Maybe this can be interpreted as functional sculpture; a home built canoe.
Woodworking has been a skill of mine passed on from my father; in fact I still use many of the tools and equipment he used.
Deruchette is a 16 foot long canoe composed of a wood frame covered in 13 OZ. “duck” aka Canvas cloth. Built about 12 years ago.
A few specifics:
The keel beam is a built up box beam using ¾ inch square Ponderosa pine with ¼ inch thick marine grade plywood clad on each side
There are three primary ribs or bulkheads composed of 16 strips of 1/8 inch thick by ¾ inch wide Douglas Fir. The strips were steamed and then bent around plywood jigs, clamped and left to dry for a couple of days. Once dried, the strips were unclamped coated with epoxy and then re clamped around the jig.
The secondary frame consists of several ¾ inch square clear/ select (no knots) Ponderosa Pine stringers attached to the ribs with brass wood screws.
Upon completing the frame the structure is then covered with the canvas stretched hand tight and attached with several hundred aluminum brads. The fabric is then sprayed with water and allowed to dry in the sun which shrinks the fabric making it taught.
Five coats of butyrate dope are spayed over the canvas, including two coats on the interior side. The butyrate dope shrinks the fabric tight as a drum and waterproofs.
The construction is essentially the same as wood and fabric aircraft of old.
Other wood used includes Mahogany for benches, removable panels that sit at bottom of boat and trim.
A few pictures:
Click on thumbnails for larger image: