Let's carve a large outrigger canoe and sail it (Kon-tiki like) to an island

Check out this web site .
http://www.mauicanoefest.com

It is about an annual festival in Hawaii where several teams make a few traditional oceanic dugout canoes every year for cultural and educational purposes.

Here is a sample picture from that sight.

This got me thinking. Uh-oh!! Would anybody be interested in getting together where a group of us carve one of these and then actually paddle/sail it to some island in a great body of water. It could be considered a mini Kon-tiki expedition made up of a bunch of us amateurs from Tiki Central.

This is where it gets interesting. The good news is: I have access to a couple of large straight cotton wood trees that would make very good canoe hulls. They are about 26-30 inches in diameter at chest level and have strait trunks with no branches for at least 30 feet. I have access to equipment to move the logs. I also have a place for a group of people to meet and be lodged for the few days it could take to carve one of these out. I can even get the new craft from the creation point to the water. There are several possible launching points within a 40 minutes drive that could have potential islands to sail to in the Great Lakes (no real danger of getting lost). Depending on the island chosen it could be a journey anywhere from a mile to 15 miles of paddling. I was kinda thinking about something like sailing over and camping/partying for a night then back to the "mainland". I'll have to do a bit more research.

The bad news is it is in Michigan so it would most likely happen late next spring after the ice melts. Sorry all you sub-tropical types.

After we are done with the trip we could donate the craft to a museum or something.

Since I did get enough response on the first day I will start putting together an event.

Anybody else want to be part of it? If you want to let me know and I'll put you on PM distribution.

I initially put this in the carving tiki section because it would appeal mostly to us sawdust heads.

JohnnyP

[ Edited by: Johnnyp 2006-11-02 05:50 ]

I'll do it. You are gonna need a few saw guys. I'm in.

PIGHAMMER!

-Gman

[ Edited by: GMAN 2006-10-09 18:04 ]

That's an absolutely CRAZY idea..

I love it.

Hahaha, and so a new catchphrase is born! Yes, you will need the PIGHAMMER, as you never know what may happen on an uninhabited island...
I somehow don't think I'll be able to be a hands-on group participant in this project, but I'd happily donate a Mauri stone to ensure safe passage on your voyage.
I also think this is an utterly brilliant idea, and there are definitely the people here to pull something like this off.

PIGHAMMER!!

I have never carved anything yet but I could learn fast and be a good worker bee if supervised. And would be cool to paddle or just tag along in my kayak. I have worked on a eight person cardboard boat.

I think it's a great idea. I'd like to be a part of it, but Michigan?
You know Benzart has carved a canoe. I'll bet he wood dig this project.

I think it's a great idea, and I'd love to participate. Somehow. Providing life does not get in the way. Get folks from both coasts to meet in the middle. Of course Benzart would have to be involved, at the least carve the figurehead Tiki! I think it's brilliantly insane. Get a group of dedicated Tiki fanatics to take a voyage to Shangri-La– and in true Tiki fashion, it's wherever we decide it is (or wherever we happen to be). Carving, canoeing, cocktails, camping... count me in.

-Duke

Edited for Navy Grog-inspired content

[ Edited by: boutiki 2006-11-02 13:51 ]

You're all frickin' nuts,especially Johnny! I can drum the rowing cadence, I saw it done
in the old Viking movies.

You are one crazy bastard - I like the way you think! :) :)

If I could be there, Id be involved.

Definitely going to be interesting to watch this one...

Great response!

If I can get permission there may be a free place for people to stay either inside or camping on site!

I was going to get pictures of the trees/ logs that can be used but the camera batteries died.

JP

[ Edited by: JohnnyP 2006-11-01 16:59 ]

I'll be there come hell or high water. By Hook or by crook, Count me in! PIGHAMMER Indeed.

That would be way cool, Why not carve the paddles also? I think there was a guy on here who has done some? What was his name again.......OH yeah BK! How long do you think it would take to do the Boat? Just a thought...How about a few trips to do the boat and one big one for the launching and sail?

Here is another couple pictures from a Hawaii tourist site.

JP,
Bring that bad boy down to FL and i'm in...awesome crazy bad ass idea...love it.

PIGHAMMER!!!!

PIGHAMMER!!! PIGHAMMER!!!

OK, we'll name it PIGHAMMER.

There is still a lot of room left, anyone else? Any other ideas?

JohnnyP

[ Edited by: JohnnyP 2006-10-14 15:31 ]

bump

Sounds like a fun trip. I've canoed out to islands on big lakes out West and camped with a group before, it's a lot of fun. I've also done week long white water float trips down the Salmon River, the " River of No Return", with camping, drinking, eating and debauchery. My suggestion to you is to look into using "dry bags" for putting your sleeping bags, changes of clothes, food etc. in. See who's coming that might have their own dry bags and if not rent some from a rafting company outfitter or canoe outfitter. It's no fun when the clothes, food and cameras get wet.

