Pheather2
Welcome to my new 11.6lbs canoe!
Last update: February 24, 2026.
Last update: February 24, 2026.
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Over the 2024/2025 winter I began designing my second canoe. In my first canoe (Pheather) summary, I emphasized the entire chronological process. Here I plan to highlight some of the key aspects of the build and might ignore some of the steps taken if they simply repeat what I shared in the first summary.
I always welcome your feedback via the form on my homepage. I hope you enjoy this summary. For those who want to jump right to the end of the story, here is a piece CBC Kitchener created on August 5, 2025. And a little further down the page you will see a YouTube link to a 5 minute film I made about the whole process and the fun I have paddling in Victoria Park, Kitchener. 
Photo credit, Mathew McCarthy
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Small Boats Magazine did a nice little article on Pheather2. Click the picture to view....
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Paddling Magazine did a nice little article on Pheather2. Click the picture to view....
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Mathew McCarthy of the Waterloo Region Record took a nice shot for the front page.
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On rare occassion I have to wait for a train to pass.
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The sign where it all began. Notice boating is allowed!
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01. Goals of build:
I wanted to design an even lighter canoe that was also see through. I envisioned gliding effortlessly over the water while watching fish swim beneath me! And the lighter weight would make it even easier to tow behind my bicycle.
What follows is my list of ideas.
Please remember that my boats are only designed for calm waters.
1. Lower the top edge of the boat by a number of inches.
2. Clear skin.
3. Significantly fewer ribs.
4. Fewer stringers.
5. No kevlar rovings.
6. Reverse angle stems.
7. Thinner gunwales and keel.
8. Negative 1" sheer (top edge) from the center to the bow and stern.
9. Just under a 2" rocker (keel curve up to ends from center) bow and stern.
10. Towable by the same bicycle towing system I use for Pheather.
My very rough calculations gave me a target of somewhere around 15lbs.
What follows is my list of ideas.
Please remember that my boats are only designed for calm waters.
1. Lower the top edge of the boat by a number of inches.
2. Clear skin.
3. Significantly fewer ribs.
4. Fewer stringers.
5. No kevlar rovings.
6. Reverse angle stems.
7. Thinner gunwales and keel.
8. Negative 1" sheer (top edge) from the center to the bow and stern.
9. Just under a 2" rocker (keel curve up to ends from center) bow and stern.
10. Towable by the same bicycle towing system I use for Pheather.
My very rough calculations gave me a target of somewhere around 15lbs.
02. Playing with design
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I wanted as few stringers as possible to reduce weight. These are the long pieces of wood that run the entire length of the canoe. I had some fun designing with paper and then realised I needed to visualize it better. Knowing that the hull shape would be very similar to my original boat (but lower), I decided to grab some green painters tape and experiment with different stringer positions on my original boat. It was very quickly apparent what would work and what wouldn't!
I also came up with the idea of a 1/2 stringer as you can see in some of the pictures. I've got lots of strength at the ends, but needed more in the middle to both keep the boat strong and ensure that I maintained the maximum width needed for stability. The design I came up with included a negative sheer which means the bow and stern are lower than the center of the canoe. Part of my reasoning here is that when you slowly tip a canoe over, it always floods first at the center. This means that the bow and stern are never first to go--so why are they so high? Well usually it's because a canoe often must slice through big waves--but this boat is for calm waters only. That is the realization that motivated me to lower the ends, save weight, maintain function and maybe even look cool. |
A picture I studied from Pheather to determine where the waterline was and how much height I needed to keep the boat afloat! You can ignore the orange longboard wheels. I leave them on while I paddle and they support the boat when I'm 'trailering' it home with my bicycle.
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03. Station design
My approach with Pheather2 was to use the center station from Pheather and cut down the height of the canoe. I would cut off the 'top' of the boat by 4" making the new height just 9" compared to the original 13". I made this key height decision by studying video and pictues that I had taken of Pheather in action. I had to make sure the new boat would not take on water!
In addition, I decided to flatten out the bottom of the boat (side to side) slightly for even more stability. With this reduced height, one concern is whether the boat will have enough structure to keep its shape.
Next I had to consider the other stations for the build. Most builds of this type would typically have 12 to 15 stations--thats a lot of calculating and work to create them.
Five total stations proved effective (enough) for Pheather so I decided to stick with that number. I then decided to use the old stations as a starting point for the new boat.
My station numbering system from bow to stern is: 3,2,1,2,3.
I placed my newly designed station 1 in the Center of the strongback. I then placed #2 and #3 from Pheather in the front section and quickly realized they wouldn't work perfectly. Knowing I would soon adjust them, I traced them onto large paper so I would have a record of the original Pheather stations.
