Wee Lassie Station Layout

[180]

I'm trying to layout the station molds for the Wee Lassie using the book Featherweight Boatbuilding. On page 87, the dimension for the strongback is 10'9.5" (129.5"). The stations are laid out at 12", 14", 15", 15", 20", 17.75", 20.5", and 12", which add up to 126.25". I'm confused. Maybe I am reading this incorrectly. :confused:

[Wild Dingo]

I could jump in and say email the man 180... but I wont although he is a great source of info even when your not buying his plans... Mac McCarthy's site (http://www.feathercanoes.com) and email is hmccar2360@aol.com

But I wont... I will try to help you out! :D

Now Ive made the moulds twice for the wee lassie and the wee lassie 2... dont ask! :eek: ... and finally today we finished fairing the second set in... They are ready!! oh yeah... :cool:

Oh right... problem... :rolleyes: ... what I've done aside from emailing Mac on quite a few occasions... oh there are "a couple of slight errors on the wee lassie 2" by the way... his response was "you will notice them they will stand out if 10 say one thing and theres one saying the other go with the ten and just fair it in" very much an honerary Aussie is Mac! :cool:

Anyway I got the same measurement problems... but if you notice your meant to have a 2" overhang at the stern and a 4" overhang at the bow? right... well with that being the case its not such a huge problem...

What Ive ended up with is a building board 129.5 long... keeping in true with his numbers... both stern and bow now overhang 2" instead of the 2" at the stern and 4" at the bow... interestingly now I go back and measure it out all the measurements are the same on the board for the mould placement except the final one at the bow which is 14" instead of 12"... But.. that is the bow mould that is now hanging over the end of the building board by only 2" instead of 4 inches!... Its placement is as the plans... the only difference is the amount it overhangs at its outer end... and that 14" instead of 12" difference but the mould itself is as the plans require! as is the board itself... so its a simple matter of the overhang length!!

From what Ive gathered from here and emailing Mac himself as long as the overall demensions between the moulds themselves... 1 - 7... and the demensions of the stems are the demensions that Mac states in the plans they should be... the only difference is a matter of 2 inches in the building board itself and not the demensions of the moulds & stems there shouldnt be a problem...

I cant see how 2" overlong in the building board can make any difference to the finished boat unless that 2" was outside the overhang area! but its within the area by 2" so we retain the proper proportions of both the moulds and their placement and the board... except it is 2" longer than whats really necessay

Now I agree that we appear to have "lost" 2 inches somewhere but reality is that the 2" is only lost on the building board and not the moulds or their placement layout...

Anyway I am not personally overly conserned mate I have emailed Mac and will wait to see what he has to say... but I honestly cant see it being a "stop the presses" "dont build this thing" type of mistake... I will be going with it personally... but I will post whatever he has to say unless someone close enough over there wants to ring him and ask! ;)

Good luck with it mate! :cool:

Take it easy
Shane

[180]

Thank you. I meant no disrespect. I have thoroughly enjoyed the book. It is well written and concise.

My problem is that I'm an engineer. Hence, this is how I built the moulds. I inputed them into AutoCadd, printed and then attached them with spray adhesive to the plywood and cut them out. I was planning on borrowing a micrometer from work to get the cedar strips exactly a hair over 1/4"...I know that the canoe will not turn out any better. I just can't help it. :rolleyes:

I will keep the dimensions between the stations as described in the book. Thanks again. smile.gif

[Wild Dingo]

No worries mate hope I helped... :cool:

Geeeez and to think I spent hours transferring those numbers straight onto the chipboard then redoing them for the other side and then fairing the lines in and then cutting the pattern straight out!!... but then Im not an engineer and I cant help meself either! :D

Just for you from Mac... this was sent to me awhile back now but it sorta explains your predicument from his eyes...

