How the Fiddlehead canoe is built - an overview

 

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This video gives a brief overview of the process of building the Fiddlehead canoe. 

 

I hope the video shows that building a boat is not as complicated as it might seem. 

 

The boat as a whole is complex, but each step in the boatbuilding process it is not as difficult as one might think. 

 

Video transcript:
When I started out in boatbuilding, I was completely at a loss as to how the complex shape of a boat could be put together out of flat boards of wood. You might be curious about that too, so to give you an overview, this first lesson will outline the basic steps in the construction of a small wooden boat.

 

The particular boat that I will use as an example is the Fiddlehead double paddle canoe, designed by Harry Bryan. This is a lapstrake boat, which means that the planks of the boat overlap. To get a watertight fit between the overlapping planks, the corner of the lower plank is beveled to fit the next plank. Lapstrake is a great construction technique for small boats, because the overlapping plank joints add strength to the boat so that the plank thickness - and thereby the weight of the boat - can be reduced. 

 

Like many small boats, the Fiddlehead is built upside down. The benefits of building upside down is the fact that you have gravity on your side plus the fact that the positions you will have to work in won't be as awkward as they might be.

 

The shape of the boat is determined by a mid frame, two stems and two watertight bulkheads. The hole in them is for a hatch, so you can use the watertight compartments at each end of the boat for storage. The shape of these parts are taken from these full-size templates that are included in the plans.

 

The bulkheads and the mid-frame are attached to the building base, making sure that they are plumb, square to the centerline of the boat and at the proper spacing as specified in the plans.

 

Many boats have a keel, which is a backbone structure which spans the entire length of the boat. This boat, however, uses dory construction, which means that it has a plank bottom instead of a keel. This is a simpler form of construction, but it works great for this type of boat.

 

The shape of the bottom is determined by plotting in a series of points taken from the table of offsets. The table of offsets is essentially a three-dimensional table of coordinates, that describes the shape of the boat. These points are then connected using a flexible wooden batten and cut out. Then the two stems are screwed and glued to the bottom and the entire assembly is placed on top of the mid-frame and the bulkheads and fastened with glue and screws.

 

Then we're ready for planking the boat - almost! First we need to bevel the edge of the bottom, so make it fit the first plank pair, which are known as the garboards.

 

Now, we're ready for planking the boat.

 

Here's a brief overview of the planking process: The first set of planks are already on the boat, and their edges have been beveled, conforming to the shape of the hull, so that they fit the next plank pair.

 

The shape of a plank is determined by making a template on the boat. This is a process known as spiling. This template is then placed on the planking stock, and points taken from the template are transferred to the planking stock and a pencil line connecting them is drawn using a flexible batten. The plank pair is then cut out and planed to the line with a block plane.

 

A ramp-shaped rabbet, called a "gain" is cut at the plank ends to get a watertight fit at the stems of the boat.

 

The plank is screwed to the stems using bronze screws and set in a flexible glue, which also acts as a sealant. The joint between the two planks is fastened with copper nails. The copper nails are clenched so that they form a hook that holds the two planks together.

 

After the planking is completed, the boat is ready to be turned around, so the decking and the interior can be done.

 

First, the underlying structure for the decking is made. Then, the decking is placed over it and the shape is traced from the underside. The two layers of decking is attached using glue and screws.

 

Then we are ready to make the final parts of the boat, which include the oak coaming, the rub rails and the outer stems. For the interior of the boat, there are two watertight hatches, a back rest and a foot rest. And then there's the paddle, which in itself really is a fun project.

 

The inside of the boat is varnished and the outside is painted - and you're ready to go paddling!

 

I hope this video has illustrated that although a boat is a complex shape, the process of building it boils down to a sequence of relatively simple steps. You might not feel ready to build a boat just yet, but if you are careful,  and if you don't rush the process, each step is actually simple and fun and the end product will be beautiful.