I then proceeded to adjust them until I was happy with the flow (fairing) of the boat. Once done, I transferred these shapes to newer plywood to create the final stations for Pheather2. Station #2 on the stern side was made slightly bigger as I wanted to play a little with making the boat somewhat asymmetrical. The idea was "sleek on the front end" to cut through the water and "slightly bulbus behind the seat" for more bouyancy.
As I made the stations, I carefully decided where 1" holes would be drilled. These would receive releaseable zip ties that would hold the stringers, keel and gunwales in place until the ribs were glued in.
In addition, I decided to flatten out the bottom of the boat (side to side) slightly for even more stability. With this reduced height, one concern is whether the boat will have enough structure to keep its shape.
Next I had to consider the other stations for the build. Most builds of this type would typically have 12 to 15 stations--thats a lot of calculating and work to create them.
Five total stations proved effective (enough) for Pheather so I decided to stick with that number. I then decided to use the old stations as a starting point for the new boat.
My station numbering system from bow to stern is: 3,2,1,2,3.
I placed my newly designed station 1 in the Center of the strongback. I then placed #2 and #3 from Pheather in the front section and quickly realized they wouldn't work perfectly. Knowing I would soon adjust them, I traced them onto large paper so I would have a record of the original Pheather stations.
I then proceeded to adjust them until I was happy with the flow (fairing) of the boat. Once done, I transferred these shapes to newer plywood to create the final stations for Pheather2. Station #2 on the stern side was made slightly bigger as I wanted to play a little with making the boat somewhat asymmetrical. The idea was "sleek on the front end" to cut through the water and "slightly bulbus behind the seat" for more bouyancy.
As I made the stations, I carefully decided where 1" holes would be drilled. These would receive releaseable zip ties that would hold the stringers, keel and gunwales in place until the ribs were glued in.
04. Boat length
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Length was a key decision point too. My ash stock was only 5' long so I was committed to scarfing (joining) wood together to make longer lengths. For some reason I was committed to 12' lengths for the cedar which would prove limiting to final boat length. I had enough extra stringers from my original build for all of the needs of Pheather2. I decided to test maximum length allowed by a 12' piece of cedar. I put one on the ground and bent it to what I thought would be the maximum arc needed and then measured how much length was lost. The result was 4" or 2" on each end. I built and placed the stems (bow and stern) on the strongback and held them with clamps temporarily. For the stems I used 1/2" plywood and later paid a price for not using marine grade 'waterproof' plywood. Check out section 21 for the little disaster I had to work around when the longboard wheels fell off!
I then put the four 12' cedar stringers in place to see where they landed on the stems. My stem design (see next section) allowed for a boat that is going to be longer than 12' as the stem itself adds to the boat length! Pheather: 11'11" Pheather2: 12' 5" I'm looking forward to seeing if that longer length allows for better glide. And will the stems cut through the water just right? Seat placement fore/aft will play a key role. |
Scarfing pieces of ash together. The parchment paper just keeps the glue from making a mess. West Systems epoxy was used.
The little pencil line is a 'registration' mark. I take a moment to decide (prior to epoxy) what the exact correct position is for the scarf. A little pencil mark is then applied so that when I am working expeditiously with the epoxy installed, I can simply line up the mark and clamp it. Doing this on a long and level bench ensures proper alignment.
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05. Stem angle
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A second design decision regarded the stems of the boat. Being a calm water boat, there was no need for a bow to smash through waves and part the water. In fact, through video study of Pheather, I realised that the front tip of the boat barely cuts through the water. By having the stem flow back from the ends, I would save weight. And it might look cool. This design historically was called a kootenay, sturgeon or Yaksumit canoe.
As I started to put the boat together I decided to temporarily put a piece of western red cedar in the keel position. I used cedar (leftover unused stringers from the Pheather build) because I was still working on scarfing some ash together to make the keel and gunwales. From the picture you can see that the cedar (stringer) is oversized but it allowed me to study the flow of the boat. I did learn something important by this action. My notch in the stem where the keel is received should not be horizontal. It should be cut on an angle that matches the rocker on that part of the boat. So I will need to adjust the notch for a better fit. |
I've filled in a very thin red triangle at the top of this picture to highlight the incorrect angle of the stem where it receives the keel. The stem will need to be adjusted. We will see if this is possible without having to recreate the entire stem.
Note the stems angling back.
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06. Experiments with 4oz Dacron
Note: this is definitely an experimental section where I test boat skins. Feel free to skip ahead to section 07 if you want to really focus on Pheather2.
My plan for Pheather 2 was to use 20 gauge vinyl for a clear skin and I was excited to source some from JT Fabrics in Barrie, Ontario. Great people and great service. They sent me a sample and I will need to order a number of yards for my canoe.
But I also got a sample of the 4oz dacron they sell. I think its tough enough for my calm water application but I wanted to test it. It will certainly help with the goal of minimizing weight. So I got a sample of this too and they were kind enough to send a bigger sample than their usual business card size. My first canoe (Pheather) uses 9oz dacron.