Have fun you crazy bastardz!

ST

I don't think I relayed it well before, but I'm in!!

And.. I have a handheld GPS for navigation or just in case..

Do you have a route/island in mind? I've heard the lakes can get rough in some parts.. How is it in your area?

We gotsa have a boat before we have a course. When is this first saw team coming in Johnny?

-Gman

What is the time frame on this project? Depending on when it happens I would love to get involved!

PIGHAMMER!

I hope you guys can make this happen. Sounds like an epic adventure!

Ok, given the pure insane brilliance of this idea, and my proclivity to doing stuff purely for the ability to tell the story about it (Which has often gotten me in WAY over my head), I'm definitely in.

Love the idea!!!!

Count me in...

I've had the idea of building an outrigger for the last 6 years for the Dairyland Surf Classic on Labor Day Weekend... even had the logs ready... it never happened...

What lake are we talking about... Michigan or Huron? Upper Lake Michigan has quite a few islands in somewhat shallower waters.

Even in late Spring we're talking water temps of no higher that 50's... a wetsuit underneath might be a good idea...

Absolutely love it! Been to the Canoe festival several times. When my brothers and I were dancing at PCC, we would always make it over to see the fest! I'll PM you and talk more! We are in the Chicago suburbs.
Scott, Tiki Terrace

Johnny... have you gotten word from Scott at Tiki Terrace yet? I read over his thoughts and I think they are all great. Support and help from the Hawaiian and Polynesian communities in the Great Lakes region would be huge. I love the idea of multiple canoes all sailing to a destination too.

Lets make this happen.

It would be a great event!

Lake and Tiki Terrace.
That PM had a lot of very good ideas. The multiple starting location was an awesome idea, when I first schemed this up I didn't think there would be large amount of people crazy enough to try it and didn't envision more than one canoe.

This is terrific!

I have to gather more info on Great Lakes islands destinations and such. Also I should practice with a smaller dugout to get an estimate on how long it will take to carve a bigger one.

After we're done with the event up here there has been interest expressed in moving the canoe to Florida and going in the gulf to an island. This could involve other people that couldn't make the event up here.

I'll post more later- my head is still spinning.

JP

C'mon, When Aare we doing this, Anyone have the BIG Log yet?

I have a big log- OK restated-- I have a couple trees that are large enough to make these canoes. They have to be felled yet but that can happen this winter to get them ready to carve next year.

More details to come.

John

My log source has and will have plenty of logs in the 30-40 foot range at different diameters...

Different types of wood too.

I would have to get a trailer though, which would'nt be a problem.

You know, I've often said if I win the lottery I am buying a boat and sailing to the South Pacific. Why not just build one and go? Actually, it sounds like a good way to become fish food, but what better company to go in? lol I can't saw, but I can hammer, and I can fish!

fish food is not so much a probably in a fresh water lake. I can't thnik of a single fish or anything that could do harm to anyone.

When I first dreamed this up I was thinking about something easily doable. My family owns property in the thumb of Michigan (you know the thumb of the mitten) that is fairly close to Lake Huron. I thought we could get a few adventurous souls to carve an accurate reproduction canoe on site there and transport it with a farm wagon the 20 miles to launch it There are some islands in Saginaw Bay that are fairly close to land, a mile or two, and would be an easy paddle to test the idea out. They are in a sting and we could island hop up to 10 miles in one direction without ever being to far from land. For this portion I was thinking of just launching and paddling over without getting permits or etc. More of a quick trip under cover.

I knew if we could be successful there a longer journey would be called for and the 10-15 mile journey I was thinking of northern Lake Michigan. Like Lake Surfer suggested there are several islands in northern Lake Michigan that would make good destinations. South or North Manitu Island or Beaver Island are doable for a longer paddle / sail from Michigan but still within sight of land if we launched from any of several northern Michigan cites. I imagine it would take the better part of a day to make it to those islands.

For multiple starting locations as Tiki Terrace suggested from Chicago this could be 180-200 miles or so. At 3 miles an hour it would take 60 hours and still be within Tiki Terrace's 2-3 day voyage time suggested. From Wisconsin it would be about 60 miles. Since these departure sites would take you out of site of land a GPS would be a great idea, unless somebody has a Polynesian style chart of Lake Michigan (can somebody make one?). These destinations would need permits or at least a review of our plan with the Coast Guard. We may even have to register the craft and pay a license fee. I'm sure they would want to inspect the craft, but since the purpose is to recreate "primitive" transportation with a specific destination/ travel plan they may waive certain normal requirements These are details that need to be chased down.

