Second Sea Trial

After yesterday's trip to the lake, I was not convinced that the rowing seat was in the best location.  The boat seemed easily led off course.  Also seemed less stable than I liked.  Of course, I was comparing it to my own, much wider and heavier boat.

This morning, I made an easy way to move the boat from the trailer to the canoe cart.  Tried it out in my backyard and was delighted!

Drove to the lake, shifted the boat to the cart and rolled it to the water. While the boat was empty, I hung a plumb bob over a mark on the floor of the boat to find a way of measuring when the boat sat level.

I put the oars in their locks and set a new, temporary bench in the boat too. Instead of a wobbly bucket that was over 9" tall, todays bench is sturdy and only 7" tall.  I sat in the boat and moved the bench around until the bob was again hanging over its initial spot.  I marked the location of the bench on the floor of the boat.

I knew the boat was sitting level and I was satisfied.  I rowed into the lake a hundred yards and was impressed at how much more directionally stable it was.  The boat seemed more solid and less tippy too.  All good news.

Brought the boat home and was very surprised to see today's placement of the seat is about an inch different from yesterday's!

Why was the boat so much improved?  The new seat was much lower, making it less tippy.  The oars had been readjusted for this narrow boat.  Made it easier to keep going in a straight line.

I am now building the bench, then the adjustable foot braces.  The To-Do list is getting very short!

To The Lake!!!

I am behind in my writing here.  I have accomplished a few things that need reporting.

Once the slotted inner rail was in place, I rolled the boat over and went to work on the outside of the hull.  I did some sanding then applied a thin coat of thickened epoxy to the areas I'd applied before. With a light sanding, that was smooth enough to paint.

I made a nice set of moveable oarlocks.  Figured out a way to adjust them in increments of 2.5 inches, rather than the spacing of the slots, 5".

I wanted to use my utility trailer to haul these light boats, but the draw bar was way too short.  After some research and discussion with my fabricator son, I changed the old bar for one that gives me an extra 4' of distance from the trailer to the hitch.

Nothing left to do but go to the lake and see how the boat floats!  The boat sits level, with only part of its skeg under water

I sat in the boat, on a bucket, various distances from the bow.  My friend, Manfred stood on the shore and advised me whether the bow or stern were too low, or whether it sat on the water much like it did when empty.  My sitting in the boat lowered the boat an inch or so, and the boat sits flat.  The skeg was still not immersed.

 I attached my oars to the locks and of course, they are meant for a boat much wider than this one. Rowing was awkward and clumsy. I tried to make some determination about how well it tracked, but with such clumsy rowing, it was very difficult.  Save that for when the seat and foot rest are installed.