I attached the square foot of fabric to a very crude frame with the intent of testing it's appropriateness. This section outlines what I learned.
If it's a go, I'll order their vinyl and 4oz dacron and hopefully save a little on shipping it all together. If the vinyl works, that will be great. If it's a good failure, I'll have the 4oz dacron ready to go. (July 2025 update--I only ordered the vinyl).
My plan for Pheather 2 was to use 20 gauge vinyl for a clear skin and I was excited to source some from JT Fabrics in Barrie, Ontario. Great people and great service. They sent me a sample and I will need to order a number of yards for my canoe.
But I also got a sample of the 4oz dacron they sell. I think its tough enough for my calm water application but I wanted to test it. It will certainly help with the goal of minimizing weight. So I got a sample of this too and they were kind enough to send a bigger sample than their usual business card size. My first canoe (Pheather) uses 9oz dacron.
I attached the square foot of fabric to a very crude frame with the intent of testing it's appropriateness. This section outlines what I learned.
If it's a go, I'll order their vinyl and 4oz dacron and hopefully save a little on shipping it all together. If the vinyl works, that will be great. If it's a good failure, I'll have the 4oz dacron ready to go. (July 2025 update--I only ordered the vinyl).
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I stapled the fabric to a crude frame and then began to shrink it so that I could then apply a two part urethane from Corey Freedman's company Skinboats.org. Dacron apparently shrinks a little over 10%.
As soon as the iron was hot, it released some contaminates from the iron. Note to self--always heat it up and then rub it hard onto a paper towel to clean off as much as possible. And maybe there is a product I could apply to make it even cleaner. |
Look how I marred the dacron with the junk from the iron! Luckily this was a test and not the final boat!
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The first test was to shrink it with the iron. Note the before and after picture included here. It did shrink well which will provide a nice tight skin.
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You can clearly see wrinkles on in the first picture prior to applying the iron. In the second picture the skin is nice and tight.
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While I had the test going I decided it was a good time to see what would happen if I left he hot iron on the material. It was on a hot setting for over 1 minute and it did not burn. It also did not shrink the skin additionally. It had already achieved maximum shrinkage.
Good knowledge to have! |
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Corey Freedman often applies his urethane with a long plastic scraper. I decided to use a piece of wood with a very distinct edge and the result was the top half of the picture you see here.
But I then hit it with the roller and it made for an improved surface. You can see the actual roller I used in the previous picture behind the iron. This is coat one. More coats to come and then a test to see if it can keep out the water! Update April 20--it's still sticky! Maybe my 2 year old urethane is beyond use.... I've decided to stick with 20 gauge clear vinyl. |
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07. Stringer angle
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The stringers need to be glued to the stems. During skin installation, the cloth is flung over the boat and then attached to the gunwales. The iron then shrinks the fabric over each stringer. The stringers play a key role in telling the cloth where it must flow around the boat. The best situation is where there is a nice flat spot where the cloth flows over each stringer. In the first picture shown here, you can see that stringer B ends up with a sharp edge. The gunwales, keel and Stringer A are all pretty good or fair.
So what to do? Usually, one would take a block plane to Stringer B and 'fair' it towards its intended purpose. I might do this. But I might also try to steam the ends of this stringer and twist both ends into position. This action might allow for less reduction (fairing) of the stringer leading to a stronger boat. Then again, as the stringers are converging together at the stems, perhaps this is worrying about nothing! Update July, 2025. I glued them on without attempting to steam both ends. |
This picture shows beautifully how Stringer B ends up on an angle. And not only would the outside need fairing, but the inside would need to be trimmed to make a flush surface where it must meet the stem. Now we are losing a lot of strength!
And perhaps you are seeing the air gap under the keel where it is supposed to slide into the bottom of the stem! Further down the page we explore this issue.
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08. Rocker
I carried my first canoe (Pheather) out to our front sidewalk. I wanted to measure the rocker. The measuring tape said 3" on the bow and 1" on the stern. Of course the fluke of where the boat was sitting might have played a role. And our sidewalk is on a hill. But safe to assume perhaps that overall we had 4" of rocker distributed across the hull front to back. I decided that maybe just under 2" front and back would be the goal. This rocker in my mind would accomplish two goals. It would allow for easy turning of the boat and the slight curvature of the keel would add to the hope that the boat would hold its shape. I find that a strip of wood under tension (in arc) holds its shape better than one in a neutral (straight) position. I'd love your input on this theory! I've included a couple of pictures below where I explore what I have learned on this topic.
Checking the rocker on Pheather.
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The actual rocker on Pheather2. Looks like 2 3/4" on the bow and 2" on the stern. Unless the sloped ground I was on changed the distribution of weight. The stern was 'downhill' from the bow. Maybe gravity lowered the stern. Clearly I should do the same test on level ground!