I have had some experience sailing, but with a craft of this type it would be a whole new learning curve. But I don't see it as a huge hurdle.

Thanks everybody for responding.

JohnnyP(ighammer)

On 2006-11-08 10:55, teaKEY wrote:
fish food is not so much a probably in a fresh water lake. I can't think of a single fish or anything that could do harm to anyone.

They may not be dangerous, but sturgeons can be frightfully big!

On 2006-11-08 18:21, finkdaddy wrote:

They may not be dangerous, but sturgeons can be frightfully big!

Let's make it sound more exotic and call it a "Lake Shark"

I was looking for islands in Saginaw Bay, Mi that would be both close the carving location of the canoe and also fairly close to shore for the maiden voyage of the outrigger and I found this on Google Earth. An island in Michigan actually called Defoe Island, who'd a thunk. Daniel Defoe was the author of Robinson Crusoe. I can't tell you how many times I read that book as a kid (and dreamed about it at work).

This island is about 2 miles from shore. I am going to do some research to find out how accessible it is and if it is private or not. It would be a nice test paddle before a longer voyage.

JP

This has definitely got to be the most exciting thread to date on TC. What a great idea. I can see it now...the press will be clamoring to cover the carving of the vessel and then taping the epic journey. Lake shark.....no kidding!!! :)

Hey Folks,

I couldn't help but notice that you are planning a great voyage. I know you have your heart set on a canoe, but just for the fun of it I thought I'd send along the schematics of our vessels. (If any of you are interested, my book, "Voyage of the Manteño," has just come out. It is the story of my voyages on the open sea aboard rafts similar to Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki.)

Cheers to all of you, and I hope you do it!

Very kewl.....share some of your saling stories with us. They might help the carving/exploring gang. :wink:

I was recently looking at a property down on the coast that used to be a sail loft, hanging in the rafters was a couple of bamboo and wood poles, sails and mast.
I asked the owner what it was and he told me it belonged to a local guy who had left it there for years and the rest of the boat was laying in the boatyard somewhere.
Turns out to be an outrigger canoe with all its rigging and he would probably sell it. The Hull is a bit rotten but could probably be patched up,if I get it I hope to sail it this summer.
Maybe no journeys the size of yours, but if you want any pictures, measurements, etc, I'll see what I can do.

I contacted a local tree service, "Owen's Tree Service",last week and they agreed to support us. They are currently looking for an appropriate sized log. This is a slight change from felling a tree. This will save a bunch of time for us. Hopefully we still have the interest level out there.

JP

If it is at all possible for me to be there, I'm in, in, IN!! :D

On 2006-10-12 09:57, JohnnyP wrote:
Here is another couple pictures from a Hawaii tourist site.

Man, dontcha just wanna be THERE right now ?

My Hawaii jones is killin me right now. :(

JP, What kinds of trees do you have choices of now as that will really make a difference?
Let me know as soon as you find out?

Go Jonny! Have you determined specs yet? Please share! Sorry havent been in touch recently, but work always gets in the way :(

Still would love to join in the fun. My brothers will be in MI next week and will be checking in with the mills. will post if they find anything promising.

I just finished a boat for a Lake MI practice run... have not dropped in water, but I know it will float :)
Keep us posted
Scott

VampiressRN,

Here's description of our first raft on its first day at sea:

In the morning we awoke to sunny skies and a shining ocean. Land was gone. The raft was now cruising slowly and steadily across a vast field of pointed waves. Had you seen Illa-Tiki from a distance that morning you would have seen at first a stark-white sail, tall and rectangular and towering above the surface like a three-story building. Behind the bulging sail you would have seen a bulky wooden barge plodding through the blue ocean with a little bamboo house on its back. You would have had no trouble determining that the craft was built in the tropics. Its superstructure was strictly bamboo architecture, made from scores of neatly cut bamboo poles and bushy palm fronds in typical cabaña style. You would have also gotten the clear impression that this was a work boat, not a pleasure craft. Mounds of supplies and containers lay stacked on its deck and a multitude of heavy barrels stood lashed to its cabin, giving it the looks and personality of an ocean freighter—a tropical cargo boat from ancient America.

And here's a picture of what it looked like:

Here is a quick update. Last year's event did not materialize for a few reasons, but the dream is still going.

Progress is being made. A log has been salvaged from a cleared field. The log I plan on using is one behind the one I am cutting. With the generous help of my father, we managed to free about a 30 feet long log from this pile. If the weather cooperates (rare in Michigan) it should be at my home this spring for carving.