwarts, 2 thwart cleats, and finally 2 outer gunnels.
After that a light overall sanding, outer hull amine blush scrubbing with soapy water, then when all is dry, three coats of Last n Last marine spar & door UV protective varnish.

Might wait a week or two fore putting on the varnish in case continuing epoxy curing emits more amine blush to be scrubbed off.
Les Richard Forgue
LesForgue
Posts: 197
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:29 pm
Type of boat I like: JEM Trapper by Matt
Location: Chicago
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Re: Trapper 15-38

Post by LesForgue »

Just yesterday it occurred to me (one of those Duh! moments) about those dozens of little pieces that will be inner gunnel spacers ... before I glue them in place I should do their final sanding now while it would be so easy rather than after installing them. In fact same goes for the inner gunnel itself too, at least sand what will be the hard to reach sides before final attachment.

I haven't installed the thwarts and cleats yet either so I could sand those too before attaching.

I'm sure there will be glue clean up after installation of all the above but at least almost all the final pre-varnish sanding will be done.

The when I get around to varnishing I'll try to apply the successive coats soon enough to not need sanding.

Not that sanding is so bad, but getting at those little hard to reach spots😨
Les Richard Forgue
LesForgue
Posts: 197
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:29 pm
Type of boat I like: JEM Trapper by Matt
Location: Chicago
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Re: Trapper 15-38

Post by LesForgue »

I posted some builder log photos to imgur.com username Troischiens, album name Canoe build 2012-2018.
As time allows I'll try to make them viewable here.
Today I got the inner gunnels with spacers glued on. Three snags with that One I had wood flour filled epoxy glue on every spacer when I realized I'd forgot to kerf the ends of the inner gunnels to aid in the bends. Two using jigsaw to kerf one of them broke off near one end. Three found out my arithmetic was off and the 12 foot pieces are inches short of covering the end spacers.
Other than the above, they turned out beautifully 😃
Uh I also forgot to put plastic tape on the wood clamps (got it on the shims). Luckily no glue got on the clamps.
Les Richard Forgue
LesForgue
Posts: 197
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:29 pm
Type of boat I like: JEM Trapper by Matt
Location: Chicago
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Re: Trapper 15-38

Post by LesForgue »

today for the first time I lifted and flipped my canoe to the typical portage position.
I am almost finished building the canoe
It weighs between 65 and 70 pounds tho I had hoped to keep it under 60.
There is no center thwart or yoke on my 15 feet canoe so I lashed a section of closet rod across there for the lift.
The canoe is extra wide at 38 inches so that added to the challenge somewhat.
I thank God for the health and strength to be doing this stuff in my old age.
Les Richard Forgue
LesForgue
Posts: 197
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:29 pm
Type of boat I like: JEM Trapper by Matt
Location: Chicago
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Re: Trapper 15-38

Post by LesForgue »

Made a pleasant discovery this afternoon.
The canoe weighs far less than i thought.
Seems I was way off when I tried to weigh the canoe. I had come up with 65 to 70 pounds.
But today when instead of trying to weigh the canoe on a balance,
I simply compared the effort side by side between lifting and holding the canoe vs. Lifting and holding two 25 pound dumbbells
And the canoe feels noticeably lighter than the 50 pounds of iron.
Yay!
So the reason it's not easy to pick up or set down is NOT the weight... It's just a clumsy size and shape. Once I get it lifted up over my head and shoulders then it does not feel heavy to hold or carry around.
Yay!
Les Richard Forgue
LesForgue
Posts: 197
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:29 pm
Type of boat I like: JEM Trapper by Matt
Location: Chicago
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Re: Trapper 15-38

Post by LesForgue »

Well I still don't know how much it weighs, maybe I never will.
Tho it is not finished (needs sanding & varnishing) today I took it out on a county forest preserve lake. Had been concerned about surface ice due to freezing early temps but time my daughter and I arrived it was mid forties and no ice, just a bit of chop due to moderate winds. Love the way it handled. The paddles I made are long enough for stand up but I wouldn't do that over such cold water.
Discovered I have much practicing & learning to get under my belt before graduating from small lakes paddling to river paddling.
Les Richard Forgue
LesForgue
Posts: 197
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:29 pm
Type of boat I like: JEM Trapper by Matt
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Trapper 15-38

Post by LesForgue »

Sorry these photos are not in sequence.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/2WofKq1kKqLnRb8B6
Les Richard Forgue
LesForgue
Posts: 197
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:29 pm
Type of boat I like: JEM Trapper by Matt
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Trapper 15-38

Post by LesForgue »

Okay after almost two and a half years, I went to craigslist and found a local scale for $10 .
I got a big shock when I weighed my Trapper 15-38 I been handling and hauling.
I had guesstimated its weight at about sixty pounds, turns out I've been dealing with a 76 pound canoe all this time.
I attribute the weight to my inexperience with fiberglass and epoxy as well as a bit of overbuilding the recommended thwarts, gunwales, etc.
I sure hope my upcoming Merrimac build will turn out much closer to the low end of Matt's predicted weight range.
Les Richard Forgue
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