Birchbark Canoe: Ray Mears Bushcraft

[lakedaemonian]

With all the crazy bad "Yin" going on around the world, I reckon it's quite important to find some good "Yang" to counter it.

Most everyone would probably have heard of Bear Grylls, but far fewer people would probably have heard of Ray Mears.

While Bear Grylls has developed an outdoor rock star persona of surviving in "the wild".......Ray Mears would probably be best described as an outdoor philospher whose life's passion is thriving in the outdoors.

This video covers the construction of a Canadian First Nation style birchbark canoe

Not only is it guaranteed to lower the blood pressure(although it may put a few to sleep), but in my opinion is the most beautiful object ever created using only natural materials and minimal hand tools.

Watching this video on the Birchbark Canoe works for me on a few levels...I get to see some cool innovation, creativity, and practical/beautiful craftsmanship from our past that offers hope for solutions to our problems in the future.

And it's like non-pharmaceutical medication for the mind.

What do you reckon?

What's YOUR "Yang" to all the crazy "Yin" in the world?

[lektrode]

Re: Birchbark Canoe: Ray Mears Bushcraft

With all the crazy bad "Yin" going on around the world, I reckon it's quite important to find some good "Yang" to counter it.
....
Watching this video on the Birchbark Canoe works for me on a few levels...I get to see some cool innovation, creativity, and practical/beautiful craftsmanship from our past that offers hope for solutions to our problems in the future.

And it's like non-pharmaceutical medication for the mind.

What do you reckon?

+1
when i was a kid, in the boyscouts (back b4 they became politically incorrect ;), we did same - but making them out of burlap and cheap polyester resin was easier and they floated better ;)

What's YOUR "Yang" to all the crazy "Yin" in the world?

thats easy, brah = floating down a river in one...
with a cooler full of refreshments and my honey paddlin, while i take care of the fishin gear...

[lakedaemonian]

Re: Birchbark Canoe: Ray Mears Bushcraft

+1
when i was a kid, in the boyscouts (back b4 they became politically incorrect ;), we did same - but making them out of burlap and cheap polyester resin was easier and they floated better ;)



thats easy, brah = floating down a river in one...
with a cooler full of refreshments and my honey paddlin, while i take care of the fishin gear...

Our kids are in Scouts.....I'll have to look up the burlap and resin canoe....at the moment they are focused on tying knots and other very basic fieldcraft...could be a good project.

I'll be in and around the water(and mostly offline) for about a month soon......I've got my eye on a Klepper for some retirement trips.....no chance for a birchbark down here I think....but might have to try my hand at a native timber Waka(Maori dugout canoe).

I've also got a Fender Tele that I'm going to learn how to play someday...again....in retirement....no rest for the wicked.

But I DO wonder what forum members do to maintain their sanity and to help keep them centred in all the madness around us.

[lektrode]

Re: Birchbark Canoe: Ray Mears Bushcraft

....no chance for a birchbark down here I think....but might have to try my hand at a native timber Waka(Maori dugout canoe).

or maybe try yer hands with the northern polynesia model - since to buy em, they're perty pricey - so building the burlap river floaters might be the best bet...

I've also got a Fender Tele that I'm going to learn how to play someday...again....in retirement....no rest for the wicked.

But I DO wonder what forum members do to maintain their sanity and to help keep them centred in all the madness around us.

eye hear that!
lately i've been hangin drywall in our new garage and/or trying to figger out how to change the belts in a subaru outback ;)
and 'retirement' is a very strange/unknown and likely unthinkable concept for me - at least at the moment - its a looong way off, if ever - am thinking that when that time comes closer, might just liquidate, buy me one of these, head off into the sunset til i run out of money for diesel and go out viking style ;)

[shiny!]

Re: Birchbark Canoe: Ray Mears Bushcraft

But I DO wonder what forum members do to maintain their sanity and to help keep them centred in all the madness around us.

Last summer I took up the viola. Haven't played an instrument since guitar lessons when I was 11 years old (Mom needed a place to dump me while my brother, the musical prodigy, was taking his drum lessons). I was terrible and hated it. Figured I didn't have a knack for playing music. But I'm really loving the viola now. The mental challenge of it is as interesting as the physical challenge. It's opened up a whole world for me.

Have fun on the water!

[lakedaemonian]

Re: Birchbark Canoe: Ray Mears Bushcraft

or maybe try yer hands with the northern polynesia model - since to buy em, they're perty pricey - so building the burlap river floaters might be the best bet...


And VERY heavy......I am definitely going to look into a burlap/resin canoe project with the kids when they are a bit older.

eye hear that!
lately i've been hangin drywall in our new garage and/or trying to figger out how to change the belts in a subaru outback ;)
and 'retirement' is a very strange/unknown and likely unthinkable concept for me - at least at the moment - its a looong way off, if ever - am thinking that when that time comes closer, might just liquidate, buy me one of these, head off into the sunset til i run out of money for diesel and go out viking style ;)

cam belts/timing belts are NOT much fun.

Those diesel wagons look cool.....I can vouch for the Merc diesel vans......well regarded down here.

Something like that would suit me quite well solo or with the wife......I'd have to kick the kids out of the house/campervan though.

New Zealand is well set up for folks to tiki tour across the country in campervans short term and long term.

We even have a small community/subculture that do it permanently.

[flintlock]

Re: Birchbark Canoe: Ray Mears Bushcraft

I took up playing the drums. A customer was the original drummer for Wild Cherry(play that funky music white boy) and I saw his electric drumset in his basement. I had played in HS and when I realized there was a way to play without disturbing neighbors and family, I bought a set. Good therapy.

[wayiwalk]

Re: Birchbark Canoe: Ray Mears Bushcraft

I study martial arts (tae kwon do) and will somehow figure out how to pay for pursuing chi gung in 2014.....also made a pledge for 2014 to teach the young ones survival skills hidden in the guise of field craft, that way I"m channeling the doomer side of my dealing with all this madness into something productive.

I admire those with the musical pursuits, I think those days have left me long ago. I was a horrible trumpet player in high school and I'd hate to discover how much worse I am today.

[thriftyandboringinohio]

Re: Birchbark Canoe: Ray Mears Bushcraft

...A customer was the original drummer for Wild Cherry(play that funky music white boy....

My goodness, it is a small world. That band is from Mingo Junction, Ohio. My high school sweetheart hailed from them parts.
Next time you see him, ask him if he ever gets "..that Wheeling feeling".
He'll likely laugh and tell you he's too old for that now.