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
X-From_: HMccar2360@aol.com Tue Mar 19 08:23:19 2002
From: HMccar2360@aol.com
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 2002 19:22:45 EST
Subject: Re: gidday there mac
To: seyre@southwest.com.au
X-Mailer: AOL 7.0 for Windows US sub 256

Hi Shane, any mistake on the measurements as shown, will be very obvious when yoou lay out your molds.. Just fair the lines. If ten measurements say one thing, and one in the middle causes a bump eliminate the bump. Most people that have built from the book have had absolutely no problem. Usually it is the engineer, or architect type who panic..People have gotten used to a computer doing everything for them, they have forgotten how to use common sense. I think the two things that have helped me most as I got older, was trying to force some common sense into my thick head, and persistence.

Here in the states, about the best wood to whittle is basswood. It is light colored, but even tight grained, and hold detail well. It isn't too expensive. I use it for paddles. The real exotics, I stay away from. Can't afford them, and why bother. I do like contrast in my boats, to decorate them up some, but you can overdo that. Simple is better. Small is beautiful. Two of my mottos.

I have never stretched out a Wee Lassie Two. I have one I call the big Mac, that is fourteen feet, but wider, deeper, and steady enough to stand up in. Don't have patterns for ait yer, but after you build a few, and want something else to build, stay in touch... Mac
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The bold and italics are mine mate!! :D So I guess hes experienced this before a few times?? HA!! no sweat! :D

Take it easy
Shane

[ 07-29-2002, 01:32 PM: Message edited by: Wild Dingo ]

[Dave Fleming]

180, with no disrespect from this child....
Using a micrometer to measure wood is like killing a flea with an atomic bomb, way over kill and you will drive yourself crazy.
Wood moves with every change in the 'hummadidity'.
So put the nice Starrett back in its shiney red leatherette covered box and get out a plain old metal tape or a nice Starrett 6 inch satin chrome pocket ruler ( my personal favourite for small stuff) and just use the nominal dimentions given in the scantlings table of your plans.
We ain't using a Moore Jig Borer here. We is using Mother Nature's own stuff so not to worry about that last 'thou', ya folla?

PAX
dave

[NormMessinger]

"...so not to worry about that last 'thou', ya folla?" Or three. Ever consider why tables of offsets are feet, inches, and eights?

--Norm

[180]

Thanks again...I especially liked the "Usually it is the engineer, or architect type who panic"...

He was right...I didn't know what to do...other than panic... :eek:

[Dave Fleming]

That is why even the old masters recommended having that nice easy chair bye the pot bellied stove or fireplace in a corner of the shop. A place to sit and ruminate, cogitate, meditate about that which seems so insurmountable when after doing all of the above, it really ain't no big deal.
Or as a fine Swedish boat builder was wont to say...not to worry, lad, not to worry.

[Keith Wilson]

Remember, a fair curve takes precedence over any dimension on the plans. It's important that the hull be fair and all the parts fit together; the dimensions are just guides to get you there.

I am an engineer, although I don't panic easily, thank God - I make so many mistakes that I would have been taken away in a straightjacket by now if I fussed over small things. I like dial calipers to measure small pieces - quick, accurate enough, and they work in decimal inches, which I prefer. Beware of spurious accuracy; whether one is working with a hand plane or a jig borer in a temperature-controlled shop, just 'cause the readout goes to millionths doesn't mean you can get (or need) that sort of precision. It's just a boat, fer Chrissakes!

[Dale Genther]

I just finish building two Wee Lasses, one for me and one for my wife. I had the same problem. Ultimately I just faried the stations any didn't worry about it. They came out fine.
PS I'm an engineer also, but an electrical one, so this mechanical stuff didn't cause any panic. Now if my canoes would have had an electrical problem..............

[imported_Steven Bauer]

Shane, you're finally actually building a boat and haven't posted any pictures for us yet? I'm finding this hard to believe. Fairing molds and no pictures. :(
And what's up with the house?
We're all sittin' on the edge of our seats here waitin' for news.
Steven

[capt jake]

Wanna see some great lookin' 'yaks and canoes??

