Difference between revisions of "AY Honors/Canoe Building/Answer Key"

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[[Image:Dlubanka swidnica 2.jpg|thumb|250px|A Slavic dugout boat from the 10th century]]
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{{HonorSubpage}}
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A '''dugout''' is a [[boat]] which is basically a hollowed tree trunk. Other names for this type of boat are '''logboat''' and '''monoxylon'''. ''Monoxylon'' (''μονόξυλον'') (pl: '''monoxyla''') is Greek -- ''mono'' (single) + ''xylon'' (tree) -- and is mostly used in classic Greek texts.
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<!-- 1. What trees in your area are used for building canoes? Name them in your language. Are they considered softwoods or hardwoods? -->
 +
In the Pacific Islands, dugout canoes are very large, made from whole mature trees and fitted with outriggers for increased stability in the ocean, and were once used for long-distance travel. Such are the very large waka used by Māori who ventured to New Zealand many centuries ago. Such vessels carried 40 to 80 warriors in sheltered waters or smaller numbers thousands of miles across the Pacific ocean. In Hawaii, canoes are traditionally manufactured from the trunk of the koa (''Acacia koa'') tree. They typically carry a crew of six: one steersman and five paddlers.
  
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Dugouts are the oldest boats archaeologists have found. In Germany they are called '''Einbaum''' (English translation: One tree). Einbaum dug-out boat finds in Germany date back to the [[Stone Age]].
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<!--T:3-->
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Along with bark and hide [[canoe]]s, these dugout boats were used by [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|American Indians]]. This is probably because they are made of massive pieces of wood, which tend to preserve better than, e.g., bark [[canoe]]s.  
+
In Africa, African Teak is the timber favored for their construction, though this comprises a number of different species, and is in short supply in some areas.
  
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[[Image:Boats at the shore of the malawi lake.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Dugouts on the shore of Lake Malawi]]
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<!--T:4-->
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==Construction==
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In the Pacific Northwest (US and Canada) cedar trees were used to make canoes.
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[[Image:Dugout canoe manner boats de bry.jpg|thumb|250px|American Indians making a dugout canoe, 1590]]
 
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[[Image:Dcp 5863.jpg|thumb|250px|Building a sea-going dugout canoe 10 meters (33&nbsp;ft) long]]
 
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Construction of a dugout begins with the selection of a log of suitable dimensions. Sufficient wood needed to be removed to make the vessel relatively light in weight and buoyant, yet still strong enough to support the crew and cargo. Specific types of wood were often preferred based on their strength, durability, and weight. The shape of the boat is then fashioned to minimize drag, with sharp ends at the bow and stern.  
 
  
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First the bark is removed from the exterior. Before the appearance of metal tools, dugouts were hollowed-out using controlled fires. The burnt wood was then removed using an [[adze]]. Another method using tools is to chop out parallel notches across the interior span of the wood, then split out and remove the wood from between the notches. Once hollowed out, the interior was dressed and smoothed out with a knife or adze.
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<!-- 2. What trees are used for building canoes, softwoods or hardwoods? -->
 +
Canoes are made from both, depending on the regional preferences.
  
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For travel in the rougher waters of the ocean, dugouts can be fitted with outriggers. One or two smaller logs are mounted parallel to the main hull by long poles. In the case of two outriggers, one is mounted to either side of the hull.
+
<!--T:6-->
 +
Trees belonging to the genus ''Acacia'' are used in both the South Pacific and in Africa. Acacias are hardwoods. Canoes were made in the Pacific Northwest of North America from Douglas fir, which is a softwood. In eastern North America, dugouts were made from chestnut, tulip tree (both hardwoods), or pine (a softwood). In Venezuela, the Ye'kwana make canoes from Spanish Cedar (''Cedrela odorata'') which is another softwood.
  
