Mochi and Colleen's Project Page

Building the Canoe

I took the canoe off the strongback. It was relatively easy. I knocked out the molds with a hammer while the canoe remained supported by the stem molds at the bow and stern. Then a little wigglin' loosened her up from them and Colleen came down to help me lift her up and over and onto several cardboard boxes placed on the floor. It was wonderful to see her from this new perspective; right-side-up, a vessel for carrying us across the waterways of this world. The inside is quite a contrast to the smooth shiny hull; unstained rough edges with lots of glue drips. It will take me most of this week to fair up the interior getting it ready for fiberglassing. But first...will she make it out of the basement???

Click Play to Find Out :)

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The canoe is now in the garage where I can work without fear of waking Ambiana or encurring the wrath of her mommy about supposedly toxic effects of the work. I spent last week fairing up the interior of the hull and on Saturday I fiberglassed the inside. It was much tougher than the outside as gravity pulled the cloth down and I had to deal with lots of air pockets and bubbles. She only needed 2 coats though and I got most of the bubbles out and the few that remain I can easily deal with by sanding and resealing. There is not much I can do until we get back and then I will add the gunwales, the decks and the thwart as well as the seats. Then I have to find some paddles and we'll be ready to take her out! I can almost guarantee that I will be finished with the canoe before Colleen finishes her quilt!