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This picture shows the result of placing an 8lb weight on (left column) a straight piece of wood and (right column) an arched piece of wood.
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So now let's apply what we have learned to the ribs of a canoe. Study the picture below. Notice that I have flipped the original pictures upside down which allows us to apply this learning to the situation of water pushing up on a rib.
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09. Gunwale angles wrong
June 27, 2025.
I had packed up the build for a couple of months as my dear wife Lorna was quite ill. Packing everything up was a physical act which helped me prepare for the journey we needed to embark on together. Life has priorities.
We have now entered a new phase of the journey and many obstacles and challenges await. With Lorna being more stable though we decided that I should restart my boat project.
I began by pulling out the strongback again, attaching the stations and stems and laying out the stringers.
As I put the stations back on the strongback and put an eye down the gunwale from the bow, I noticed that the angles were just wrong. My gunwale of ash was not going to follow that wonky path--see yellow arrows in the picture. So I got out my orbital sander with 50 grit paper and took down the 4 angles needing attention--two towards the front (each side) and two towards the back. I could have simply made the center station more vertical but that would have added another inch or so to the width at the gunwale and created more knuckle bashing risks during each stroke of the paddle.
I had packed up the build for a couple of months as my dear wife Lorna was quite ill. Packing everything up was a physical act which helped me prepare for the journey we needed to embark on together. Life has priorities.
We have now entered a new phase of the journey and many obstacles and challenges await. With Lorna being more stable though we decided that I should restart my boat project.
I began by pulling out the strongback again, attaching the stations and stems and laying out the stringers.
As I put the stations back on the strongback and put an eye down the gunwale from the bow, I noticed that the angles were just wrong. My gunwale of ash was not going to follow that wonky path--see yellow arrows in the picture. So I got out my orbital sander with 50 grit paper and took down the 4 angles needing attention--two towards the front (each side) and two towards the back. I could have simply made the center station more vertical but that would have added another inch or so to the width at the gunwale and created more knuckle bashing risks during each stroke of the paddle.
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Better. After adjusting the red station the gunwale had a fair path to follow!
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10. Keel too low
As I placed the stringers and keel onto the boat I realised I had a small problem. The stringers were thick and the keel was thin. Without a fix the keel would not be the lowest part of the boat. My solution was to glue in some shims at the center point of stations 2,1 and 2. This action increased the rocker slightly but I was fine with that. The stringers might still be a bit high, but I plan to sand (fair) them down to a perfect angle for the vinyl. There is actually a benefit to what happened here. Because the rib follows the inside of the boat next to the stringers and keel, the fact that the stringers are thicker and the keel is thinner means that there will be more of an arc to the rib. More arc means more strength or ability to hold it's shape.
To illustrate what I'm thinking here consider this experiment:
Hold a very thin piece of wood (one or two feet long) between your two hands. Have someone push down from on top in the center and you will note you get instant flex. Next, bend the wood in your two hands so that there is a slight arc (up) to the wood on the top side. Have your volunteer push down in the center again. Note the significant strength the arc creates. This observation applies to my canoe. A flat bottom boat might have flex issues. But if an arc can be built (via rocker), the shape will hold.
To illustrate what I'm thinking here consider this experiment:
Hold a very thin piece of wood (one or two feet long) between your two hands. Have someone push down from on top in the center and you will note you get instant flex. Next, bend the wood in your two hands so that there is a slight arc (up) to the wood on the top side. Have your volunteer push down in the center again. Note the significant strength the arc creates. This observation applies to my canoe. A flat bottom boat might have flex issues. But if an arc can be built (via rocker), the shape will hold.
You can see the shim (white wood) on Station 1 just under the keel. This ensures that it is the lowest part of the boat and improves the ability to get good arc on the rib. I'm using a thin piece of wood to mimic a rib in this picture. See how the thicker stringer vs thinner keel also helps increase the arc and therefore strength of the boat.
11. Keel meets stem at a bad angle
I placed my two stems on the strongback. And at some point I placed the keel in its place for a test fit. Low and behold there was a gap--see the 4 little yellow arrows.
You will note that this issue had been glanced at earlier in this summary.
And upon reflection, of course there would be, as my boat had and inch or two of rocker! The boat swoops up from the center to allow for easier turning and better water entry of the bow. And yet I had cut my stems as if there was zero rocker.
My pencil marks show the required wood removal which I tackled with a japanese saw. Once ready, I placed West Systems epoxy on both surfaces and zip tied it together to dry.
You will note that this issue had been glanced at earlier in this summary.
And upon reflection, of course there would be, as my boat had and inch or two of rocker! The boat swoops up from the center to allow for easier turning and better water entry of the bow. And yet I had cut my stems as if there was zero rocker.
