Quick, Easy 3-Man Canoe Plans

Petros,

You are right but I have to plan the build as there is a time limit.

If I'm going to plan the build then I may as well have a good plan.

I have made a performance guarantee to our sponsor, if we don't win I have to give half of the $500 back!

So, if it comes down to a good plan being a controllable variable,

then I'd like to have a good plan.

I have come up with a main hull 24' X 1' with an 8" draft.

3" of freeboard with a 14" top deck making for a one inch splash lip all around.

Lots of rocker and more seperation between paddlers.

It bumps the weight up to 105 pounds, so 700 gross.

Our first test build and sail is Sunday.

I'll see what I can do about losing 15 pounds, thanks for the tip.

 

All of that looks good. Your practice build will go a long way to be able to assemble it faster, you want to divide up responsibility to each person according to their stronger skills during cut and than build time.

I would try and get an inch more free board if possible so you do not take on too much water. I have done six similar contests, you can not count on smooth operation. You may have traffic to deal with as the other boats take on water and flounder in front of you. It is very important to get out in front first, in fact one of the most important aspects about getting an easy win. Also, see if large squirt cannons and water balloons are allowed, they might come in handy. ;-)

 

We wont be "taking on" any water, they are sealed decks, this is a sit on top.

We're actually having two practice builds.

It goes beyond dividing up responsibilities, this is a team build.

It is more than important to get out in front, it is imperative to winning especially when you've got outriggers hanging out four feet on each side!

We'll leave the squirt guns and water balloons to those behind us.

 

Fire the squirt guns backwards. Extra rocket power + swamp the opposition.

 

well, we won with the design I posts a few pages back after being 5th off the line in race with eight boats. It would have been better if the start was better organized, but it made for a more exiting race.

One of the boat hulls was made of wet newspaper that was filled with dry ice to keep it frozen, it was not a very well thought out design, it got about 10 ft off the dock and started rocking side to side and than took on some water. than it went "whoosh!" it was enveloped in a huge cloud of CO2 gas and water vapor, when it cleared everything but the mast was below the surface (including the crew!). It was a great crowd pleaser. Interesting idea to use newspaper for the hull, but they needed a better design. there was another entry that was a ti-miran type hull covered in cotton cloth sealed with shortening, it was so crudely built I thought for sure it was going to fall apart when it hits the water, or start taking on water, but it finished the race much to my surprise.

 

Did you see the video of last years race earlier in the thread?

 

yes, looks very similar to the type of contests I have been in. I like the ones where we have to build a sailboat, these take longer but it adds a level of complexity that most entrants way underestimate. A lot more entrants sink or capsize, very entertaining to watch.

 

I went to the yard today with scales to weigh some wood.

My 105 pounds jumped to 160!

Some of the wood was wet as it was outside but should be dry by summer...

 

Light wood

Tom, did you ever try Nigerian obeche, also called abachi used for sauna. It is lighter than poplar. I use it for boat building correctly dimensioned with good results.

 

I have not.

Very nice though.

I am limited to what is in the yard of the sponsor AND $100 total.

I am, however, considering my options.

Thank you Manfred.

Did you build that?

 

Please excuse me, I do not know the limits exactly. We do not have similar events here though I think they would be very interesting for the guests in summer here in our little town at the seaside.
The boat is version IV of a series of little trimarans (20ft) I have built to create something like a "trekking tri", very light (the fold away catwalks -to paddle the boat- are foam with aircraft birch ply 1,5 mm) so I needed some ballast to get it on its lines. I gave it away for one Euro and number V is in the garage awaiting the summer. It´s a hobby of mine to build boats. Regards

 

Nicely done Manfred.

Good for you.

This is a fun event but I'd like to be competitive.

The monetary restraint is a large hurdle.

I have discoverd my 24' (7.5m) design is not possible.

So, I am now considering a 20' (6.5m) approach.

Challenging to work within the budget,

but, everyone is "in the same boat".

 

it adds weight, but the cheapest plywood is usually the 3/8" CDX (price varies but about $15), and you can get 1x2x96" furring strips for about 0.98 each. You have to go cheap to meet that price limit. Bulk nails or screws (sold by the lb) are always much cheaper than buying by the box.

That is one of the reasons we go skin-on-frame, it is one of the cheapest ways to build if you can find fabric cheap enough. Heavy sheet plastic works for a skin, but not as nice as a heavy tarp. In our contest we had 24 hours to build it but the total build time was part of our score. Some built boats in 4 hours, some in 14 hours.

 

I recall using obeche in my model aircraft days.

Nice boat! Do you sail it or just paddle?

 

Ya, already made all those allowances.

I'll just have to figure something else.