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<!-- 3. What tools are used for building canoes? Start with felling the tree up to completion. -->
 +
*Ax
 +
*Machete
 +
*Adze
 +
*Scrapers
 +
*Wedges (to hold the canoe in place)
 +
*Scaffolding
 +
*Drill and bit
  
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==Africa==
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<!--T:36-->
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The well-watered [[Tropical rainforests|tropical rainforest]] and [[Miombo|woodland]] regions of sub-Saharan Africa provide both the waterways and the trees for dugout canoes, which are commonplace from the [[Limpopo River basin]] in the south through [[East Africa|East]] and [[Central Africa]] and across to [[West Africa]]. [[African Teak]] is the timber favoured for their construction, though this comprises a number of different species, and is in short supply in some areas. Dugouts are paddled across deep lakes and rivers or punted through channels in swamps (see ''[[makoro]]'') or in shallow areas, and are used for transport, fishing and hunting, including, in the past, the very dangerous [[Water Transport in Zambia#Dugout canoes|hunting of hippopotamus]]. Dugouts are called [[pirogue]]s in [[Francophone]] areas of Africa.
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==Eastern Europe==
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''[[De Administrando Imperio]]'' details how the Slavs built monoxyla that they sold to Vikings in [[Kiev]].<ref>[http://faculty.washington.edu/dwaugh/rus/texts/constp.html Excerpt from the "De Administrando Imperio" with self-study questions].</ref> These ships were then used against [[Byzantium]] during the [[Rus'-Byzantine War]] of the ninth and tenth centuries. They used dugouts to attack [[Constantinople]] and to withdraw into their lands with bewildering speed and mobility. Hence, the name of Δρομίται ("people on the run") applied to the Rus in some Byzantine sources. The monoxyla were often accompanied by larger galleys, that served as command and control centres. Each Slavic dugout could hold from 40 to 70 warriors.
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<!-- 4. Choose a good canoe tree about four meters in length and observe the correct felling of it. Explain what happened. -->
 +
The Wampanoag (a Native American tribe) felled canoe trees by packing mud around the trunk and building a fire around the base. The mud would prevent the upper portion of the trunk from burning while the lower portion was consumed. Eventually, the tree would fall.
  
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The [[Cossacks]] of the [[Zaporozhian Host]] were also renowned for their artful use of dugouts, which issued from the [[Dnieper]] to raid the shores of the [[Black Sea]] in the 16th and 17th centuries. Using small, shallow-draft, and highly manoeuvrable galleys known as ''[[chaiky]]'', they moved swiftly across the Black Sea. According to the Cossacks' own records, these vessels, carrying a 50 to 70 man crew, could reach the Anatolian coast of Asia Minor from the [[Berezan Island|mouth of the Dnieper River]] in forty hours.
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<!--T:9-->
 +
Other cultures simply cut the tree down with an ax. In doing this, care must be taken to control the direction in which the tree falls when it comes down. This is done by cutting a notch on the side corresponding to the direction of fall. This notch should be cut until it is just over half way through the trunk. Then another notch is cut on the other side, but higher than the first.
  
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[[Image:Building a Dugout Canoe.jpg|thumb|250px|Expanding a dugout canoe at Basecamp Karuskose in Soomaa National Park]]
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<!--T:38-->
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In Estonia dugout canoes are built in the area of [[Soomaa National Park]].hi
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<!-- 5. Describe how a log is prepared to build a canoe. -->
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First the log is cut to the desired length and the bark is removed from the exterior.  
  
