"Featherweight Boatbuilding"

Featherweight Boatbuilding

by Henry "Mac" McCarthy

WoodenBoat Books

copyright 1996

11 x 8.5 " 101 pgs.

For anyone curious about cedar strip construction, this is the place to start. Mac McCarthy takes the reader through the process, detailing the building of an eleven and a half foot "Wee Lassie" open canoe. The nine chapters take you step by step from selecting the wood to enjoying your finished boat with clear instructions backed up by plenty of photographs.
The author is not only a builder, he enjoys the quiet backwaters every chance he gets. The book provides five interludes or "Time Out"s where he tells a short tale of some of his favourite paddling places.
Chapter One covers the set up, selecting the wood, ripping the strips, bead and cove edges and building the molds. Chapter Two is devoted to laying up the hull and sanding the exterior. In Chapter Three he details applying the protection of epoxy and fibreglass.
The next chapter deals with the detail work on the interior, inner rails, decks, bulkheads, the thwart and seat. If you like the traditional look of a hand caned seat, the instructions are right here. Chapter Five leads you through varnishing.
The author recommends a double bladed, kayak paddle for the Wee Lassie so building one is covered in Chapter Six. Later chapters deal with "using" the boat (including sailing), "Thoughts on Strength and Weight," and a troubleshooting guide in Q & A format. Appendices give a materials list, tools, materials suppliers and patterns for the molds. Using slightly different molds (patterns provided) and a little more cedar, epoxy and fibreglass will give you a longer (13' 6") Wee Lassie II.
Speaking of fibreglass, the cloth becomes (and remains) transparent when saturated with epoxy so even though sealed, the wood shows. This allows for accent strips or any other artistry you include to shine through.
This book shows that the author knows what "messing about" is all about.

"Boat Building"

Boat Building

by Percy W. Blandford

W & G Foyle Ltd

copyright 1958

7.25 x 5 " 92 pgs.

This book is a delight, especially for beginners and those who enjoy smaller boats. Its eight chapters give the builder the foundation for six different boats, two canvas covered decked canoes, a punt, and three dinghies. In the preface the author describes his work as "a guide for the amateur with little equipment and no experience." The first chapter, "Materials and Methods," touches on woods, plywood, canvas and fasteners and illustrates riveting using boat nails and roves. The discussion of glues, paints and varnishes is dated, in view of modern materials but good for purists wishing to build as it was done in the past.
Chapters 2 and 3 give plans and methods for building an eleven foot and a fifteen foot canvas covered decked canoe (or kayak, if you prefer). Drawings for the frames, stems and sternposts are shown on grids so the builder can enlarge them to full size. Details for sealing the ends are provided too. The instructions for the longer boat include splicing boards if 16 foot stock is not available. The next chapter, "Canoe Accessories," shows how to make paddles, seats, brackets, covers, a trolley and sailing rigs, including a full sloop rig for the longer one.
The fifth chapter details a thirteen foot punt with curved sides and bottom. It's symmetrical end for end, the only difference being an off center thwart and oarlocks. This is the first of the designs to be laid out and built on the floor although no lofting is required, the frames and ends giving the layout. The plans are first given for building with boards with an addition for building with plywood or hardboard.
The ten foot rowing dinghy in Chapter Six doesn't require lofting either but the author uses this chapter to give an introduction to the process. This boat is flat bottomed, built of plywood over frames.
If you'd rather be moved by the wind than oars and you prefer a dinghy with a slight vee bottom, the next chapter has the plan for you. This is a twelve foot, cat rigged boat with a daggerboard that looks like a good introduction to sailing. The sail is hoisted on a gaff that is pulled up to near vertical, parallel to the mast.
The last chapter brings out the most traditional construction. The plan here is for a seven foot, round bottomed pram, clinker built with a planked hull. This boat has a bow board so there is no fitting the planks to a stem post. If that seems too easy, there's the process of treating the ends of the planks, which overlap, flush at the bow board and transom. That sounds like something I'd have to learn by doing, not by reading.
The spirit in which this little handbook was written is summed up in the last line of the preface: "Finally, the statement that there is no fun to equal that to be got from messing about in boats is perfectly true, but to do it in a boat you have built yourself is an immensely satisfying experience which words cannot describe."

Overview

Greetings everyone,

I am an avid reader, in fact, I do a lot more reading than building. I thought I could parlay that activity into an asset for the group. On this board I'll be posting reviews of books that I think will be of interest. To maintain a sense of order, I ask that you not reply to any of these unless you're familiar with the book reviewed. But don't let mine be the only voice here; if you've read and enjoyed a book that you think has valuable information, by all means, post a review of your own. I think we can expand the subject from building to anything that relates to "messing about."

I can't guarantee that these books are still in print, available at your local or on line retailer, so libraries, used book stores, used book sites or even flea markets or yard sales could be handy.

If something here sparks an interest you wish to share, please start a thread on the General Message Board. If you play your cards (and your comments) close to the vest, feel free to e-mail me. I hope you find this helpful. Enjoy.

Pax,

Rick