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Author	Message Text
boogers101	03/27/2013 01:37PM   thanks! that appears to be a popular model to build.
jdevries	03/27/2013 11:42AM   Love my Merlin. You can get the plans for free from NW Canoe, a sponsor of this board. It's just under 16' and weighs exactly 50lbs. I'm currently building another and hope to shave some weight. JD
BobsMn	03/27/2013 07:39PM   quote jdevries: "Love my Merlin. You can get the plans for free from NW Canoe, a sponsor of this board. It's just under 16' and weighs exactly 50lbs. I'm currently building another and hope to shave some weight. JD " Nice looking canoe. I hope to start a Merlin early this spring. Bobs
Cedarboy	03/27/2013 08:36PM   Built the 38 Special a few years back, sold it, wanted a boat with some rocker. The 38 Special is an original Merlin bumped up 3.8%. The new Merlin at NWC has been relofted to add some rocker. I picked up some John Winters Osprey plans from NWC and have cut forms to start the build next month(weather dependant). May add a form to make it a 16 footer. Another plan to look at is the NWC Passage. CB I am partial to John Winters designs. I built a JW Quetico a year ago, love it. Again I added another form to make it 19.5 foot, 3 person tripper. Next tandem may be a JW Winisk.
boogers101	03/26/2013 06:06PM   I own/built (with my Dad) a 2 person cedar wood strip canoe, I can't remember what pattern we used. I have used this canoe several times in the BWCA. The canoe is 16'9" long and weighs around 65 lbs. I now want to build another cedar wood strip canoe this time a solo canoe. I would like any input if anyone has built one and has a recommended pattern. I would also like any input on length, width, round bottom, flat bottom, and seat height. Thanks!
HighPlainsDrifter	03/31/2013 09:52PM   I think that the hardest part of building is the decision on what to build. There are a lot of canoes called "Merlin" (unfortunately). So be careful of the name and look at the specs. JD's Merlin is a NW Merlin (I believe). I built the "original" Merlin that Cedarboy refers to (with no Rocker). That canoe was designed by Bruce Kunz (deceased) and I believe that is the design that was re-lofted by NWC (need to check with the keeper of historical records on that :)...... But the point is that one Merlin is not the same as another (again unfortunate but that is the game of marketing).... kinda like the canoe called the "Prospector"....... The Chestnut Canoe Company built a Prospector Series of canoes (non of which were actually called "Prospector"). In the series there was Forest, Fire, Ranger, Fort, Garry, and Voyageur (12'-18'). They all had the same classic "Prospector" shape hull (with rocker) just that some were short and some were long. Of Chestnut's Prospector line, 2 canoe designs still remain popular....... Ranger (15') and Fort (16'). The classic 16' canoe that is called Prospector today (copied by many companies) actually started it's life known as "Fort"........ a very unlikely name for graceful hull of beauty. MY ADVICE: Find an owner willing to let you try their canoe before you build it. If you want to try an original Merlin, we just need to hook up. I'll also let you solo paddle the Ranger Good luck deciding