Nonpareil Touring Pirogue H1
- $1,400
- 15' x 29"
- Ideal load capacity 145-315lbs
- 38lbs net weight (Est.)
- Completed to a high standard of materials, fit, and finish
- Materials: BS1088 Marine Ply, Poplar trim, 6oz. fiberglass cloth, Marine Epoxy, Marine paint, Marine Varnish, Graphite bottom coat, Brass hardware
- Bow and stern, braided poly strap with leather carry handles
- Non-Skid interior
- car-toppable
- recommended seating: type IV flotation cushion (not included)
- Service warranty: One re-coat of graphite bottom and one recoat of varnish UV protection with instructions to maintain in the future. Recommended after 1-2 seasons of use.
- Limited warranty: Covers defects in workmanship. Repair or replace at the discretion of foot on the sea.
- see previous entries (below) for construction details

WARNING! Participating in activities in or near the water puts you at risk of injury, drowning, and death. Always wear an approved PFD and make certain that it has been properly fitted and adjusted. Do not expose yourself to water areas, situations, or conditions that are beyond your level of experience and skill. Always be aware that water and weather conditions may change rapidly. Do not participate in water activities when lightning may occur. Small boats are highly sensitive to load weight and load distribution, Use caution to prevent capsize or sinking.

View from forward:


Detail of Stern:


Detail of bow:


Detail of thwart:


view from above:


detail of stern:


Detail of stern interior carving:


Fish-eye view:

The Matt Langenfeld designed Touring Pirogue launched on an overcast morning in a sheltered cove of Percy Priest Reservoir. Recent thunderstorms have dramatically spiked the water-level here and the Reservoir is reaching high on the banks. On this morning, wind was 15 knots and shifting from S/SE. Chop outside the cove was just beginning to cap at 6-8 inches. Loaded with two adults the Pirogue sliced comfortably and fast through the chop with no pounding. Heavy weather blew in by 3:00PM, but the pirogue had already proven herself quite capable. Safety equipment was at hand during these photos and it is always advisable to wear a PFD.

The boat can be paddled solo in 2-3" of water.


She tracks well, and with guidance through hip-roll she steers and turns easily. A nice bow wake is thrown and she produces minimal disturbance out the tail.


Secondary stability is impressive.


Loading had little decrease on performance and there was plenty of room for 2 adults, a dog, and day-gear.


Sleek, light, strong.


OK, pretty too.

The approximate, loaded waterline has been finished with coats of epoxy-graphite (Graphite powder is used in many industries as a dry lubricant and when combined with epoxy it creates a slick, black, abrasion-resistant finishing coat). The floor of the hull interior is coated with Kirby's marine paint. This area will see rough treatment from people and equipment and the painted surface should be durable and easy to clean.

View looking aft from bow


View looking forward from stern


Fish-eye view of bow and nonpariel, shallow-"V" bottom

Take a look at the Workshop page to see how construction of the new, permanent footonthesea workshop is progressing. All boatwork is on hold temporarily while the workshop gets completed. The boats should be back on track by the middle of April.

Illustrations are complete for both tumblehome sides and for the stern deck. Final sanding and epoxy top-coating is underway in preparation for painting trimwork, but the painting will need to wait for double-digit (F) temperatures. Thwarts are stained and coated but not installed -waiting to finish interior top-coat first. A splash coaming has been added to the bow deck -it is a ply laminate construction bent along a nail-line curve and filleted to the bare deck just before glassing. The deck glass runs up the fillet and overlaps the coaming on all sides by 2mm.

Hull #1 Port Tumblehome - Detail

With the hull glassed and faired, decks fitted, poplar gunnels installed, and the two poplar thwarts ready for installation, the structural components to hull #1 are now complete. Portions of the hull will be finished bright with large sections of the BS1080 okume hardwood venneer shining through the 6oz fiberglass cloth, Raka epoxy, and Z-Spar varnish. Trimwork will be painted using Kirby's Marine Paint. Below the waterline the finish will be a black, graphite-epoxy mixture for minimal water-resistance and maximum abrasion resistance.



The tumblehome panels will also be hand illustrated in the decorative carving tradition of various Pacific island cultures. The horizontal, totem-style illustrations will be composed of nearly 80 individual character sections spanning a total of 28'.

Hull #1 Tumblehome Working Sketch - Detail


Hull #2 is designed with a high-angle transom for use with a small outboard motor and with a below-waterline teardrop tapering stern for efficient paddling. The templates and forms for this design have been cut and prepped for assembly. At just under 16' in length and with nearly 900 lbs of carrying capacity this will be an exciting build to keep your eyes on in upcoming posts.

The first Foot on the Sea Boats are scheduled to launch early in the New Year of 2009. These ingenious versions of the traditional Pirogue were designed by Matt Langenfeld of JEM Watercraft. Matt's Pirogues are nonpariel, shallow-"V" bottom, shallow-draft paddlers that seem to combine the best of Canoe carrying capacity, Kayak agility, and Pirogue stability. The wood/fiberglass/epoxy construction will be stronger and weigh less than a comparable production boat with the added benefit of beautiful wood-grain. The Car-Toppable Pirogues should provide unrestricted access through the shallowest and tightest nooks and crannies of Tennessee's meandering waterways with several days worth of stores and fishing, hunting, or observation equipment for two. The smooth bow entries and tapered transoms will give a very "stealth" footprint and a smooth, quiet paddle unlikely to spook wary fish and wildlife. When it comes to weight distribution, the Pirogue is much more forgiving than a traditional Kayak or Canoe making it a better choice for paddling with pets or small children (Always wear PFD). My plans include modifying one version with a water-entry dog ramp that would be an excellent option for waterfowl hunters or anyone who wants the option of getting their dog in and out of the boat without beaching.