My pencil marks show the required wood removal which I tackled with a japanese saw. Once ready, I placed West Systems epoxy on both surfaces and zip tied it together to dry.
On the top photo you can see the air between the two parts. Although I could have glued it down by pushing down a little, the flow lines would not be ideal. Why not make a little adjustment for a better boat?
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You can see the saw in action here. I also gave it a little sanding before the epoxy application. Note in the bottom right where I clean up the angles after installing the keel.
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12. Boat Assembly
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After the stringers, gunwales and keel are attached to the stations via releaseable zip ties it's time to bend some ribs. This boat uses non kiln-dried ash soaked for a few days in our cistern.
I started steaming first thing in the morning by firing up the steamer. It's just a long pine box with water drain holes, a number of dowels inserted across to create two airborne racks, and an input for the steam hose. Two hours later I had all 9 ribs installed. Here is my process: Once the steam hit 200F degrees or more I started loading in the ribs, one at a time. I think I used a 10 minute time lag between each rib load as I of course needed time to actually install each rib at the end of each steam cycle. Once each rib steamed for 16 minutes I grabbed it with gloves and performed the bend. I then clamped it at each location and left it all overnight to dry to let the wood learn its new position in life. Later the clamps would be removed and then reattached once the epoxy was brushed onto the two surfaces. Included here is a link to a YouTube video I created to show some of the finer points of rib install. 
The 9 ribs soaked and ready for steaming. I layed them out by the boat first to determine which rib would go at each position. Notice for example two on the left (bow) and one on the right has a piece of green tape. This marks a weak spot. Putting them near the end means I still have lots of length to match the need.
Here is a screen grab from the video I've included. It shows me clamping the rib at the gunwale. Next, I would rush to the other side and repeat the bending process.
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My steam box setup. I would write the load times on the top of the box.
I measure the temperature in my steam box at three points. I start writing the temps so that I can see if I'm getting close to a target temp of over 200F.
The angle of the box is important. Almost level is best so that the steam moves around freely to all areas. The angle allows the water to flow out holes on the low side.
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The one broken rib. Note the change in the grain pattern that was the cause of the break. Straight grain is key.
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Fortunately the break was towards the end of the rib. To save the install I just slid the rib further to one end which allowed the break to appear after the gunwale. Later I would trim the rib down to flush with the top of the gunwale.
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At this stage, the boat weighted 7.4lbs!
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13. Broken stringer/rib joint
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The day after applying the epoxy I was motivated to make a little video of me balancing the canoe with my thumb. My actions were smooth, but at one point I heard a pop. After studying the canoe I realized that one of my joints had broken.
Oh dear. If I am to be very specific, the joint did NOT actually break. The epoxy held! But at this joint, the wood to wood contact was one little edge. Under stress the stringer vs rib broke apart by separating the wood on the stringer! A great example of the power of epoxy. The epoxy was fine, the contact point was too small. But let's think about this by thinking of an extreme. What if I had full contact? Could it still break apart? Well it actually might! So what could be done? I realised a great lesson through this situation and now realize why people like Brian Schultz of Cape Falcon Kayak bind the joints together with cord thus holding the two pieces of wood entirely together. Lesson learned. I may now consider lashing key joints, especially if contact is not robust. July update: I lashed all cedar to ash joints. |
Note the little piece of cedar wood that broke right off the stringer. The epoxy held strong!
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Lashing on top of the epoxy.
Hmmmmm.....
In future I think I may skip the epoxy.
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Tightening a lashing.
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14. Build Decks for Bow and Stern
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July 12/13, 2025.
I wanted decks for this boat to add strength and have a little fun. They would support the ends of the boat as they connected with my bicycle (bow) and skateboard wheels (stern). Clamping the decks in place took some creative efforts. 
Bow.
Stern.
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Clamping on angles that are not parrallel creates challenges as the clamps want to slip. The bottom right clamp was placed so that its bar would jam agains the stern stem. This stopped it somewhat from sliding towards the tip of the boat as I screwed it down. On the far side I placed a little piece of bicycle innertub to give the plastic clamp a bit of grip against the ash wood. Once this clamp was in place I put the big clamp across the top to push the deck in towards the stem. This ensured good contact for the glue to set.
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15. Vinyl Skin adhesive
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I purchased 20 gauge vinyl from JT's Outdoor Fabrics in Barrie, Ontario. It weighs 12.9 ounces per square yard.