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==Northern Europe==
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<!--T:11-->
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Dugout boats have been found in Scandinavia and Germany.  In German, the craft are known as ''einbaum'' (one-tree). Apparently, such boats were used for mundane tasks such as fishing or transport on calmer bodies of water.  <ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/10/1062902114336.html] Viking era dugout boat found in lake </ref>  Dugouts require no metal parts or shipbuilding expertise, and were likely common amongst farming folk in Northern Europe until large trees suitable for making this type of watercraft became scarce.  Length was limited to the size of trees in the old-growth forests -- up to 10 meters (around 30 feet) in length. <ref>[http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jasen01/texts/longship.htm] </ref> Later models increased freeboard (and seaworthiness) by lashing additional boards to the side of the boat.  Eventually, the dugout portion was reduced to a solid keel, and the lashed boards on the sides became a [[Clinker|Lapstrake]] hull.
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In South America, the bulk of the hollowing of the trunk is done right where the tree falls. It is turned in place until the portion of the trunk that will become the keel is on the ground, and then rocks, dirt, and other debris are packed around the trunk to keep it from rolling. The tree is then mostly hollowed out with adzes. This is done to reduce the weight of the log before an attempt is made to drag it out of the jungle.
  
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==Indigenous Peoples of North America==
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<!--T:40-->
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</noinclude>
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<!-- 6. With the help of others properly shape the outside of the canoe and hollow out the inside. Correctly smooth both surfaces inside and outside. -->
 +
[[File:Dcp 5863.jpg|thumb|400px|Building a sea-going dugout canoe 10 meters (33 ft) long]]
 +
Before the appearance of metal tools, dugouts were hollowed-out using controlled fires. The burnt wood was then removed using an adze. Another method using tools is to chop out parallel notches across the interior span of the wood, then split out and remove the wood from between the notches. Once hollowed out, the interior is dressed and smoothed out with a knife or adze.
  
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[[Image:Imm023 14.jpg|thumb|left|Sea-going dugout canoe in full glory]]
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<!--T:13-->
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The [[Indigenous peoples of North America|Indigenous]] of the [[Pacific Northwest]] are very skilled at crafting wood. Best known for totem poles up to {{convert|80|ft|m}} tall, they also construct dugout canoes over {{convert|60|ft|m}} long for everyday use and ceremonial purposes.<ref>[http://mle.matsuk12.us/american-natives/nw/nw.html] Pacific Northwest Coastal Indians website</ref>
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The ends are tapered to reduce drag in the water.
  
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In 1978 Geordie Tochler and two companions, sailed a 3½ ton, 40&nbsp;foot (12 m) dugout canoe (the "Orenda II"), made of [[Douglas Fir]], and based on [[Haida]] designs (but with sails), from [[Vancouver]], Canada to [[Hawaii]] to add credibility to stories that the Haida had travelled to Hawaii in ancient times. Altogether they travelled some 4,500&nbsp;miles (7,242&nbsp;km) after two months at sea.<ref>Robert Stall, "A man, a tree and an ocean to cross." ''Maclean's'' magazine, March 5, 1979, pp. 4-6.</ref><ref>Peter Speck. "Orenda recalled." ''North Shore News''. November 22, 1978, pp. 2 and 12.</ref>
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<!--T:14-->
 +
To shape the hull so that it has an even thickness, bore several small, evenly spaced holes in the hull. These are then plugged with pegs, the length of which equals the desired thickness of the hull. The pegs are inserted from the outside until they are flush with the surface of the hull. The inside is then hollowed until the ends of the pegs are reached. When the boat is placed in the water, the pegs will swell and the holes will be water-tight.
  
−
Dugout canoes were constructed throughout the Americas where suitable logs were available.
+
<!--T:15-->
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==United Kingdom==
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As the hull becomes thin, the canoe is inverted over a fire to heat the wood, making it more pliable. The gunwales are then spread apart, greatly increasing the interior room in the craft. Spacers are then placed over the gunwales to hold them apart as the log cools, and the boat retains this shape.
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[[Image:Poole Logboat.jpg|200px|thumb|The [[Poole Logboat]] made from a single [[oak tree]] is over 2,000 years old. It is currently in the Poole Museum.]]
 
−
Two log boats were discovered in [[Newport, Shropshire]] and are now on display at [[Harper Adams University College]] Newport.
 
