sculptor
canoestory
The very first prototypes (not shown), a succession of three, the longest approximately 14", were made in 2015.
Later that year and into the next, a more formal design was developed, along with a new set of prototypes, ranging from 21 - 26 inches long.
These led to many more over the next couple of years (25-30), ranging in length from 18 to 24" and with an average main body hull thickness of approximately .25".
Just for fun, I tried a couple of them in my pond and was encouraged to see that the form did achieve some buoyancy - just not enough at that scale to float the boat.
Half in jest, I resolved that my next canoes should float!
This effectively allowed me to stop making canoes at the scale I had been and simply move on to other things for a while.
Eventually, in 2023, the design was reworked to the largest scale deemed manageable in the simple hope that it just might be enough. Modifying the design and building at this larger scale required developing at least two new techniques along the way (always a good thing; saving those for later).
The finished piece, called La Boussole, measures 42 x 6 x 6" with an average main body hull thickness of approximately .25".
It's made of alabaster, chlorite, pyrophyllite, and soapstone, and weighs about 9lbs.
And it floats!
The images shown are of the sister canoe, La Boussole II, 2024, whose dimensions are roughly similar, though the overall composition is quite different as a normal result of varied stone selection.
More will surely follow...