As I got closer to the use of this material for the first time I wanted to make sure I maximized my chances of success. My research had shown that a product called HH66 was the best adhesive. Their specifications said it would stick to wood but I decided to investigate further by contacting the company. They confirmed that it "should bond" but recommend I perform a 24 hr test. So I did. I'm not convinced I applied enough to each contact surfact (wood and vinyl) but proceeded with the test. The instructions state that the adhesive should sit for 2-5 minutes until tacky prior to bringing them together. With the extreme heat of the day it was almost dried out in just over 1 minute. I proceeded to push the test pieces together, push a smooth stick against the joint and then let it sit. The next morning, about 15 hours later, I gave it a test tug and it was sticky but still releasing. I expected this and so left it for the rest of the 24hrs. After 24hrs I was satisfied that it would work. |
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While the test joint was curing I experimented with staples in case this became the necessary attachment approach. The few other enthusiasts that I have found on the web use staples.
I changed my stapler to 1/4" staples and then put two staples into the vinyl where it had lifted up. I then gave each a tap with the hammer. Next I played with trying to tear it off and was impressed with how strong the hold was. If I use this method I might dab each staple with HH66 as an extra precaution. July 2025 update: I used no staples. |
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16. Vinyl skin test fit
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I had heard that fitting a vinyl skin has some challenges. I've also heard conflicting reports about whether stretching it with a heat gun is possible. My conclusion is that I should not mess with its structure. I will try to fit it, as is, as best as possible.
I decided to try to learn a little about the upcoming challenges of the fit by testing with some cloth or other material. I happened to see a junk piece of plastic and decided to try to fit it around the bow of the boat. I learned a few things but clearly the test was pretty flaky. Then it hit me that I could use a clear drop sheet--which I had! So I covered the entire boat and started to learn about the fitting challenges. It was actually a cool moment when I saw my boat covered for the first time. I started my study at the front of the canoe but quickly realized I need to dry clamp the entire boat as it was unknown if I might have challenges in the middle section too. As it turned out, my half rib might create some issues of uneven skin flow. As it 'falls off' the end of the half rib, it might create a depression of vinyl. We will see. At the ends, I was able to think about how the vinyl will flow over the front. Key will be where I can staple if left only with that option. I've determined that the vinyl will still flow flat over the gunwale about 8" back from the front/top of the stem. If I were to staple closer to the front, the vinyl will arc out from the staple, placing a pulling action on the staple. I will have to rely on the attachment at the front of the stem to provide the necessary holding power. The last picture in this section highlights some of the challenges that may appear as I tackle the vinyl installation at the ends of the boat. I don't want the vinyl collaping between the stringers near the stems as this would really mess with the glide of the boat. Or would it? I am hopeful that my waterline at the very front is about equal to the bottom of the boat with the keel just breaking the surface. That is one of the main reasons for my approximate 2" of rocker. At a minimum though, loose vinyl would not be aesthetically pleasing. |
The bottom half of this picture clearly shows how the vinyl will 'drop off' the end of the partial rib. Could be trouble.
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17. Trailer adjustments
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I've been pulling my other canoe (Pheather) behind my bicycle for a few years now. The stem on Pheather is thicker than Pheather2 so the receiver on the hitch has a large receiver for this thick stem.
For Pheather2 I knew I would need to build a new trailering system OR create removeable shims that could be inserted into the receiver to make for a good fit. When I first slid Pheather2's stem into the receiver I was shocked! I had built my boat incorrectly! I clearly had made a mistake on the strongback or station placements or some other unknown trouble. All these thoughts raced through my mind. I knew that for me personally, this was a very new project--a one off. Brand new for me. I was prepared for mistakes. I knew I would be challenged by unexpected events. But then I took a breath.... And realised that what happened was that the canoe was simply 'floating' in the receiver that was too large. And when I put it down on the ground it just happened to settle in a maximim bent location leading to my concerns. So I built some shims and all was good. I've included a YouTube video in this section to show the Longboad wheels in action. |
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18. Vinyl skin install
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Friday, July 18, 2025.
Yesterday (Thursday) I installed the 20 gauge vinyl on Pheather2. What a day! My wife and I started out by driving to the St. Jacobs market and loading up on fresh Ontario produce from our favourite sellers. After that fun outing it was time to get to the boat! I did this part of the project outside on our driveway as I wanted to avoid the wicked fumes from the HH66 adhesive. I began by rolling out and centering the 5 yards of vinyl over the bottom of the boat as it sat in the stations upside down. Then I stuck a line of green painters tape on top of the vinyl where it rested on the keel to help me know where I needed to apply the HH66. I then propped up the vinyl near the bow and applied the adhesive to both the vinyl and the keel making sure they did not touch until a 2 minute cure time had passed. Next I slowly dropped the vinyl onto the keel (using the green tape on the vinyl as a guide) and rolled the joint (did I just say that?) with a little hard roller to ensure a good stick. I then proceeded to finish the rest of the keel. Next I tackled the gunwales which were easier to get at. I was a bit surprised that I did get some creases. Upon reflection, I should not have been surprised as my boat has rocker! Since the bow and stern arc away from the center of the boat it is natural that the skin would not sit perfectly. I left the ends for another time. It was time for a break. Today (Friday) I was able to seal the bow and stern of the boat. I had thought about how I might approach this task. Would I tackle one side only of each end and then let them cure? I decided to tackle both sides of the boat, bow and stern. I convinced myself that this was a decision based on best chance of success vs simply wanting to finish the boat and get it on the water! I applied HH66 to the vinyl and stem on one side of the boat and stretched the vinyl around the front. Once in place, I trimmed the excess. Then I got ready to pull the other side over the front. This action would then bind the far side to the first side and they could cure together. But I realised I had to do the final cut of the vinyl before applying it. I would not want to glue it on and then have to cut off the excess as this would risk a puncture of the skin! This was a decision on the fly and highlighted that you can plan forever and miss something. I marked my finish time as 9:02am and realised that I could test paddle Pheather2 on Saturday at 9:02am as that would be when the 24hr cure time was accomplished. Can you tell I want to get this boat launched? I've now loaded a video of this part of the build. |
Ends still unfinished....