−
The [[Iron Age]] residents of [[Great Britain]] were known to have used logboats for fishing and basic trade. In 1964, a logboat was uncovered in [[Poole Harbour]], [[Dorset]]. The [[Poole Logboat]] dated to 300 BC was large enough to accommodate 18 people and was constructed from a giant [[Oak tree]]. It is currently located in the [[Poole]] Museum. The dugouts are made from wood.
 
  
−
==Pacific Islands==
+
<!--T:16-->
−
:''See also [[Māori migration canoes]], [[Waka (canoe)|Waka]]''
+
{{clear}}
  
−
In the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] Islands, dugout canoes are very large, made from whole mature trees and fitted with [[outrigger]]s for increased stability in the ocean, and were once used for long-distance travel. Such are the very large [[Waka (canoe)|waka]] used by [[Māori]] who ventured to [[New Zealand]] many centuries ago. Such vessels carried 40 to 80 warriors in sheltered waters or smaller numbers thousands of miles across the [[Pacific ocean]]. In [[Hawaii]], canoes are traditionally manufactured from the trunk of the [[Acacia koa|koa]] tree. They typically carry a crew of six: one steersman and five paddlers.
+
<!--T:42-->
−
[[Image:Maroon village, Suriname River, 1955.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Dugout canoes at Djuka [[Maroon (people)|Maroon]] village.]]
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<!-- 7. Assist in the making of paddles, seats, poles and fittings for the canoe. -->
 +
===Paddles=== <!--T:43-->
 +
Paddles are typically carved from long wooden poles. The blade is made wide and thin, tapering out at the edges. The shaft is rounded, and is thicker than the blade to give it extra strength. The grip will be another wide, flat section and is parallel to the blade and fitted to the user's hand.
  
−
== Biuki Gasa and John F. Kennedy's PT-109 ==
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<!--T:18-->
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In [[World War II]], the [[Solomon Island]]ers were (and still are) using dugout canoes to travel between Japanese occupied islands. After an Australian observer saw the explosion of the torpedo boat [[PT-109]] after it was rammed by a Japanese destroyer, he dispatched native scouts on dugout canoes in search of survivors, even though the U.S. Navy had given them up as lost. [[Biuki Gasa]] would be recognized as one of the first two islanders to reach the shipwrecked [[John F. Kennedy]], and deliver a message inscribed on a coconut (later displayed on the president's desk, and now in the John. F. Kennedy presidential library) by dugout canoe at risk of capture by Japanese authorities to the nearest allied base. These canoes with their small visual and noise signatures would be among the smallest boats used by the Allied forces in World War II. Gasa would be invited to Kennedy's inauguration only to be turned back by a clerk who did not understand his language. Gasa's village would construct a special canoe to send back with the National Geographic crew to present to the people of the USA so that they would remember this incident.
+
When making a paddle, the craftsman will be trading strength for weight, and this is a delicate balance to strike. If the paddle is too heavy, it will easily and unnecessarily tire its user. But if it is too light, it will lose strength and may break when stressed. Usually a paddle is stressed at the most inopportune times - they experience very little stress in calm, flat water when it wouldn't be much of a problem if it broke.
  
 +
===Seats=== <!--T:19-->
 +
The seats are made from wood which is shaped and fitted over the gunwales. They are shaped such that the bottom of the seat is lower than the gunwales. The seat will lift off the gunwales. When the canoe is dragged up onto the beach, the paddler will take both the paddle and the seat into his home.
  
 +
===Poles=== <!--T:20-->
 +
The poles, like the paddles trade weight for strength. They are typically the same (or nearly the same) diameter from top to bottom. The length depends on the depth of the water in which they are used. Poles are used from a standing position, and the length reflects this.
  
