The puzzle deepens - and wise words....

I wrote to Simon Clements, the leader of the course shown in the link from the Pitts-Rivers Museum, asking if he knew the whereabouts of Phil Green, the designer of Nessmuk – the “Wee Yellow Canoe”..

Here’s his gracious reply….

“Dear Grizzle
 
Nice to hear from you. I had the very same problem before the PRM course here in Oxford. I knew Phil through canoeist magazine where I wrote several reviews of his canoe designs. In our correspondence he gave permission for me to use his design for courses, his suggested fee was the price of the plans per boat, approx £20. Time passed and later when I wanted to run the course  I was unable to contact him despite fairly exhaustive searches ...

I lost contact with Stuart and Becky Fisher who wrote canoeist magazine when they left for pastures new, they knew Phil very well and were my initial contact.
Phil often said his primary reason for doing the plans was to get "folks out on the water" so if you cannot get in contact with him perhaps do what I did and donate the price of the plans to a charity of your choice, preferably something riverine with young people.

I have often wondered what became of him.  I have built at least six of his boats from a variety of his plans and despite their simplicity I have always found them excellent. His "Sweet Dream" Canoe was developed and promoted in the States in a slightly modified form in a book called "Building Sweet Dream"( I forget the author) [MARC F PETTINGILL .... Other bookshops are available)   

and is the "big brother" of Nessmuk, and in my opinion one of the most practical and elegant solo open canoes ever.

Let me know if you do get in touch with him,?

Best wishes and happy paddling, if I can help in any way please let me know.
       Simon”

I replied:

Dear Simon,

Such a kind and helpful reply; would it be O.K. if I added it intact to the blog?  It all adds to the story and would, perhaps, go some way towards encouraging others who follow us to make a donation, too!

And he responded:

“Hi,

Absolutely, it is all about getting "folks on the water" it is an ideal boat for D of E projects,
Sea scouts and schools DT projects; so the more the merrier."

So – I’m still chasing the trail – anyone with any more information, please let me know.  Anyone with any more of the plans – likewise!

And if you decide to build one yourself – you know what to do for a build fee – at least for now :-)  and here’s some information from Simon Clements to be going on with.

“Hi,

I have just checked out your blog; the cracking along the stem cuts on the canoe are caused by starting at the base and working up to the gunwale.

Phil originally used two slip knotted strings to gradually draw the two side pieces together a little bit at a time, I have always done this dry and although it makes a horrific noise on occasion it does prevent those stem cracks...It's not called tortured ply for nothing...

Also you will only get a tumble home on the hull by cutting the wedge out of the side panels as per the plans. I have made several Nessmuk with less tumble home and they get progressively harder to paddle the wider they get.
Remember you are sitting on the bottom of the boat which means a short steep paddle stroke at the best of times. However if you go wide and maybe fit a deck, rudder and lee boards and a small bermuda sail these little boats sail like a terrier chases rats!

They are such good fun

S”