This picture shows the vinyl skin but also highlights the few ribs I decided to install. Usually about double the numbe of ribs would have been steam bent into shape but I decided to say no to ribs and yes to less weight. The front portion of the boat remains extremely strong.
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So now I wait. I'm typing this the same day as I want to embrace this moment. I've been working for some time on the design and build of Pheather2 and it was a moment when I realised it was done. And now the anticipation....
I actually got down to Victoria Park today and paddled two loops of the whole waterway with Pheather--a more robust canoe. As I paddled, I thought of how it might go tomorrow. Would Pheather2 hold together with only 9 ribs? Were the gunwales too low making me swamp? Would the vinyl hold on the gunwales? Then I decided to let it all go and trust that I had done my homework, or at least enough homework. I never want to get to analysis/paralysis. It is definitely time to test--yes with a lifejacket.
It's at moments like this where we often end up having a good discussion about failure. The message promoted usually is that failure is not failure. Failure is good. Failure is how we learn. And all of these statments are of course true. But why do we persist in outlining these truths as if the world does not believe it? It's actually a disservice to dwell on the discussion. I hope to move forward and focus on what can be done, and what is next. If I end up in the water tomorrow, there will be things to learn and adjustments to be made. Bring it on!
I actually got down to Victoria Park today and paddled two loops of the whole waterway with Pheather--a more robust canoe. As I paddled, I thought of how it might go tomorrow. Would Pheather2 hold together with only 9 ribs? Were the gunwales too low making me swamp? Would the vinyl hold on the gunwales? Then I decided to let it all go and trust that I had done my homework, or at least enough homework. I never want to get to analysis/paralysis. It is definitely time to test--yes with a lifejacket.
It's at moments like this where we often end up having a good discussion about failure. The message promoted usually is that failure is not failure. Failure is good. Failure is how we learn. And all of these statments are of course true. But why do we persist in outlining these truths as if the world does not believe it? It's actually a disservice to dwell on the discussion. I hope to move forward and focus on what can be done, and what is next. If I end up in the water tomorrow, there will be things to learn and adjustments to be made. Bring it on!
19. Launch!
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July 19, 2025
Today was the day! I woke up too early with excitement and made of list of the key things not to forget. I had to take off the clamps, install the seat (after a little adjustment) and put on the longboard wheels along with a number of other minor items. Then I weighed the boat! My goal was around 15 lbs and it came in at 10 pounds 6 ounces! Once I added the seat it came out at 11.6 lbs. I checked my list one more time and began my ride to Victoria Park. I was confident the boat would perform well on the trail as I had given it a bit of a test ride without the skin. I got to the lake and set everything up and then carefully entered the boat. It initially felt weird but I almost expected this. I was unsure if the boat was designed tippy or was I needing to learn the boat's characteristics? It quickly proved to be the later and I enjoyed two loops of the waterway. What a blast! It worked! It didn't sink. It didn't tip me out and it didn't leak! I then hooked it back to the bike and rode home feeling great about my outing. I've had it out twice more since the initial launch and I'm really enjoying it. Seeing the water break over the front of the boat from the inside is wild. I've had great conversations with many interested park visitors. 1.3 million people have seen it on Reddit with lots of interesting comments. One comment of note was a gentleman who said that my boat is lighter than his cat! And today (July 23) CBC dropped by the park to record for a story they are now working on. Two little boys realised that my boat is about 1/2 the weight of their baby sister! Good fun together in a public park. 
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A feather floats into Pheather2!
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20. Post build observations
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July, 2025.
I've been out a number of times now and there are always things to learn. Here are a few of them.... 1. I've noticed that the few splashes that enter the boat can get trapped by the stringers. And the vinyl might be holding the water against the cedar wood. I'll have to keep an eye on this situation. For a dacron skin, perhaps the water can wick out of the trapped area. I would not want wood rot to appear. 2. A video I took showed me that my little stand on the back of the longboard truck slices through the water. The purpose of this little stand I turned on my lathe is to act as an attachment point for a rear facing flashing red light during transportation. This drag is not a great situation as it might slow me down! I did get a new light and was able to shorten the attachment point. I'll have to see if I've solved the issue through a new video. |
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21. The longboard wheels fell off!
