JEM Watercraft

Hi Mick
Still love the Eno but I need a double for Me and the better half,I keep looking at the merrimac but still droolin over big foot( I cant spell sasquatch)

Ill watch this build with great interest

G'day GD,

Thanks mate, but I am neither a master, nor craftsman

G'day Zeb,

I keep looking at the Merrimac too lovely boat.

Re Big Foot, - Thank you! You have just named the boat for me.

I have drooled over the original 18 footer for a couple of years now but the boat was just too big to be justified in any of our rivers. I think this one will be much better for us. Long, lean and low profile for a canoe - I love that.

I struck a problem yesterday with my understanding of the temp frame set up. A quick question to Matt, back channel and all became very clear.
Thanks Matt

A couple of modifations to my temp frame set up this morning, and hopefully today I will start to stitch some panels on.

Zeb, this is a much mor complicated build than I thin the Merrimac would be, with more panels and panel splices. The panels are longer, skinnier and more difficult to manage and for me, a strong back is the best way to handle them.

If you like, I will go into much more detail about what I am doing and why re strong back set up.

Thanks Mick that would be great
Although its above my building skills at the moment it will be a great tutorial for the future

Now then ,call in a sicky and get down that shed!!!!

G'day Zeb,

No need for the sicky mate. I am on a couple of days off at the moment.

Been down the shed most of the day, another scorcher. Was too hot to even drink beer. Went through 5 litres of water and am still dehydrated.

We are in the middle of the best seasonal wet season we have had in decades. Heavy monsoonal rain allmost every day for the past month with scattered very heavy thunder storms inbetween. Just had one that lasted about an hour and dropped over two inches into my rain gauge.

With all the heat and humidity, it seems my boat bench has "bent" a little,

My centre string line is not in the centre of the bench and is about 3/4" out about half way along its length. I only picked this up when I shot the keel line string. I checked every thing and the bench is still level through out its length so it is not a big problem.

Matt's temp frames drawings for this boat come with the measurements of a top piece for a strongback build I originally had some doubts about them but they are absolutely correct.. (sorry Matt)

This made it easy to set the height of the centre temp frame, simply sit it onto the bench in place and screw it to an allready positioned cross piece.

The apex of the keel on this frame then sets the height for all other frames. - easy.

The height of the keel on the centre panel is then used to set the height of a temp post at either end of the strong back.



Run the string line and ensure that it is at the same height at each end, above the bench as the mid temp frame apex.




Then mount all the other temp frames so that the apex of each one is directly benieth the string and at the correct distance from it.







All this took about 2 hours to do this morning and I think is well worth the effort on a boat such as this. Time and effort saved in stitching will be much more than that.

Panels 1 and 2 are on, fitted and stitched. Hope to get the other three on tomorrow.

Beautiful lines on this one Mick! I'm already seeing 'em slicing through the surf!

Lee

Thanks Lee,

I have to admit to getting pretty excited with the shape the bottom on this one is taking.

Beautiful, fine entry and a nice rocker too. Still pretty wide in the middle and the 2nd and 3rd panels should provide excellent secondary stability. As an open canoe, she is not suitable for surf but I think she will handle a little rough stuff well.

As I get more panels on, I can't help but think how functional she would be with shorter - Southwind style decks.

I am exploring my options with local species of light weight gunwhale timber at the moment. Hoop pine seems to be the best option at this stage, if I can get clear strips long enough. They will probably be the most expensive part of the boat.

Bow alignments plate,





Not as Elegent as Matt's but good 'nuff for me.

coming together



All stitched up

Mick,

I think you're going to enjoy that semi-rounded bottom cross-section hull. It will handle rough water similarly to the Southwind, I imagine. Being open, though, not as rough a water.

Expeditioning in this boat will be fun. It should carry almost as much as the Southwind.

G'day Jack,

Thanks mate.

Matt rates her load capacity at 650 pounds. At that, I think she will carry a heavier load than Southwind. 650 is way more than I will ever be likely to need.

Hull is tacked up.







Back to work tomorrow for a few days.

Will give the tacks time to set up properly before I remove the stitches.

looking really really good Mick.
I was wondering why You havent used any spacers?
Keep up the good work Mate