lines and rigs and tweaking but there was also plenty of amusement of a less technical nature; a 150ft long sea-serpent somehow found its way into the lake, which delighted the children but frightened the dogs!
Florence's light writing style gives the whole trip a slightly whimsical flavour. In the addenda she admits that "Camping is not for everyone" and that if the weather becomes too miserable it is best to seek shelter at a farmhouse - "The people in quiet regions are hospitable and glad to meet strangers". From her pen it all sounds quite idyllic and leaves the modern reader wondering if she and her family became regulars at subsequent canoe meets, and how many converts to canoeing her little book made among its contemporary readership. [See also... - Ed.]
'A Family Canoe Trip' by Florence Watters Snedeker. Published by Harper & Bros., New York, 1892. 137 pages.
Book Review - Canoe Rig: Essence And Art (GrahamH)
I often flip through Water Craft at WHSmith's and occasionally buy an issue when it contains something relevant to my kind of boating. In the latest issue I saw an advertisement for this book and, rather impulsively, sent off for a copy. It is a large, finely produced book with beautiful computer-generated pictures and diagrams of a kind I have not seen before.
The author is an American sail maker and canoe enthusiast with traditional tastes. He gives a good revue of all aspects of canoe sailing and of different types of rig, with plans and instructions for making sails, fittings, rudders etc. I did not really learn much that I do not already know, although there are some ideas about fittings that I shall try out. For someone starting canoe sailing, it would be an excellent introduction; I should be happy to lend it to anyone interested.
The book gives a flavour of the American canoe-sailing scene. The issues are obviously much the same as here, although the sport is better established. This is perhaps a mixed blessing, judging by the author's comments on the 'one design' nature of the ACA classes.
This would be a splendid book to be in a library, where it might hopefully inspire young people to take up the wonderful, under-appreciated pastime of canoe sailing. I have begun to wonder what to do with my small collection of canoe-sailing book when I sail off into the sunset. It is a pity that there is not - as far as I know - a museum/archive similar to the one (I am told) at the Adirondack Museum, Blue Mountain Lake, New York State, USA.
Author: Todd E. Bradshaw. Publisher: WoodenBoat Books, USA Distributor: The Boatbuilder's Bookshop, Water Craft, Bridge Shop, Gweek, Cornwall. TR12 6UD. Hardback. 215 x 280mm. 278pp. 200 colour illus. £25.
Modern Decked Sailing Canoes (JohnB)
There has always been a steady, if minority, interest in the 50/50, sailing/paddling canoe, particularly in the US. One of the principal proponents of the class is Hugh Horton, who has recently teamed up with Mead Gougeon, the CEO of Gougeon Brothers, and between them they are producing a pretty little craft that will surely fulfil the wishes of many people. It is a "Modern decked sailing canoe that reflects John MacGregor's 1860's designs - simple, efficient solo craft, which are equally proficient under sail or double bladed paddle... The design requirements were for a boat that that was not too long for its modest wetted surface, but long enough to match the power a paddler develops; wide enough for stability, but not too wide for paddling; and that has enough rocker."
Hugh chose a Bell 'Starfire', a championship freestyle competition double with a lay up of 2/3 Carbon and 1/3 Kevlar fibre. The tumblehome at the deck joint was cut away, low enough to be comfortable for a double paddle. The new deck was made in a female mould using S glass and Kevlar. All the work was done with West System Epoxy.
"Epoxy's ease of use and ability to combine materials into a light, strong, low maintenance structure make this evolution of the traditional sailing canoe possible".
It is important to understand that composites do not have uniform strength in every direction like steel or aluminium. Aligning loads with the direction of the fibres is critical if you are to realise the strength of the material.
"Carbon fibre is immensely strong in both tension and compression but it is easy to shape and easy to abrade compared with Kevlar. However, its fibres are noxious and its sharp ends can be worse than glass, its black colour can cause a heat build up and its dust is both irritating and noxious. So, I make sure that carbon is well coated with epoxy and painted or covered by Kevlar".
Kevlar has good tensile strength but is relatively weak in compression. It has astonishing abrasive
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