Wee Lassie Canoe
 

I just acquired a new project. A partially done Wee Lassie Canoe
13'6". I got the book with it. The price was right, FREE. So I took
it.

I am now wondering if there are any things that I should know that
have come out since the printing of the book in 1995?

Can this boat be built outside without cover, or do I need to protect
it from the weather while I am building it?

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

Not much has changed. Just for entertainment, i'd get the current edition of Ted Moores' Canoecraft.
It must be kept dry until it's glassed. If it gets wet before it's glassed, it might curl badly.

"jim.isbell" wrote in message oups.com...
I just acquired a new project. A partially done Wee Lassie Canoe
13'6". I got the book with it. The price was right, FREE. So I took
it.

I am now wondering if there are any things that I should know that
have come out since the printing of the book in 1995?

Can this boat be built outside without cover, or do I need to protect
it from the weather while I am building it?

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

jim.isbell wrote:
I just acquired a new project. A partially done Wee Lassie Canoe
13'6". I got the book with it. The price was right, FREE. So I took
it.

I am now wondering if there are any things that I should know that
have come out since the printing of the book in 1995?

There are quite a few interpretations of the basic design on the market
currently, but since the boat is already started, you're probably best
to stick with the instructions that came with it.

Can this boat be built outside without cover, or do I need to protect
it from the weather while I am building it?

At the risk of sounding harsh, it's wood, what do you think?

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

jim.isbell wrote:
I just acquired a new project. A partially done Wee Lassie Canoe
13'6". I got the book with it. The price was right, FREE. So I took
it.

I am now wondering if there are any things that I should know that
have come out since the printing of the book in 1995?

Can this boat be built outside without cover, or do I need to protect
it from the weather while I am building it?

I built my Freedom 17 using Ted Moore's Canoecraft book in 03/04. I
can't see much having changed since then as it is a very simple (yet
time consuming) process. His book really didn't change when it was
re-printed, except to add more detail and pictures.

Btw, keep it covered, and ideally, keep it at a relatively constant
humidity until it is fully fibreglassed.

Any questions?

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

On Fri, 30 Mar 2007 14:29:12 GMT, Mik wrote:

jim.isbell wrote:
I just acquired a new project. A partially done Wee Lassie Canoe
13'6". I got the book with it. The price was right, FREE. So I took
it.

I am now wondering if there are any things that I should know that
have come out since the printing of the book in 1995?

Can this boat be built outside without cover, or do I need to protect
it from the weather while I am building it?

I built my Freedom 17 using Ted Moore's Canoecraft book in 03/04. I
can't see much having changed since then as it is a very simple (yet
time consuming) process. His book really didn't change when it was
re-printed, except to add more detail and pictures.

Btw, keep it covered, and ideally, keep it at a relatively constant
humidity until it is fully fibreglassed.

Any questions?

I built a 16' prospector under a deck. I always tarped it when I
wasn't working on it and it turned out great. I also highly recomend
gettin a copy of canoecraft. They also have a forum at

http://www.bearmountainboats.com/

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

On Mar 30, 5:44 am, Brian Nystrom wrote:
jim.isbell wrote:
I just acquired a new project. A partially done Wee Lassie Canoe
13'6". I got the book with it. The price was right, FREE. So I took
it.

I am now wondering if there are any things that I should know that
have come out since the printing of the book in 1995?

There are quite a few interpretations of the basic design on the market
currently, but since the boat is already started, you're probably best
to stick with the instructions that came with it.

Can this boat be built outside without cover, or do I need to protect
it from the weather while I am building it?

At the risk of sounding harsh, it's wood, what do you think?

That wasn't a risk.....I never judge an answer to an honest question
as any more than an honest answer.

But, at the risk of sounding like a smart ass...#8-) .... which BTW, I
am.......my deck and my pole barn are both untreated wood and they
have been out in the weather for years. Also I built a 32 foot sloop
from wood and for the 8 years it took to be finished it sat in the
open. BUT...in this case I think you are right because this wood is
very light and there can be NO warpage if its to fit properly.

SO...I have moved it onto the porch under a roof until I finish it.

The design is the Wee Lassie 2, the 13'6" version. And as you say,
the first four strips have already been laid so its onward into the
fog, no changing design now.

I noticed that on one end the strips have a slight concave curve to
them at frame #5 and I don't think that is correct so I will check the
measurements on that frame before I continue. If the measurements
prove to be faulty, I may remove the nails in that frame as I go so
that the strips can form a natural curve rather than being pulled in
on the frame.

