Canoes once again...

[Joseph]

Here's a neat site.. build your own canoe.... Very liteweight.
http://www.gaboats.com/

Excellent - the Sweet Pea could be the direct descendant of Nessmuck's Sairy Gamp. I am still amazed that Rushton was able to build a ten pound canoe from cedar - the man was a boat building genius.

For those going to the Spring Tear Up - or any other trip to the Adirondacks, for that matter - don't miss the Adirondack Museum. The Sairy Gamp is on display there.

Joseph

[Bigwoods]

Heikki,
This is from a paddle seller. I choose by what feels right. That is kinda hard to do if you have to order on line. The following is a good rule of thumb. I usually do not purchase very expensive paddles and they still stand up for me.

How To Choose Your Paddle Size

Canoe paddle sizing is generally based on a paddler's torso length and which position he or she is paddling from. Bow paddlers generally use shorter strokes, and find shorter paddles easier to work with. Stern paddlers and solo boaters need a slightly longer paddle to assist in controlling the direction of the canoe. A general guideline for paddle sizing for a bow person is a paddle that measures from the floor up to the middle of their chest. Stern and solo paddlers will find a paddle that stands up to their collarbone are generally a better fit.

[Classic Finn]

Heikki,
This is from a paddle seller. I choose by what feels right. That is kinda hard to do if you have to order on line. The following is a good rule of thumb. I usually do not purchase very expensive paddles and they still stand up for me.

How To Choose Your Paddle Size

Canoe paddle sizing is generally based on a paddler's torso length and which position he or she is paddling from. Bow paddlers generally use shorter strokes, and find shorter paddles easier to work with. Stern paddlers and solo boaters need a slightly longer paddle to assist in controlling the direction of the canoe. A general guideline for paddle sizing for a bow person is a paddle that measures from the floor up to the middle of their chest. Stern and solo paddlers will find a paddle that stands up to their collarbone are generally a better fit.

Greetings

Are you from Da Bigwoods of Finland Minnisota? Or Up in the Boudary Waters as a Paddle and Canoe Outfitter?

Ok I,ll have to take that into consideration also... Thank You...

Classic Finn

[Bigwoods]

Heikki,

No, I live by Oslo. Oslo Minnesota. It's on the the west side of the state. I get over to the Boundary Waters every year. I just like to keep things simple. Some of the experts use bent shaft paddles and kevlar canoes, but that takes $$$$ and you have to use them several times a year to get value from them.

You can get all of you canoe questions answered at the url below. Take a look at the forum. Anything from builds, to camping to a wonderful picture posted everyday by a pro photographer. He camps in the BWCA year round even below zero in tents. Now he is showing winter picture of waterfalls. If I want to see winter, I look out the window. Much like this site, it has a great group of folks.

http://www.canoecountry.com/bwca.html

[Classic Finn]

Heikki,

No, I live by Oslo. Oslo Minnesota. It's on the the west side of the state. I get over to the Boundary Waters every year. I just like to keep things simple. Some of the experts use bent shaft paddles and kevlar canoes, but that takes $$$$ and you have to use them several times a year to get value from them.

You can get all of you canoe questions answered at the url below. Take a look at the forum. Anything from builds, to camping to a wonderful picture posted everyday by a pro photographer. He camps in the BWCA year round even below zero in tents. Now he is showing winter picture of waterfalls. If I want to see winter, I look out the window. Much like this site, it has a great group of folks.

http://www.canoecountry.com/bwca.html

Very Nice website... thank you for mentioning it...

http://www.canoecountry.com/desktop2.html

That link there and the photo is what our country is like as well.. Just beautiful...

By the way here is the paddles I got with the canoe we have..

Beotuk- Indian Model from Newfounland. Hand made here ...


Classic Finn

[Bigwoods]

That is very nice. I have noticed the paddles sold in Ely MN. (Gateway to the BWCA) tend to be broader in the blade and the blades are shorter.. After I get this tear built, I think I will try my hand at a cedar strip canoe. I like the Redbird plan you mentioned and there are other nice ones also. I'll have to practice up on 'glassing.


This is our Old Town Penobscot on a lake in the BWCA.

[Juneaudave]

Heikki...You know...you can build your own paddle pretty easily and really hone your woodworking skills...a fella wouldn't enter these in a woodworking show...but I made them myself out of scraps and use them all the time. Fellow paddlers love them, and non-paddlers are amazed you built them yourself. They do work well. I've seen your knives...you would be a natural at this with a drawknife..

[Classic Finn]

Heikki...You know...you can build your own paddle pretty easily and really hone your woodworking skills...a fella wouldn't enter these in a woodworking show...but I made them myself out of scraps and use them all the time. Fellow paddlers love them, and non-paddlers are amazed you built them yourself. They do work well. I've seen your knives...you would be a natural at this with a drawknife..

Whoaaaaa Dave that is one real nice canoe you have there... And them paddles are Finntastic looking...I,ll have to give some paddles a try when I get the tear done... a lil future project ...

It seem like the paddle you have would make the canoe go just a lil faster since it catches more of the water than the broad paddles we have or is it not so?

Do you have any closer photos of them paddles?

Classic Finn...

[Classic Finn]

That is very nice. I have noticed the paddles sold in Ely MN. (Gateway to the BWCA) tend to be broader in the blade and the blades are shorter.. After I get this tear built, I think I will try my hand at a cedar strip canoe. I like the Redbird plan you mentioned and there are other nice ones also. I'll have to practice up on 'glassing.


This is our Old Town Penobscot on a lake in the BWCA.

So the BWCA is a National Park is it? with no motorboats allowed it seems? I read its a great place for Wallye fishing too...

What a paradise....Id love to go on a trip there ...

Classic Finn

[Classic Finn]

Here is a photo of one the Finnish National Parks.. Named Koli...

It looks like that of the BWCA Area.. Quite similar of the lakes and forests.
I,ll be looking forward in going canoeing and camping there once summer is here.

Classic Finn

[Classic Finn]

Here is a Site on Finnish Made Paddles for canoes and kayjaks

http://www.lahnakoski.fi/Indian.html




Classic Finn

[sledge]

I have been reading all this stuff you folks put on here. I'm thinking about building something Small, not a Kayak , but smaller than a Canoe , something I can carry by myself, .... But Big enough to Fish from in a River.

[Juneaudave]

One of the most popular solo canoes is the Wee Lassie based on the Rushton design. And while a number of designers have copied it...Feather Canoes has a big following...here's the link... http://www.feathercanoes.com/index.html This is about a 20-25 lbs solo paddler. I've never heard anything bad about this design. You can find similar one seaters from Bearmountain Boats and others.

Another option I've been toying with for years is building a collapsable kayak...for a couple of reasons. You can pack it in a float plane (for us Alaskans), and get it into areas you could not reach otherwise. Here's a link to a complete builders manual for a packable kayak...http://yostwerks.com/FrameMenu.html. I have never paddled one of these....but the idea is captivating.

[sledge]

Thanks Dave .

[Classic Finn]

Since we had spoken about paddles I thought to show a new so called Toy we purchased .... A new set of paddles in addition to the ones we have... Couldnt pass it up..

Classic Finn





The quality is very good and the woodwork is better in real life compared to the photo.