Building stonefly

[Auntie]

Hey

I am thinking of building your stonefly canoe and I have read your book. In another post you mention that you are not sure if people are interested in canoes of this type. Well I love the look of the stonefly.

In your description of this canoe you mention it has very hard tracking. I am wondering if the design could be modified by adding a little bit more rocker (say 1 inch) to the boat. Would it work to adjust the vertical placements of all the forms above the strong back..so that the end result is a little more rocker? Thinking of using either some math to adjust each station accordingly or just use a batten to show me the new placements. Would like to do this only because I tend to paddle in flat quiet water and love to poke into little nooks and crannies. Hard tracking might not let me do that. Along those same lines could this boat be built slightly longer or shorter by adjusting the distance between the forms?

thanks.

[Kudzu]

Honestly I don't have a good answer since I have never tried changing the spacings on the frames. One thing I have learned is that old rule of physic applies, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. OK, that is little extreme but if you improve something you are typically hurting/changing something else. When you start changing strange things can happen so I just can't recommend it.

As for adding more rocker by just raising the frames will not work. The Gunwales are so strong that as soon as you take it off the strong back it will start to slowly push the boat back into the shape it is designed. So I know for a fact that will not work.

As for the tracking, it will turn but it is not like a typical canoe and will not spin around on a dime. I don't want a canoe person to build it then hate it. It's more like a sea kayak than a canoe. So you can paddle creeks with it, I do mine, but it will not spin around.

Edited September 9, 2011 by Kudzu
Typos, typed to fast

[Auntie]

HI Jeff

thanks for the input. It's always my tendency to dink around with plans patterns etc, but you are right. Guess I'll just buy the plans and use them the way they are intended.

I really do like the look of the Stonefly canoe. The stems have a nice no nonsense profile, None of the 'lets make it look more like a "real" canoe" by adding unnecessary recurves and gingerbread. Besides that would just distract from the big cushie recliner seat I am going to drop in.

thanks again

auntie

[Kudzu]

Not bragging but I think it is a gorgeous boat. I am still impressed when I look at the photos of it on the water.

[jason joel]

i actually have stonefly set as my screen saver. that white skin and red cedar just looks like a million dollar piece of artwork! i wish when i build my firefly i could use a red cedar somewhere to be seen. it would be cool to have a 4x8 sheet of it !!

[Kudzu]

BTW, I don't remember if I posted this on the forum or not? Someone just pointed out a problem in the table of offsets. The frame spacing in the tables were listed in feet instead of feet and inches. The dimensions were correct but since ever thing else was in feet and inches it is very confusing!

At the very end of the book I listed a web page where I would post any corrections and I just posted the clarifications on this.

[jason joel]

jeff. i just lofted the stonefly frames from your fuselagebook igot from you. and all is explained verry easy and ive done the first four in a row starting with the 2 ft frame then 4ft and so on. my question is how many frames have to be slotted for the floor boards? thanks

[Kudzu]

What ever you want.

I ran mine toward both ends of the boat so I could sit a tackle box, cooler or what ever on them. But you really only need from the front of the seat to the next frame. Anything past that is extra and would depend on how you want to use the boat. Making them shorter hurts nothing and saves a pound or two maybe.

[jason joel]

well frames are cut out and sanded and board are planed to size for my stonefly. my question since there are know frame brackets do you juse a 2by foor for a strongback? every thing keeps faaling over!!!!!!!!!

[jason joel]

just seen a pic of the build i figured it out.