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== External links ==
+
<!--T:44-->
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{{commonscat|monoxylon|dugout}}
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<noinclude></translate></noinclude>
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*[http://cma.soton.ac.uk/HistShip/shlect11.htm Fundamental origins of ship types]
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{{CloseReq}} <!-- 7 -->
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*[http://www.abc.se/~m10354/bld/int-repl.htm Ship replicas in the world]
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{{ansreq|page={{#titleparts:{{PAGENAME}}|2|1}}|num=8}}
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*[http://mariri.net/content/view/24/1 How to Make A Dugout Canoe]
+
<noinclude><translate></noinclude>
−
*[http://www.modestmoose.ca/geordie_tocher.htm For more information on Tocher's voyage]
+
<!-- 8. Assist in the construction of decking, outrigger, mast and sail if the canoe is of a double hull or outrigger type. -->
−
{{Sailing vessels and rigs}}
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===Decking=== <!--T:45-->
 +
Not all dugouts were outfitted with decks, but when present, decking is placed at both ends of the canoe to keep breaking waves from filling the boat. They help the boat to shed water. Decks are flat pieces of wood connected to the edges of the canoe and can be lashed in place by boring holes in both the hull (near the upper edge) and the deck. Once the deck has been lashed in place, the holes are sealed with pitch.
  
−
[[Category:Boat types]]
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===Outrigger=== <!--T:22-->
 +
Outriggers of New Zealand consist of three parts: a pair of booms, connecting pegs, and a float. One boom is lashed to the canoe near the bow, and the other is lashed near the stern. Holes are bored into the hull directly below the booms so that cordage can be passed through them when lashing.
  
−
[[cs:Monoxyl]]
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<!--T:23-->
−
[[de:Einbaum]]
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Each boom receives long pegs which are then connected to the float. The length of the pegs is adjusted so that the float will be positioned at the surface of the water. The pegs are lashed both to the booms and to the float. When lashing the pegs to the floats, a hole is bored through the float and the cordage is passed through it. This prevents the lashing from being positioned at the bottom of the float where it would be subjected to extreme wear and tear as the canoe is dragged across rocks and up onto beaches.
−
[[es:Cayuco]]
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−
[[eo:Trunkoboato]]
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<!--T:24-->
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[[fr:Monoxyle]]
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The float is typically pointed at the bow end and square at the stern.
−
[[is:Eintrjáningur]]
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−
[[it:Cayuco]]
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===Mast and Sail=== <!--T:25-->
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[[nl:Boomstamkano]]
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If a canoe is outfitted with a mast and sail, it should also have outriggers. Otherwise, it can easily be toppled by the wind.
−
[[ja:丸木舟]]
+
 
−
[[no:Stokkebåt]]
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<!--T:26-->
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[[pl:Dłubanki]]
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The mast is roughly {{units|4 meters|160 in}} long and tapers from {{units|28 mm|1.125 inches}} at the top to {{units|45 mm|1.75 in}} at the bottom. It is inserted into a hole in the seat, and then into a socket cut into the bottom of the boat to receive it.
−
[[ru:Чёлн]]
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[[File:Dugout boom.png|thumb|300px|Boom shoulders. The right side is the mast-end.]]
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[[fi:Ruuhi]]
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A few inches above the seat it is fastened to a boom. The boom is the same length and diameter as the mast. Shoulders are cut near both ends, with the mast-end having a deeper shoulder (see illustration).
−
[[vi:Thuyền độc mộc]]
+
 
 +
<!--T:27-->
 +
The boom is simply tied to the mast, and the sail is tied to both the mast and the boom. The sail itself is triangular.
 +
{{clear}}
 +
See http://www.mit.edu/people/robot/lepalepa/index.html for detailed drawings.
 +
 
 +
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</noinclude>
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<!-- 9. Make a tree model of the type of canoe used in your district. -->
 +
Choose a soft wood and shape the model as closely as you can to match your canoe. People will often carve a scale model before beginning to shape the log. The model can then be used as a reference.
 +
 
