Building a Toto click here to read or make an observation about this  article
By Joseph Murray - New Brunswick - Canada

I have been building boats for about 15 years now. Mostly I build some kind of small row/sail boat. Over the years I have always stopped to watch the paddlers going with kayaks and canoes. The simplicity of it all had always sparked a dream in me of one kind or another; from paddling some clear water lake locally to doing a two week long trek into the Rockies.

click to enlarge

Over the years I have always stopped to watch the paddlers going with kayaks and canoes.

(click images to enlarge)

About a year ago I came across the Duckworks website and thus the plans available through them. In the past I have built a few of Phil Bolger’s boats and I have always liked the idea of the flat bottom hard chine hull for building ease. When I saw Jim Michalak’s plans I was literally like a kid again. I almost immediately bought two sets of plans from him.

The plans arrived just as I was heading to work a week or so later; so as not to waste any time getting started I brought them with me and laid them out on my desk while I worked. I am a call center employee so having the plans spread all over doesn’t really affect my job; other than perhaps having to get someone to repeat what they just said two or three times as I was distracted.

When I saw Jim Michalak’s plans I was literally like a kid again.

click to enlarge

I had never before tackled a stitch and glue boat although I was very familiar with the process. All of the Bolger boats had been stringers over frames and bulkheads like the Light Schooner. Nonetheless I was confident I could sort it out. The instructions are very clear and very complete for the Toto.

The following weekend I was off to Home depot to purchase the plywood (4 mm Okoume) and filler. The fiberglass materials I bought at Canadian Tire. It’s a bit pricey but I didn’t want to wait for another delivery. I had plans to be on the water within a week.

click to enlarge

The instructions are very clear and very complete for the Toto.

Laying out the patterns from the plans to the plywood took about two hours all total. I did as Jim suggests and laid out all the pieces for one side; cut them out and use them as a pattern for the other side. Everything went off without a hitch using a Skill saw set to only the depth of the plywood. Doing this allows you to cut the curves without difficulty.

Next I would need to join the side pieces together with a butt joint as the Toto is longer than one sheet of plywood. While this was drying I could cut out all the other assortment of small pieces needed for assembly. I used scrap boards I had laying about to frame around the bulkhead where required by ripping them to the dimensions on the plans. The small piece for the bow was done the same way.

Everything went off without a hitch using a Skill saw set to only the depth of the plywood.

click to enlarge

Setting everything up on two folding sawhorses I first fastened the side panels to the transom. Working forward and alternating from side to side I attached all the bulkheads and temporary frames in their respective locations. Once I attached the small wedge shaped piece at the bow the flat panels were transformed into the three dimensional of a kayak. Well, I just had to go get all my neighbors and anyone else I could find to come check it out. This could be perhaps part of the reason why at this point I made a bit of a blunder.

It is at this point of the construction that I should have been attaching the bottom panel. In my excitement to see even more of the shape I inadvertently attached the bilge panels; then the bottom panel. Well things didn’t seem to look quite the way they were supposed to; of this I was quite sure. I sat down to pour over the plans; checked and rechecked all the measurements; and rechecked the plans again. Sometimes things are right in your face and so obvious; but you just can’t see it. Eventually I realized what I had done. Thank goodness experience has taught me not to jump to conclusions and not to haul out the Skill saw and planer and make things fit. Once I disassembled and reassembled the hull in the proper sequence the pieces fit together wonderfully. The side panels were now wiring up almost dead on to the bottom panels whereas before they were off maybe 3/8th of an inch off. During disassembly I did notice that one of the bulkheads was also forward of a line when it should have been aft of it.

click to enlarge

Once I disassembled and reassembled the hull in the proper sequence the pieces fit together wonderfully.

