It Floats!

The water test on the Pirogue was a reasonable success! It floats! There was a small leak that I still have to fix, but after an hour in the water with 2 passengers there was about a centimeter of water in the back. That's not bad.

We took it out to Lake Johnson here in Raleigh for the water test. It was a warm day, but nothing unusual. They have a hand launch for small boats, it's not the kind of lake you can drive trailered boats down a ramp. It does get a bit crowded though. Kelley and I carried the boat from the parking space to the launch, and let it float around for a bit. I really expected it to just sink as soon as we put it in the water. After watching it float for a while, Ella and I got in to paddle around some. We went all over that lake! She was loving it. Then my youngest got in and cried once we got in water more than ankle deep.

Have to test these things on dry land first

Floating! We sat on pillows

 

 

 

Ella the Eldest is loving it

It's a pretty big lake

This is as far offshore as she would get. True Evil Genius.

we had some company

EG had fun playing around the lake.

So this wraps the Pirogue I named My Busted Foot. We tied the boat to the top of my wife's car to get it out to Lake Johnson, and I need a better way to transport. Thinking about trading in my convertible for something larger with a roof rack and/or trailer hitch.

Transportation issues aside, this was an incredibly fun project. I am now totally hooked on boatbuilding as a hobby and am already planning my next one. I did start with the easiest boat I could possibly find. It sits about 3" below the water surface (draft) and is easy to turn. Moves really well in the water. Ella says "we're boat people now Daddy" she loved it so much. My Busted Foot was fun to build and fun to scoot around the local lakes. Try it!

For the next one, Ella wants me to build a sailboat so she can name it "The Black Pearl". We'll have to see what I can do with that. I still have to cut out the forms for my canoe too.