 +
<!--T:48-->
 +
<noinclude></translate></noinclude>
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<noinclude><translate></noinclude>
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==References== <!--T:29-->
 +
* http://www.greatdreams.com/canoe2.htm
 +
* http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-BucSamo-t1-body1-d7-d1-d4.html
 +
* http://www.willghormley-maker.com/MakinADugoutCanoe.html
 +
<noinclude></translate></noinclude>
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{{CloseHonorPage}}

Latest revision as of 17:43, 25 July 2022

Other languages:
English • ‎español • ‎français
Canoe Building

Skill Level

3

Year

2001

Version

17.05.2024

Approval authority

General Conference

Canoe Building AY Honor.png
Canoe Building
Recreation
Skill Level
123
Approval authority
General Conference
Year of Introduction
2001


1

What trees in your area are used for building canoes? Name them in your language. Are they considered softwoods or hardwoods?


In the Pacific Islands, dugout canoes are very large, made from whole mature trees and fitted with outriggers for increased stability in the ocean, and were once used for long-distance travel. Such are the very large waka used by Māori who ventured to New Zealand many centuries ago. Such vessels carried 40 to 80 warriors in sheltered waters or smaller numbers thousands of miles across the Pacific ocean. In Hawaii, canoes are traditionally manufactured from the trunk of the koa (Acacia koa) tree. They typically carry a crew of six: one steersman and five paddlers.

In Africa, African Teak is the timber favored for their construction, though this comprises a number of different species, and is in short supply in some areas.

In the Pacific Northwest (US and Canada) cedar trees were used to make canoes.


2

What trees are used for building canoes, softwoods or hardwoods?


Canoes are made from both, depending on the regional preferences.

Trees belonging to the genus Acacia are used in both the South Pacific and in Africa. Acacias are hardwoods. Canoes were made in the Pacific Northwest of North America from Douglas fir, which is a softwood. In eastern North America, dugouts were made from chestnut, tulip tree (both hardwoods), or pine (a softwood). In Venezuela, the Ye'kwana make canoes from Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata) which is another softwood.


3

What tools are used for building canoes? Start with felling the tree up to completion.


  • Ax
  • Machete
  • Adze
  • Scrapers
  • Wedges (to hold the canoe in place)
  • Scaffolding
  • Drill and bit


4

Choose a good canoe tree about four meters in length and observe the correct felling of it. Explain what happened.


The Wampanoag (a Native American tribe) felled canoe trees by packing mud around the trunk and building a fire around the base. The mud would prevent the upper portion of the trunk from burning while the lower portion was consumed. Eventually, the tree would fall.

Other cultures simply cut the tree down with an ax. In doing this, care must be taken to control the direction in which the tree falls when it comes down. This is done by cutting a notch on the side corresponding to the direction of fall. This notch should be cut until it is just over half way through the trunk. Then another notch is cut on the other side, but higher than the first.


5

Describe how a log is prepared to build a canoe.


First the log is cut to the desired length and the bark is removed from the exterior.

In South America, the bulk of the hollowing of the trunk is done right where the tree falls. It is turned in place until the portion of the trunk that will become the keel is on the ground, and then rocks, dirt, and other debris are packed around the trunk to keep it from rolling. The tree is then mostly hollowed out with adzes. This is done to reduce the weight of the log before an attempt is made to drag it out of the jungle.


6

With the help of others properly shape the outside of the canoe and hollow out the inside. Correctly smooth both surfaces inside and outside.


Building a sea-going dugout canoe 10 meters (33 ft) long

Before the appearance of metal tools, dugouts were hollowed-out using controlled fires. The burnt wood was then removed using an adze. Another method using tools is to chop out parallel notches across the interior span of the wood, then split out and remove the wood from between the notches. Once hollowed out, the interior is dressed and smoothed out with a knife or adze.

The ends are tapered to reduce drag in the water.

