Anyone ever built a Pirogue?

[Ramblin Rogue]

Have the basic design on paper finished. Looking for helpful hints or tricks.

[damnyankee]

Great site, I have not built one yet but a friend who can barely work a hammer did and it turned out quite nice.

http://www.unclejohns.com/boat/default.htm

[webbmaster]

I always thought it was spelled "Perot," but apparently I had it confused with a third party, big eared, former Presidential candidate from Texas.

[injun_23]

I built one from a kit (Uncle Johns) and although it was a fun project I will agree with the duck in the ugly-a$$ hat that a commercially built one for $200 is the best way to go. INJ

[matador1]

Chapman who Benny?

[South Woods]

Matador i think benny is talking about Ron Chapman in Chalmette. His web site is http://www.pirogue.com[/url]

[duck_nutt]

look at this http://www.gatorboats.com

[mudsucker]

I am from SE LA. and have been to Ron Chapman's shop in Chalemette La. and also have friends how own various sizes and all are happy with them. He builds them well and fairly stable(which I have turned over in many a home built one at my old camp!) with a nice cypress cap rail on the gunnel that puts up with abuse from banging it with the paddle, and softens the noise! Look into one. Oh, built of fiberglass!

[Jeff]

Ron Chapman builds a great boat and has been at it a long time, I would strongly reccomend his. In fact he is now building them with holes in the front and back for spud poles wich I don't have but I must say is the poop. That uncle John's may work for a little while, but w/o fiberglass and built correctly it is more trouble than it is worth.

[eastwoods]

Hey now hold on a minute!!! I built an Uncle John with the kids and love it. The only problem is I have to hide it at the club so everybody doesn't use it. it's simply the coolest boat to get in and go duck hunting at my place.

If I had to do it again, I would buy a metal one. The wood Uncle John's one was a lot of work and I bet I spent $200 bucks. It was so much work is why I don't want it used by anybody but my kids. Want it to last a lifetime. I for one am not the kind of guy that really likes to baby my gear. I got it hanging up in my garage now and will touch up the resin/fiberglass this summer. Kind of a lifetime nuisance, but extremely special and endearing for the kids.

Buy a metal one and buy longer rather than shorter.

[GulfCoast]

You can buy a 14 footer from Chapman for $200 bucks, by the time you go through all of that you could have a real peru and I mean the best.

Get one from Chapman. Best deal out there.

[skuna]

I've got an aluminum pirouge that is about 14' long and it is by far the best money I have ever spent on anything to duck hunt with. It is made out of thick stuff so I just drag it behind the four wheeler across fields through woods. I have a rack on my four wheeler trailor and I slide it on and off and go. I would like to get an 8' fiberglass that I could carry by hand long distances through the woods or across fields that I can't cross with the fourwheeler. I'm also looking at biulding a set a wheels to attach to the pirouge so I can roll by hand across feilds.

[jdbuckshot]

i built one, it works great. its a 12 footer, and its as stable as any. but like they said, eventually it will wear and tear, rot and leak. buy you an aluminum one, or a chapman they are nice rigs.

[Jeff]

ya'll get those aluminum ones all you want, but they are LOUD, LOUD, LOUD. I'll stick to my fiberglass pirouge. If it helps in your decision any, down here either a pirouge or mud motor is a required piece of gear and the have been used since before Lewis and Clark. If you go out on a Saturday and sit on a highway and see what goes by you in boats they will ALL be fiberglass. Not saying do that, but I'd bet over 50,000 fiberglass pirougues in the New Orleans area.

[mudsucker]

And that just to navigate the front yard after a "May 3rd." type flood.