Maskwa Paddle Co. Chestnut Canoe Build

Earlier this fall I began another boat build.  This time I decided to make a cedar strip chestnut prospector 16.  This is the same style of boat that Canada’s canoeing guru, Bill Mason, paddled.  Only his was a wood canvas.  Actually the dimensions for this boat were taken by Bill Mason from his own canoe.  I purchased the station plans from Bear Mountain Boats.

Here are a few specs:

·         Length 16'

·         Maximum beam 35"

·         Beam waterline 33.25"

·         Bow height 19.25"

·         Centre depth 13.25"

·         Displacement 420 lbs

·         Draft 4"

·         Wetted surface 27.2 sq.ft.

·         Prismatic coefficient 0.510

Like I said, I began this build earlier in the fall.  I wanted to mill the strips before the snow fell.  The strips are 17 feet long so I would need at least that much space on either side of my table saw.  My shop is only 24 feet long so that meant I would have to feed the lumber in through the overhead door.  I had purchased around 60 board feet of 4/4 clear rough cut cedar from a local lumber yard.  Milled it to the required ¾” with a thickness planner.  After setting up the table saw and router table with a 16 foot out feed table I got to work ripping and milling strips.  The strips are ¾” wide by ¼” thick, 17 feet long, with a bead milled on one edge and a cove on the other.  It took me a couple of full afternoons to mill 1700 feet of strips.  Once finished I bundled and stored them on a temporary shelf until it was time to begin building.

Ripping 1/4" inch strips is a dusty job.

In order to have enough length in the shop for the 16 foot out feed table I had to move the table saw close to the over head door.  An old pallet with a roller worked well to support the portion of the board that extended into the alley.  I actually had to temporarily block off the alley so that vehicles passing by wouldn't hit the end of the board.

Milling the bead and cove.  Here's the temporary router table with 16 foot out feed table attached.  Feather boards help guide the strip into the cutter.  Produces a more uniform strip.