To shape the hull so that it has an even thickness, bore several small, evenly spaced holes in the hull. These are then plugged with pegs, the length of which equals the desired thickness of the hull. The pegs are inserted from the outside until they are flush with the surface of the hull. The inside is then hollowed until the ends of the pegs are reached. When the boat is placed in the water, the pegs will swell and the holes will be water-tight.

As the hull becomes thin, the canoe is inverted over a fire to heat the wood, making it more pliable. The gunwales are then spread apart, greatly increasing the interior room in the craft. Spacers are then placed over the gunwales to hold them apart as the log cools, and the boat retains this shape.


7

Assist in the making of paddles, seats, poles and fittings for the canoe.


Paddles

Paddles are typically carved from long wooden poles. The blade is made wide and thin, tapering out at the edges. The shaft is rounded, and is thicker than the blade to give it extra strength. The grip will be another wide, flat section and is parallel to the blade and fitted to the user's hand.

When making a paddle, the craftsman will be trading strength for weight, and this is a delicate balance to strike. If the paddle is too heavy, it will easily and unnecessarily tire its user. But if it is too light, it will lose strength and may break when stressed. Usually a paddle is stressed at the most inopportune times - they experience very little stress in calm, flat water when it wouldn't be much of a problem if it broke.

Seats

The seats are made from wood which is shaped and fitted over the gunwales. They are shaped such that the bottom of the seat is lower than the gunwales. The seat will lift off the gunwales. When the canoe is dragged up onto the beach, the paddler will take both the paddle and the seat into his home.

Poles

The poles, like the paddles trade weight for strength. They are typically the same (or nearly the same) diameter from top to bottom. The length depends on the depth of the water in which they are used. Poles are used from a standing position, and the length reflects this.


8

Assist in the construction of decking, outrigger, mast and sail if the canoe is of a double hull or outrigger type.


Decking

Not all dugouts were outfitted with decks, but when present, decking is placed at both ends of the canoe to keep breaking waves from filling the boat. They help the boat to shed water. Decks are flat pieces of wood connected to the edges of the canoe and can be lashed in place by boring holes in both the hull (near the upper edge) and the deck. Once the deck has been lashed in place, the holes are sealed with pitch.

Outrigger

Outriggers of New Zealand consist of three parts: a pair of booms, connecting pegs, and a float. One boom is lashed to the canoe near the bow, and the other is lashed near the stern. Holes are bored into the hull directly below the booms so that cordage can be passed through them when lashing.

Each boom receives long pegs which are then connected to the float. The length of the pegs is adjusted so that the float will be positioned at the surface of the water. The pegs are lashed both to the booms and to the float. When lashing the pegs to the floats, a hole is bored through the float and the cordage is passed through it. This prevents the lashing from being positioned at the bottom of the float where it would be subjected to extreme wear and tear as the canoe is dragged across rocks and up onto beaches.

The float is typically pointed at the bow end and square at the stern.

Mast and Sail

If a canoe is outfitted with a mast and sail, it should also have outriggers. Otherwise, it can easily be toppled by the wind.

The mast is roughly 4 meters160 in long and tapers from 28 mm1.125 inches at the top to 45 mm1.75 in at the bottom. It is inserted into a hole in the seat, and then into a socket cut into the bottom of the boat to receive it.

Boom shoulders. The right side is the mast-end.

A few inches above the seat it is fastened to a boom. The boom is the same length and diameter as the mast. Shoulders are cut near both ends, with the mast-end having a deeper shoulder (see illustration).

The boom is simply tied to the mast, and the sail is tied to both the mast and the boom. The sail itself is triangular.

See http://www.mit.edu/people/robot/lepalepa/index.html for detailed drawings.


9

Make a tree model of the type of canoe used in your district.


Choose a soft wood and shape the model as closely as you can to match your canoe. People will often carve a scale model before beginning to shape the log. The model can then be used as a reference.



References

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