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On Sunday, August 10, 2025 I had a great little paddle in Victoria Park.
But on the way home the wheels fell off! I had felt a bit of play in the wheels during a pre-ride check and made a note to give it a full checkup. But I should have acted earlier. It fell apart on the way home as I crossed out of the park at City Cafe Bakery. Upon analysis it appears that the non-waterproof plywood of the stem had deteriorated. The shims I was using in the slot of the receiver (to make the fit better) seemed to have some wetness which told me water had infiltrated the plywood--not a good situation. I ended up rolling my bicycle up the Iron Horse Trail while carrying my 11.6 pound canoe. I slid the wheel contraption onto my back through the top of my life jacket. I rested about 4 times and changed hands occassionally but it was not a big deal. On the way home I started thinking of what the fix would involve. Clearly I had lost some important structure in my canoe stem. I had used shims to widen the stem to fit into the larger receiver of the wheel contraption. Maybe I could glue new shims to the stem to give it more beef and hold everything together. So that is what I did. I began by cutting off the rot and then cut a little half round piece to fill the hole that was left. Then I made two shims being careful to get the thickness right so they would fit into the receiver. Then another little piece of plywood to fill the gap completed the part production. I then put it all together using West Systems epoxy and clamped it for 24 hours. This morning (Tuesday, August 12) I put the wheel contraption onto the canoe and drilled two 1/4" holes through the joined items to receive two pins. I wanted to drill into the good plywood from the original stem but had to consider the challenge that I was getting prettly close to the edge of the wood of the receiver--I would not want that to be a weak point. Considering that it was a piece of hardwood and quite thick, I decided it was sufficient. Once the pins were installed, off I went and it held well! Update: August 27th, 2025. I've been out many times with Pheather2 since the fix and it remains strong. |
Here I'm checking out the breakage behind City Cafe Bakery. I first had to decide how to get home. Check out the rot on the end of the canoe stem.
First we see the rot that I had to cut off. Then you can observe the two thin shims that got epoxied onto the side of the stem with two other pieces of wood inside the sandwich. Check out the video below to view the epoxy process.
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22. After over 50 outings with Pheather2
October 14, 2025.
I've been out canoeing in Victoria Park 78 times so far this year, and over 50 of those were with Pheather2. I have still never met another boater in the 5 years I've been doing this. Boating IS allowed and there are signs posted around the lake.
The boat has been wonderful. It's fast, it accelerates well, is easy to turn and still amazes me as I look through the clear skin as it slices through the water. It's light weight makes towing it with my bicycle a dream. I actually switched back to Pheather while I was fixing the broken stem and I noticed the increased weight (20lbs) was slowing me down during the bike ride. I've realised that as I ride home, the little water that gathers in the boat (usually from changing sides with the paddle) gathers at the back of the boat near the wheels and then flows into the rear attachment point. Knowing this will usuallly be wet, I have started removing the wheel system once home to let it all dry out. I don't want another collapse of my trailering sytem!
It was fun to get a front page picture in the local newspaper along with inclusion in the February, 2026 issue of WoodenBoat magazine. I've now also been featured in Small Boat Magazine.
To end, I'll mention a little short video I made.
Click here to see my "Strength Training with a Canoe" short.
I've been out canoeing in Victoria Park 78 times so far this year, and over 50 of those were with Pheather2. I have still never met another boater in the 5 years I've been doing this. Boating IS allowed and there are signs posted around the lake.
The boat has been wonderful. It's fast, it accelerates well, is easy to turn and still amazes me as I look through the clear skin as it slices through the water. It's light weight makes towing it with my bicycle a dream. I actually switched back to Pheather while I was fixing the broken stem and I noticed the increased weight (20lbs) was slowing me down during the bike ride. I've realised that as I ride home, the little water that gathers in the boat (usually from changing sides with the paddle) gathers at the back of the boat near the wheels and then flows into the rear attachment point. Knowing this will usuallly be wet, I have started removing the wheel system once home to let it all dry out. I don't want another collapse of my trailering sytem!
It was fun to get a front page picture in the local newspaper along with inclusion in the February, 2026 issue of WoodenBoat magazine. I've now also been featured in Small Boat Magazine.
To end, I'll mention a little short video I made.
Click here to see my "Strength Training with a Canoe" short.
And in February of 2026, I spent an enjoyable evening with the Elora Outdoor Club talking a little about my snow sculpting adventures and a lot about my boating adventures!
The Pheather2 appearance in the Launching section of WoodenBoat was separate from the article....
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