Now were into uncharted waters here with this stitch and glue stuff and Yes I was a bit apprehensive. Jim recommends taping all the outside seams with duct tape to keep any putty/filler from running through and also to provide a nice smooth surface on the outside once the putty/filler dries. This being done I flipped the hull right side up and began filling all the seams where the plywood panels meet and also applying a small rounded over bead anywhere the panels meet a bulkheads. This actually only took me about an hour to do the whole boat. Being the first time it wasn’t perfect and I did have to go back and do a little sanding before applying glass tape. Nothing too serious though. Before applying the tape the hull has to be turned again and the wires used to hold the panels removed; flipped upside down again and finish puttying any places that the wire interfered. From here it is all down hill. Apply glass tape; wet it out working your way around the inside until your back where you start; and then proceeding with a slightly thickened resin to give a nice smooth ~ no need to sand ~ finish. The outside was done the same way after a bit more puttying and fairing of the seams.

Now were into uncharted waters here with this stitch and glue stuff and Yes I was a bit apprehensive.

click to enlarge

At this point I had decided to go with the Toto as per the plans and leave the center open with a small forward deck and aft of the cockpit decked for buoyancy. I cut no access hatches at all. I applied two coats of primer to the entire boat inside and out followed by three coats of marine alkyd enamel outside and two coats inside. That was it and we were off to the water. My first couple of paddles were just as I expected. It was very peaceful and relaxing. The boat handled beautifully and was very easy to paddle. I had picked up a two piece aluminum kayak paddle from a local sports store. The third time out was a bit different. It was getting late in the season now for this part of the world being mid October. I took off to my favorite lake around noon to nice sunny skies; a few clouds and mediocre winds. Paddling across the west side of the lake I was protected from the wind by the shore; making it quite a warm day. As I skirted the north part of the lake and moved away from the western shore I noticed the wind was up a bit. Well by the time I made it too the eastern shore the wind was definitely up as well and the waves. While trying to head back across the north side the bow kept getting pushed off by the wind followed by the waves almost turning me sideways. All and all I did make it back to the launch site and the car but not before being swamped twice. At this point I decided to deck her over for the next season.

Click to enlarge

All and all I did make it back to the launch site and the car but not before being swamped twice.

To deck over a Toto we are getting away from the plans; however it is pretty straight forward. I started by removing the gunwales from the outside of the hull and moving them inside to support the decking and narrow the hull by 1 ½”. I made a temporary frame for what would be the forward point of the cockpit giving it just enough rise to shed water from the decks. From the center point I bent two strips of thin wood to what would become the rear of the cockpit. This gave me a full scale representation from which to transfer to the plywood deck. The 4mm Okoume had to be ripped down the middle to a point approximately 16” forward of the cockpit in order for it to agree to do the compound curves required. Once everything was marked and cut out, I clamped, glued and screwed it all home. Wiring the 16” seam closed again to the proper curve I began with the process of putty and glassing to make everything one unit. I used small pieces of ¾ by ¾ to frame the underside of the deck around the cockpit; then overlaying this with a strip of 4mm by 2” Okoume to form the cockpit coaming. The top of the coaming is finished with a strip of ½” by 5/8” cedar to give a hold for a spray skirt. The hatches were then cut and framed with 1/2” by ¾” cedar with a bead of putty around the perimeter. I made the hatch covers by edge gluing strips of cedar together with waterproof glue, sanding and clear finishing. Originally she was painted all red but armed with some new paint and two rolls of masking tape I set about giving her a new look.

The top of the coaming is finished with a strip of ½” by 5/8” cedar to give a hold for a spray skirt.

click to enlarge

I have had her out many times this year in conditions from virtually no wind to 20 – 25 knot winds with no ill effects. I plan my trips based on the weather. If its light winds I head for the bay ~ if it’s going to blow I stick to the rivers where I can work with the shoreline and avoid some of the wind. I have never swamped her again and I have never tipped her. She is still light enough that I take her off the car myself with one arm and sometimes carry her for 300 – 400 yards to the water. She paddles very easy and is nice and dry now even in a chop out on the bay. Now that all the kinks are worked out; I plan to build another with a friend so I have someone to paddle with.

click to enlarge

Now that all the kinks are worked out; I plan to build another with a friend so I have someone to paddle with.

More Toto Articles:

Email this page to a friend