Building a Thames 12 rowing skiff

[Paul H (admin)]

Anders,

Beautiful guitars, I'd love one but they are out of my price range!

I learned the classical technique, pima fingering, music by Fernando Sor, Tárrega etc. One of my favourites is Lágrima, but lessons stopped after the first few bars because of exams!

-Paul

[Anders]

Some more photos:

[Anders]

And some more photos:

[Anders]

getting closer.

Doggy is waiting...

[Timmo]

Looking very good! The boat that is, the dog's looking good too.

Tim.

From: "Anders [via UK HBBR Forum]" <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: Building a Thames 12 rowing skiff

[Anders]

making the oars:

[Port-Na-Storm]

Very nice Anders, what timber did you use? It looks a bit like Douglas Fir.

Graham

[Anders]

It was called Chilenean fir or pine (in spanish you use the same word for pine and fir. In danish as well) Compared to "normal" pine, its a bit lighter, easyer to work, less resin, and very few knots.. A nice piece of wood.
I would have liked to use spruce, but the quality is very low or its extremely expensive.

[momist]

That sounds like what is called "Parana Pine" in the UK.  I am told this is actually a hardwood (i.e. deciduous) while genuine pine is evergreen and therefore "softwood".  That doesn't mean that it is actually very hard, although harder than pine.

I've used this wood extensively for furniture making, giving the pine look without the knots.  It is freely available at the timber sheds in the form of "window sill" or "window boards", with one machined rounded edge and a rebate on the other edge, at about 22mm nominal thickness (read 19mm).  It is very easy to work, and makes lovely long curly shavings off the hand plane.  Makes lovely cabinet type furniture, as it is available as wide boards and can be easily rub-jointed into even wider ones (my dining table is made this way) but it is not very stable, and moves an awful lot with moisture variation.  If not framed or jointed into stable structures it will cup badly.

I would think it will work well for oars, but only if dry stored between use.  Thinking about that, I think I have used it some years ago in a paddle I made.

I tend to use some epoxy and fine glass on oar/paddle tips to prevent wear, instead of the whippings one used to see on the blade of old oars to prevent splitting.

Ian

[Anders]

It could be that you´re right.
It was bought in a place where they sell wood for furniture makers. Here I have very poor acces to timber.

The problem with popular names when talking about wood is that you never know what you are talking about. The best example is "cedar" which can be so many really different things from very different trees. Or mahogany.
Popular names are being used to sell wood. In the guitar industry, whatever brownish wood from south and central america is being called rosewood and very often Brasilean rosewood. Its one big cheat in order to sell or to make something myth.

I hope it works for the oars. If not.... the make other ones. In the end its just a stick we put into the water.

[Anders]

Its finished and Im waiting for some strong dude to help me carry it down from the 1st floor. Anyways, we´re having 36 - 38 degrees celcius, so its to hot for rowing.

[momist]

That is very beautiful Anders - well done.  

Remember that it is always cooler out on the water

Are the keel and bilge runners varnished?  If so, and they are getting worn in use, then the fine glass+epoxy I suggested for the oar tips would protect them and look very similar, next time you are re-finishing.

Best wishes for a very happy launching day,
Ian

[Frogsider]

Nice job!  The dog seems happy with it too!

I use white PVC strip on keel and runners - it's tough, cheap and easily replaceable when worn.  

[Anders]

Thanks my friends.

The keel and runners are varnished and I know it wont stay long. But its a kind of teak substitute  called Bankira which is used for outdoor floors etc, so it shouldnt really matter. Its very hard as well.

If it gets to worn, I´ll think of something. brass and stuff like that is impossible to get here. White pvc is a posibility.

Yeah, its cooler on the water, but you melt away before you there.

[Anders]

The skiff was tested for the first time in my local pond a warm summers evening. It was fun and she floated and rowed well.

[Timmo]

Very pretty!

Looks like a substantial pond. 

There is one phrase there the British are currently unfamiliar with: "Warm Summer's evening". Sounds nice, where can I get one?

What will you build now?!

Tim.

From: "Anders [via UK HBBR Forum]" <[hidden email]>
Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2011 00:51:04 -0700 (PDT)
To: Tim O'Connor <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: Building a Thames 12 rowing skiff

The skiff was tested for the first time in my local pond a warm summers evening. It was fun and she floated and rowed well.

---

If you reply to this email, your message will be added to the discussion below:

http://uk-hbbr-forum.967333.n3.nabble.com/Building-a-Thames-12-rowing-skiff-tp2780719p3300534.html

To unsubscribe from UK HBBR Forum, click here.

[Anders]

Yeah, I know. What you dont have is what you want. I always want a fresher weather than I have here. Some 20 degrees celcius, put on some more clothes and sweat, forget about sticky sunprtection etc. But I also know that in Denmark its been a very cold and wet summer. But just a week ago we had 26 degrees minimum (38 - 40 max) here and thats horrible. You dont sleep, you´re just tired and sweaty
Lets all move to France. They have everything, including froggs

I will take the skiff for a small trip to southern Portugal next week. I will take some photos and make a small report.
the local pond is about a mile long and is lush and pretty