Check this one out. This is the link to the Wee Lassie, though he has built a bunch of others.
Great work! smile.gif
Wee Lassie (http://ross.secant.com/kayak/home.htm)

[Walcheren]

This is an experiment. http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid27/pc46d7b16e09c2435ab8ca4797a7651ec/fd73fd22.jpg
Guess what that is. A lousy picture of a Wee Lassie built about ten years ago. I have followed your posts as I built two of them at the same time.One for my wife, the standard size and a bigger one by a foot and a half for me being 60 pounds heavier. Sea water weighs about 67 lbs. per cu.ft and fresh water 65 or something. So I roughly had to add a cubic foot. Just added a mould in the middle. Worked just fine. I used the instructions written in the W.B. magazine so am not familiar with the text you people are talking about. As long as the lines are "sweat" you will be allright.

[Walcheren]

Here is another one. http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid27/pdcea920ff48885463511311a7b13b0aa/fd732aaf.jpg
I do not know why the pictures are so poorly reproduced. I'll have to find out. Probably the scanner.

[Wild Dingo]

Thanks Walcheren maybe some of the more photogenically adept will clear them up for you?

Steven... I actually do have some photos! tongue.gif As Ive decided that due to this taking soooooo flamin long I had better record my failin... ooops better moments! :D

Trouble is and heres that danged but! everyone goes on about... but they are in the camera along with about 10 unused bits of film that remain as yet untaken photos... when they are developed I shall endevour to embarrass the heck out of myself... no mean feet I know :rolleyes: but there you go I will try! :D

The other thing the one starting with the letter H... is now known as... "the thing we are not talking about"... sigh... nightmare continues... surveyors have been and gone a builder paid engineer has been and gone and we are still to confirm an engineer of our own finding will attend the house... if no answer by Tuesday to hell with it we will go with what we have and hope it works if not then to the media... pain in the butt mate... after trying over 20 engineers in Perth not one has been willing to come have a look and investigate it citing "these things are a lot of work for little return" and "we are extremely busy for the next month or so"... totally appaling lack of professional credibility to my mind Im afraid... contact with concrete laboritories to tech people in the field all confirm there is a problem... but we need an qualified structural engineer to prove it and do the tests needed... and do you think thats going to happen? dont think so!

Silly thing is that the walls that the builder had replastered are not only showing the float coat plaster through the white of the set coat but has started to come out with some seriass cracks... so is the wall wet or what??! :rolleyes:

Sigh... and there is the whole reason for this being the subject with the heading "the thing we are not talking about"... Causing no end of stress and anxiety at present around here so were avoiding discussing it for now... I think I may post something over in misc later this evening once possumpoop and the hoons are asnoozing and I can rant and rave freely :D

Take it easy
Shane

[180]

Wild Dingo,
Thanks for your help. I've got the molds all laid out. I'm working on the stems now.

I am a registered professional engineer here in America in the states of Missouri, Illinois, and North Carolina. My area of expertise is Geotechnical/Structural Engineering. If I can be of any help with your house. i.e. free advice or trying to explain problems your house may be undergoing. Let me know. My email address is jfargher@tsi-engineering.com smile.gif
I can probably explain why you are having difficulty hiring an engineer.

[Wild Dingo]

Check thee emails mate!

Glad to of been of assistance :cool: ... I have???... gawd I like it when that happens!! makes me day it do! :D

I knew that there is a certain degree of leeway allowable I think 1/8th is about it with larger boats but with canoes I would be more inclined to simply fair it in... if it seems a little out when you start stripping then a shim or two where need would put it right... well seems about right to me!... Acuracy in alignment and centreing would be more an issue this would tend to twist the hull or such which would be an issue!

NOW!! If I can just get some flamin room around here... and some time.... and some peace... and some space... Id get mine done!!! gggggggggrrrrrrrrr! :mad:

Keep us up to scratch mate! :cool:

Take it easy
Shane

[180]

Wild Dingo,
I sent you an email about structural engineers. Let me know if you don't receive it. I'm having problems with my regular email account, so I sent it with my hotmail account.

[Wild Dingo]

Got them both mate... eeerrr now youve got a couple!! sent the first before I got your second then had to re-route it and then if that wasnt enough I wondered if you got the first which of course had the attachments in it so then I had to send you a newy! :rolleyes: and Mac reckons Engineers and Architects are bad!! :(

Take it easy
Shane