BWCA Thoughts: Bear Mountain Freedom 15/3 solo Boundary Waters Group Forum: Boat Builders and Repair
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      Thoughts: Bear Mountain Freedom 15/3 solo     

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HighPlainsDrifter
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03/07/2010 09:25PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)

I have my eye on the Freedom 15/3 solo as my first strip project. Anyone have paddling experience with that hull?
 
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bear bait
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03/09/2010 07:34AM  
i built the 15/3 a couple years ago. its been to the bwca twice.

this is the first and only solo canoe i've paddled so i may not be much help.

- tracks straight in the wind, fast, turns well, comfortable to fish from if its not too wavy.

i don't like the way it handles in big waves, though that might be true with all small canoes.

it has a unorthodox way to strip the hull. because of the unique tumblehome you start the first strip half way up the hull.

 
HighPlainsDrifter
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03/09/2010 10:24PM  

Bearbait

Beautiful work. That canoe is sure "Eye Candy".

That design also comes in a 16/2. I wonder if that additional length would make it a bit more sea worthy?

I would like to see a picture of you boat upside down. What is the black color below the water line?

Did you build according to the Bear MT plans or have you added a few of your own embellishments?
 
bear bait
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03/11/2010 02:52AM  
thanks HPD

the black color is a graphite coating. it gives it a slicker surface then varnished wood so it should be faster :) the reason i put it on though, was to protect the bottom from all the rocks in the bwca. it adds some weight to the boat but definitely worth it.

i shorten the canoe to 14' 9". thought it would be an easy way to cut a couple pounds. i would be interested in paddling the 16/2 to see if there's much of a difference.

i don't have any photos of the bottom of the canoe. i might be cleaning out the garage this weekend so if i do i'll snap a couple photos and post them on sunday night.

not sure where you live, but you would be more then welcome to take it for a paddle and form your own opinion on how it handles. there's a small pond in town (Mankato, MN) where i've let prospective buyers try-out my boats.
 
HighPlainsDrifter
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03/11/2010 09:01PM  

Bear Bait

Mankato is a "stones-throw" east on highway 14 out of Brookings, SD.

I may take you up on that test drive. I am flip-flopping between the NW Merlin and the Bear Mountain boat.

I appreciate those pictures and your thoughts on the Freedom solo
 
Woodbender
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04/24/2010 08:38AM  
HPD - I can comment on the NW Merlin. They may have altered the plan but it's twin sister the 38 Special (so called because it is 3.8% larger than the Merlin) has NO rocker. It is dead flat from stem to stern. Which is nice in a cross wind but just has a different style of paddling is all.

If the Solo Freedom has a bit of rocker it would be a marvelous canoe to paddle I'm thinking. At the moment I'm building a full sized Freedom with a nice bit of rocker. We'll see how it turns out.
 
HighPlainsDrifter
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04/24/2010 09:03PM  

There has been a twist of fate (more like opportunity) concerning the NW Merlin. I have dropped the idea of the Freedom solo 15/3 and settled on NW Merlin......... but to rock or not to rock is the question.

I have the new NW Merlin plans (with rocker). I can also lay my hands on the old NW Merlin plans (no rocker).

"Woodcanoe" has offered me a test paddle of his "no rocker Merlin". I will do that on May 3rd....... a day of reckoning and getting off the fence. I am really tempted by a bit of rocker. Hard decision

Anyway, I will be hauling my strips home on May 4th. This dream is getting close :)
 
Woodbender
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05/27/2010 04:07PM  
quote HighPlainsDrifter: "
There has been a twist of fate (more like opportunity) concerning the NW Merlin. I have dropped the idea of the Freedom solo 15/3 and settled on NW Merlin......... but to rock or not to rock is the question.


I have the new NW Merlin plans (with rocker). I can also lay my hands on the old NW Merlin plans (no rocker).


"Woodcanoe" has offered me a test paddle of his "no rocker Merlin". I will do that on May 3rd....... a day of reckoning and getting off the fence. I am really tempted by a bit of rocker. Hard decision


Anyway, I will be hauling my strips home on May 4th. This dream is getting close :)"


So HPD,... What's the verdict? Going with NW Merlin with rocker or no rocker? Both configurations have equally valid camps, I'm just curios as to which way you went.
 
HighPlainsDrifter
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05/28/2010 10:04PM  

Woodbender

Right now I am hustling to get my shop done so I can get on with my canoe. So, no canoe work, and all grunt work makes HPD a dull boy. But it will be worth it. I have big plans for what I want my shop to look like...... bigger plans for what I want my canoe to look like too :)

In a nutshell my trip up north was great. As planned, I paddled Woodcanoe's NW Merlin (no rocker 1985 vintage plans). I paddled on a small lake north of Duluth. The day was windy with rain........ perfect for trying a new canoe :)

I liked the feel of Tom's canoe. Took to it in a blink of the eye. I am not sure why I would want rocker on that hull. She tracked beautiful, I had no problems getting her to go where I wanted in variable wind conditions.

Tom let me take his no-rocker plans and my plan is to build no rocker and close up the hull like we did at North House.

Thanks for keeping an eye on my progress. Will start a post as soon as a strong back appears on my shop floor
 
woodcanoe
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05/30/2010 07:05PM  
Highplainsdrifter,

I think I'm taking the Merlin across Quetico next year. Beaverhouse to Fall Lake in Ely. I need to do another solo trip and there's some lakes up there I want to visit.

Tom
 
Woodbender
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05/30/2010 07:46PM  
Tom that'd be a great trip for the Merlin. Pics bro - pics. :-)
 
06/09/2010 06:25AM  
bear bait,

I've got the plans for Freedom 15/3, 16/2. I'm thinking of making the 16/2 version hoping it paddles much like my Magic. (Why build a canoe that is similar to one I already own? Good question...still battling with myself in my brain about that too.)

How difficult of a build is it? Someone on Bear Mountain's board said the chine/tumblehome was difficult. What did you think? If you did bead and cove did you do anything different on that transition point?
 
HighPlainsDrifter
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06/10/2010 10:15PM  

I sure would like to be working with stripping, but the only thing stripped these days have been 12/2 wire........only thing on my shop (new boat house) floor are snips of wire and insulation.......... no saw dust.

this "boat builders hangout" is taking much longer (and more dollars) than I anticipated. It will be worth it when the cold winds blow (I keep telling myself)
 
bear bait
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06/11/2010 07:22AM  
quote PJ: "bear bait,


I've got the plans for Freedom 15/3, 16/2. I'm thinking of making the 16/2 version hoping it paddles much like my Magic. (Why build a canoe that is similar to one I already own? Good question...still battling with myself in my brain about that too.)


How difficult of a build is it? Someone on Bear Mountain's board said the chine/tumblehome was difficult. What did you think? If you did bead and cove did you do anything different on that transition point?
"

PJ,
i did the "bead and cove" throughout the build. if i were to do it over i would bevel the two transition strips. i got a nasty glue line on the inside. that's why i put the two racing stripes on the inside to cover it up :) other wise i thought it was an easy build.
 
06/11/2010 08:29AM  
Thanks bear bait
 
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