I also noticed that he apparently made a mistake in cutting frame #1
as it has been built up with 4 laminations to make it larger by about
3/8" so that might indicate that he also made a mistake on the size
OR placement of frame #5.

In any case, before I proceed I will check ALL the measurements.

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

Well, after measuring the entire project and looking at several pieces
he had put on it, luckily only 6 cedar strips were done, his statement
that he had neither the time nor motivation to finish it could be
added to. He also didn't have the talent.

I don't see how one could get every spacing, EVERY one, between the
forms, all wrong!! They are supposed to be 12.5" and 13" and they
vary from 11" to 13" and not one of them correct for the position.

Luckily it isn't that critical except in the bow and stern where he
had a concave curvature to the hull. But I was able to correct that
by pulling the nails and allowing the strips to float to their own
natural curve on both ends at frame #5. I have since added 8 more
strips and just left them floating at frame #5 and its working fine.
Lucky for me he got the first strip in just the right place or I would
have had to start all over from scratch.

If he had finished the canoe it would have been a disaster. Even the
strips that he had ripped and cove and bead routered are of various
thicknesses. He must have used a hand saw instead of a table saw to
rip them.

But the boat is in competent hands now and will be finished in a
couple of weeks.....if nothing intervenes.

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

Sounds like you are off to a good second start. Some advice on the
strips. Where possible, if they vary in thickness, shim them on the
inside to make them the right thickness for the outside of the boat as
you glue&staple.

Then, if necessary, on the inside, you can add some expoxy filler to
make it the right thickness during the sanding phase and before
fibreglassing.

If you leave it thin on the outside, you have a lot of sanding to make
it smooth, and a large thin spot on the hull. And, if you fill it, you
have a large 'gross' spot on a cedarstrip, defeating the purpose of a
cedarstrip.

jim.isbell wrote:
Well, after measuring the entire project and looking at several pieces
he had put on it, luckily only 6 cedar strips were done, his statement
that he had neither the time nor motivation to finish it could be
added to. He also didn't have the talent.

I don't see how one could get every spacing, EVERY one, between the
forms, all wrong!! They are supposed to be 12.5" and 13" and they
vary from 11" to 13" and not one of them correct for the position.

Luckily it isn't that critical except in the bow and stern where he
had a concave curvature to the hull. But I was able to correct that
by pulling the nails and allowing the strips to float to their own
natural curve on both ends at frame #5. I have since added 8 more
strips and just left them floating at frame #5 and its working fine.
Lucky for me he got the first strip in just the right place or I would
have had to start all over from scratch.

If he had finished the canoe it would have been a disaster. Even the
strips that he had ripped and cove and bead routered are of various
thicknesses. He must have used a hand saw instead of a table saw to
rip them.

But the boat is in competent hands now and will be finished in a
couple of weeks.....if nothing intervenes.

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

A suggestion-
If your strips are irregular in thickness, that could cause great difficulty
in fairing the boat. If you're lucky, both edges of the strips were milled
with the same face of the strip down to the router table. If so, plank the
boat with that face toward the molds. That way, most of the fairing
irregularities will be on the outside of he boat. Note that to do this, you
need to end-for-end the strips which will be used on one side of the boat.


"jim.isbell" wrote in message
oups.com...
Well, after measuring the entire project and looking at several pieces
he had put on it, luckily only 6 cedar strips were done, his statement
that he had neither the time nor motivation to finish it could be
added to. He also didn't have the talent.

I don't see how one could get every spacing, EVERY one, between the
forms, all wrong!! They are supposed to be 12.5" and 13" and they
vary from 11" to 13" and not one of them correct for the position.

Luckily it isn't that critical except in the bow and stern where he
had a concave curvature to the hull. But I was able to correct that
by pulling the nails and allowing the strips to float to their own
natural curve on both ends at frame #5. I have since added 8 more
strips and just left them floating at frame #5 and its working fine.
Lucky for me he got the first strip in just the right place or I would
have had to start all over from scratch.

If he had finished the canoe it would have been a disaster. Even the
strips that he had ripped and cove and bead routered are of various
thicknesses. He must have used a hand saw instead of a table saw to
rip them.

But the boat is in competent hands now and will be finished in a
couple of weeks.....if nothing intervenes.

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

I have been hand picking the strips for thickness so that the most
grossly uneven strips will be on the bottom and as suggested I am also
making sure as I glue them to have the strips even on the outside
surface to make fairing easier.

Is there a place to post pictures on this forum? OR if I attach them
will they come thru?

