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?

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?

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?

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?

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/

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?