Jim's Boats

[Bruce Day]

Our PGCA member Jim Bielke of Morgan, Minnesota builds and restores wood boats. Here is a 17 ft Rangely square stern that he did for me. The hull is white cedar , seats are old heart redwood, oars are basswood, transom, deck and removable floors are ash and gunnels are mahogany . The base coating is epoxy covered by Epiphanes varnish.

It weighs under 200 lbs and a 10 hp outboard pushes the boat along quickly.

[Bruce Day]

The white cedar strip hull at the water line is willow green, a historically correct color.

[Bruce Day]

Jim carves the oars and does the traditional leather work

[Bruce Day]

The seats are redwood and seat supports are cherry.

[Bruce Day]

The transom is a single slab of locally grown ash.

We have some very gifted members.

[Steve Huffman]

Very Nice ! I would of had him make a gas tank cover to match .

[Angel Cruz]

Beautiful!! The skills of some of our members are just amazing.

[Bruce Day]

Very Nice ! I would of had him make a gas tank cover to match .

That is my January project.

[Mills Morrison]

Very cool! My friend who did the duck carving in my profile picture also makes boats.

[Dean Romig]

What a beautiful little boat Bruce! and definitely a boat for the calmer days on Rangely Lake. You'll have to tow her to Maine one day and taker out on her name's sake lake.





.

[Eric Eis]

Bruce I have a cedar strip solo canoe that I had made for me thirty years ago and still use it. You know I need to take it out this year. They are a thing of beauty.

[Phil Yearout]

God, that is beautiful!

[edgarspencer]

Rangely is a nice lake, as Maine lakes go. Moosehead is about 4 times the size, and the local guides all used similar strip plank 'Guideboats"
Island Falls Canoe Co, in Atkinson Maine, are the makers of all wooden Old Towne canoes, and they are the shop that restored my 1927 17' HW (Heavy Water)
Here's one of their Moosehead Lakers.

[Angel Cruz]

MAN THAT LOOKS NICE!!!

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Bruce, I agree with you if you want something done do it right! that is a beautiful piece of work congrats, Gary

[Bruce Day]

a couple people have asked me about price, etc. Its what a person would expect for something well crafted and handmade, not of aluminum or fiberglass.

Ask. www.jimsboatworks.com

[Steve Kleist]

Jim Bielke's work is legendary. A boat builder, decoy carver, Parker shooter, and duck hunter...quite an impressive combination!
Steve Kleist Ely, MN