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

It's much harder to fair the inside than the outside, so i recommend planking so that the inside is as smooth as you can get it, letting the outside be what it wants to be.
My Wee Lassie II is here

"jim.isbell" wrote in message ups.com...
I have been hand picking the strips for thickness so that the most
grossly uneven strips will be on the bottom and as suggested I am also
making sure as I glue them to have the strips even on the outside
surface to make fairing easier.

Is there a place to post pictures on this forum? OR if I attach them
will they come thru?

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

On Apr 1, 8:51 pm, "Jim Conlin" wrote:
It's much harder to fair the inside than the outside, so i recommend planking so that the inside is as smooth as you can get it, letting the outside be what it wants to be.
My Wee Lassie II is here

Thats a good thought. So far I have glued in only two thick strips
and they are on the sides before the chine curve so hopefully I can
sand them easier. I will make the next thick one stick out instead of
in. You say "My Wee Lassie II is here", where is "here" Was there
supposed to be a URL there? It didn't come thru.

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

Here http://conlin-boats.com/wl2_02.jpg

"jim.isbell" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Apr 1, 8:51 pm, "Jim Conlin" wrote:
It's much harder to fair the inside than the outside, so i recommend
planking so that the inside is as smooth as you can get it, letting the
outside be what it wants to be.
My Wee Lassie II is here

Thats a good thought. So far I have glued in only two thick strips
and they are on the sides before the chine curve so hopefully I can
sand them easier. I will make the next thick one stick out instead of
in. You say "My Wee Lassie II is here", where is "here" Was there
supposed to be a URL there? It didn't come thru.

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

I am turning the corner at the chine now and heading toward the keel.
One thing not shown in the book but only mentioned, is the keel
strip. In one picture it looks to be about 2" wide, but it is never
described anywhere that I can find. Does anyone know what the details
are and when it is supposed to be laid? I will probably have to lay
it in tomorrow before I do any more side strips.

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

Another question, is the bottom supposed to have a "W" shape to it?

If I use the dimensions given in the book for the Wee Lassie 2 it
produces a "w" curve on the bottom as the #4 "mold" is taller than the
#3 "mold". The #4 and #2 "molds" are the same height but the #3 is
1/16th inch shorter making a dip (or rise if the boat is right side
up) on both sides of the center which is higher. Is this a misprint?
I can correct it now as I have not yet put the keel strip on. but
after the keel strip is on the bottom curve will be set.

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

On Apr 3, 8:56 am, "jim.isbell" wrote:
Another question, is the bottom supposed to have a "W" shape to it?

If I use the dimensions given in the book for the Wee Lassie 2 it
produces a "w" curve on the bottom as the #4 "mold" is taller than the
#3 "mold". The #4 and #2 "molds" are the same height but the #3 is
1/16th inch shorter making a dip (or rise if the boat is right side
up) on both sides of the center which is higher. Is this a misprint?
I can correct it now as I have not yet put the keel strip on. but
after the keel strip is on the bottom curve will be set.

I just re read what I last wrote and it is not clear what I am talking
about. Below is a list of the "mold" heights so you can see what I am
talking about.

Station #1 15 7/8" Mold #6
Station #2 16 3/8" Mold #5
Station #3 16 1/2" Mold #4
Station #4 16 7/16" Mold #3 ---------------
Station #5 16 1/2" Mold #2
Station #6 16 7/8" Mold #1
Station #7 16 1/2" Mold #2
Station #8 16 7/16" Mold #3 ---------------
Station #9 16 1/2" Mold #4
Station #10 16 3/8" Mold #5
Station #11 15 7/8" Mold #6

As you can see there is a dip at station #4 and at station #8. This
does not seem logical. Am I wrong?

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

Clearly something is wrong with your mold setup. The boat should be nearly
straight from station 2 to station 10. It' try shimming stations 4 and 8
upwards 1/16" and trimming station 6 by about 3/8". To shim, plane short
lengths of strip down as thin as you can, glue it to the mold, then trim
with a block plane. To reduce station 6, If you can remove it from the
setup, it'd be easiest to trim its bottom then re-install it. If it can't
be removed, trimmig it is a lot more work. Before continuing with
planking, take a 10' strip and test the rest of the un-planked region for
fairness. Shim and trim the molds until a strip lies fair on all the molds,
just touching alll of them.

