Canoe Start Date 11/12/2013

My first canoe. Length 12ft. Beam 42in.

Bottom installed

Gunnels, seats, and end caps installed and sanded

Keels installed. (Thanks for the help, Molly)

I just have to use some Watco Dark Walnut stain.

4 coats of spar varnish complete. Probably will do 2 more.

Bottom and sides primed. Now to wait a week for black top coat.

Finished except for lettering

Pearl keeping an eye on things

Pearl always watching what I'm doing. What a great companion.

My sailboat. "Black Pearl"

Finished!!!  1/19/2014

The Black Pearl Puddle Duck

So, The Puddle Duck Racer, www.pdracer.com , is the boat I decided to make for my first real boat. It looked like a lot of fun. I will be documenting the build in detail. Enjoy

 I cut two sheets of 15/32 5ply (too hard to find decent 1/4 inch, and I thought I'd go for stronger) at a time. I opted for 18" sides. Center scrap will be for tops of side air tanks and decking.

 Setting a skill saw at a shallow depth has no problem cutting the curve with two sheets together. Makes a much neater cut then a saber saw.

 Curve guide was done with shallow sunk nails at the crucial points and then using a thin dowel to follow the curve.

 This probably wont be to racing code. I trimmed off 7/8 inch on both ends after I'd cut the curve. After adding the bulkheads, I wanted to be positive I'd still be under 8' so I don't have to register it with DMV.

Started gluing the chines in place. Yes I was excited and lost track of time. This is a night shot.
One can never seem to acquire enough clamps.

 Air boxes finished. Neaults might notice the stool. It's an official Marv Neault orgininal. Came in very handy.

 Pre bent the bottom with buckets of rocks and wet it a bit

 What a pain in the #$%. Bottom finally on.

 All edges fiberglassed. I hope it doesn't leak much.

 Bottom primed and ready to flip over..

 Laminated two pairs of 1x2 doug fir. Then laminated the pairs together.

 Cross-grain laminated a doug fir 1x3 on both sides. 12 foot tall.

 Bottom end kept square. 3x3

 Shaped top to 2.25 in. semi round. Thank god for my power planner.

 I decided to stain it and leave it. I can't seem to make anything without a little Dark Walnut Watco.

Primed and ready for decking.

Pretty sure this step and partner will secure the 12ft. mast.

Finally finished!!!

The Black Pearl. Yep, name of the dog and boat. Note her picture on the sail.

Oh yea! She's got a snog!

Drop-in rudder. Tiller is mounted to rudder frame.

Detachable rudder frame is mounted with door hinges.

Had to make a separate flag of Pearl since all the paint flaked off the sail