Sarum Skin-boat How-to

Not the only way, but the way we've done it that works. An important word: what you find here is an IMCOMPLETE record of the process, created for a student who was unable to complete his boat at school. As time goes on, I may fill in steps, but this is by no means a full set of directions. When it comes out soon, I recommend the book Building Skin-on-Frame, Double-Paddle Canoes by Hilary Russell,of Sheffield, MA.

Order of Operations

  • Creating the Stem-Knee assembly
  • Attaching Knee to Keelson
  • Fill four spaces in gunwale for thwart attachment
  • Sand gunwales and breasthooks
  • Attach thwarts
  • Fit, drill gunwale rub rails
  • Assemble floorboards
  • Shape nose and tail for brass rub rails
  • Coat all wooden parts with oil or varnish: frame, rubs and floorboards
  • Skin the boat
  • Shrink the skin
  • Skin coating
  • Attach all rubrails, wooden and metal
  • Last odds and ends

Notes on related subjects

1.06.2012

Putting the Stems and Knees Together.

Stem and knee glued and clamped together on a flat surface.

















The curve at the bow and stern of the boat are glued together from two pieces to avoid weaker, short-grain sections when making this sharp turn.  It could also be done with a naturally crooked piece of wood, and we have done this once, but it requires seasoning the found piece for a season or so, plus the actual harvesting of the wood, so for us its easier to piece them together.  This could also be laminated to create the curve.
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