On a Wee Lassie II, there is no keel. The strips butt at the centerline.
It's not straight across. At the centerline, the bottom is slightly veed
amidshipa and pretty sharp near the ends. After you've planked up to the end
of the stem, continue from there to complete planking all of one side of the
boat, letting the strips run wild past the centerline. Then, cut all the
strips off at the centerline at once. Use a sharp chisel followed by a
rabbet plane. Fitting the strips of the remaining side requires cutting a
bevel onto the end of each. Takes many hours with a block plane.

There are some other tricks to planking this particular boat, so... Get a
copy of the designer's book Featherweight Boatbuilding: A Woodenboat Book
ISBN 0-937822-39-6 . It's available from WoodenBoat
http://www.woodenboatstore.com/prodi...number=325-104. Another
excellent book on the subject is Canoecrft, by Ted Moores. Also from WB
http://www.woodenboatstore.com/prodi...number=300-030

"jim.isbell" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Apr 3, 8:56 am, "jim.isbell" wrote:
Another question, is the bottom supposed to have a "W" shape to it?

If I use the dimensions given in the book for the Wee Lassie 2 it
produces a "w" curve on the bottom as the #4 "mold" is taller than the
#3 "mold". The #4 and #2 "molds" are the same height but the #3 is
1/16th inch shorter making a dip (or rise if the boat is right side
up) on both sides of the center which is higher. Is this a misprint?
I can correct it now as I have not yet put the keel strip on. but
after the keel strip is on the bottom curve will be set.

I just re read what I last wrote and it is not clear what I am talking
about. Below is a list of the "mold" heights so you can see what I am
talking about.

Station #1 15 7/8" Mold #6
Station #2 16 3/8" Mold #5
Station #3 16 1/2" Mold #4
Station #4 16 7/16" Mold #3 ---------------
Station #5 16 1/2" Mold #2
Station #6 16 7/8" Mold #1
Station #7 16 1/2" Mold #2
Station #8 16 7/16" Mold #3 ---------------
Station #9 16 1/2" Mold #4
Station #10 16 3/8" Mold #5
Station #11 15 7/8" Mold #6

As you can see there is a dip at station #4 and at station #8. This
does not seem logical. Am I wrong?

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

Go to www.duckworksmagazine.com , click on NEW, and look at todays'
article on building a "stripper" Wee Lassie.

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

On Apr 3, 10:34 am, "Jim Conlin" wrote:
There are some other tricks to planking this particular boat, so... Get a
copy of the designer's book Featherweight Boatbuilding: A Woodenboat Book
ISBN 0-937822-39-6 . It's available from

I have that book and the dimentions I posted are FROM THE BOOK (third
printing 2000). So apparently there is an error in the book.

I fixed it though by some very easy manipulating. Luckily mold #1
(station #6) was already built up by the PO and I only had to remove
some laminations to bring the profile down to a straight line. The
two #3 molds were easily shaved sown.

Its looking good now and within the week the planking should be done.

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

On Apr 4, 7:01 am, "jim.isbell" wrote:
On Apr 3, 10:34 am, "Jim Conlin" wrote:

There are some other tricks to planking this particular boat, so... Get a
copy of the designer's book Featherweight Boatbuilding: A Woodenboat Book
ISBN 0-937822-39-6 . It's available from

I have that book and the dimentions I posted are FROM THE BOOK (third
printing 2000). So apparently there is an error in the book.

I fixed it though by some very easy manipulating. Luckily mold #1
(station #6) was already built up by the PO and I only had to remove
some laminations to bring the profile down to a straight line. The
two #3 molds were easily shaved sown.

Its looking good now and within the week the planking should be done.

so Call Mac and ask him your self: he a good guy and unless he died
in the last three years he returns calls and letters: Henry (Mac)
McCarthy

1705 Andera Place
Sarasota, Fl 34235
Phone:(813) 953-7660

Wee Lassie Canoe
 

On Apr 4, 7:01 am, "jim.isbell" wrote:
On Apr 3, 10:34 am, "Jim Conlin" wrote:

There are some other tricks to planking this particular boat, so... Get a
copy of the designer's book Featherweight Boatbuilding: A Woodenboat Book
ISBN 0-937822-39-6 . It's available from

I have that book and the dimentions I posted are FROM THE BOOK (third
printing 2000). So apparently there is an error in the book.

I fixed it though by some very easy manipulating. Luckily mold #1
(station #6) was already built up by the PO and I only had to remove
some laminations to bring the profile down to a straight line. The
two #3 molds were easily shaved sown.

Its looking good now and within the week the planking should be done.

sorry to repost but here is Mac's web page: http://www.feathercanoes.com/index.html