REFURBISHING THE FIRST PIROGUE

[preacher]

I decided that I needed to upgrade the first Pirogue so I stripped off the Varnish and laid a full 6 oz cloth coating on the bottom to add to the 2 corner strips already in place. Then I added 3 coats of graphite and refinished the sides and added my TKF and JEM stickers.

She's 13' 4" long and 22" wide at the hull plate.














Of course I built this Pirogue for my grand kids so I took my oldest with me (185 pounds) and he obediently slimmmmmmmed it. With the newly installed Ocean Kayak seat mounted (with a 1" rubber pad underneath it), new rod holders, new foot rests she is fast and smart. The anchor trolley isn't remounted in these pics but will be soon. Nice little boat for under $200.00.

Don't the TKF and the JEM stickers look sharp?

[gerald]

Looks great! Just one positive of the boats you build yourself is that, after a few years, you can bring them back to good as, or better than, new.


...and I drool every time I see your shop....

[barditch]

Sly question here...which grandkid gets the classic Impala with the humongous very politically incorrect 400 horse engine??? Or does Grandpa get to do a little stylin' first? Enquiring minds are nosey minds.

[bowgarguide]

I had a 1963 ragtop blue just like that,but it had a 283 in it.
Dang guys hit me broadside and totaled it.
Ron

[Dogpaddlin]

Looks good! I think your shop is the envy of ALL of TKF!

On another note, what type of seat do you use in the pirogue? I built the Uncle John's seat and while it was fun to build it is very uncomfortable.

[preacher]

Sly question here...which grandkid gets the classic Impala with the humongous very politically incorrect 400 horse engine??? Or does Grandpa get to do a little stylin' first? Enquiring minds are nosey minds.

The chevy belongs to a guy who works for me. It was GIVEN to him and he is about to put it in the shop and rebuild it from the frame out. I think he is going original.

[preacher]

Looks good! I think your shop is the envy of ALL of TKF!

On another note, what type of seat do you use in the pirogue? I built the Uncle John's seat and while it was fun to build it is very uncomfortable.

Ain't my shop, it the shop where I work . . . but I'm the boss so . . .

I used an Ocean Kayak kayak seat in this boat and it woks great. This boat is narrow and too tippy for a tall seat (Iknow because I tried a taller seat), my Bumble Bee has a much higher rigid folding seat and it is incredible. But the Bumble Bee is 16' long and 28 inches wide at the hull plate, 32 inches wide over all.

I don't like hard seats, can't stand the pain after hours of fishing. My Big Game kayak has an adjustable air bladder that I use in the seat and found saving grace with it. Got it at Academy for $19.00, might give it a try.