How this Survival Expert Turned a Massive Log into Amazing CANOE | by @OutbackMike

Today we will follow Michael Atkinson as he turns a 6 ton log into a fully constructed

canoe

. He will do it using traditional and

survival

techniques using natural items like bwax and even making his own homemade tools, but along the way he will also face. Some challenges Will a

canoe

be strong enough to complete a 930M trip along the coast of Australia? This is where it all starts with a 16 foot log. Michael, a seasoned adventurer and

survival

expert

, is known for his channel Outback Mike, embarked on an extraordinary journey to build a Dugout canoe for his solo expedition.

The heart of

this

Dugout canoe project is the careful selection of the correct length. , a critical initial step in traditional canoe construction for your ambitious solo expedition. Michael has selected a 4 ton Nordic Pine Long native to the South Pacific,

this

wood is chosen for its light buoyancy and a tall, straight trunk that minimizes warping and defects. The centerpiece of the construction process is hollowing out the trunk. It is essential to maintain sufficient thickness in the walls and foundation to ensure structural integrity while eliminating. enough wood to make the canoe light but still strong Your survival skills will allow you to be as faithful as possible to traditional construction and that is why you will make all kinds of handmade tools, including this bamboo measuring device, the fact is that to understand the nature of For the project, we must first know a few things.

Michael Atkinson has extensive experience in survival training with Norforce and other military personnel and one of his heroes is James Moral, an Englishman who became one of Australia's most notable castaways in 1846. He survived a shipwreck on the Peruvian and He was adrift on a raft for 42 days before being washed ashore near present-day Townsville Queensland. Inspired by him and his adventures, Michael will attempt to experience the challenges facing morality. This adventure will take him on a nearly 12-minute journey to along the Great Barrier Reef faces all kinds of adversities and lives a once in a lifetime experience but first the bark must be removed to facilitate the shaping and smoothing of the outside of the trunk to make things go faster use an electric saw to mark the cuts.

What he will later do with the ax during this process Michael encounters his first challenge: a set of borers that begin to eat all the wood, the holes that the larvae make are quite deep, which can be very bad news. Borers create cavities and tunnels within wood. For wood that compromises its structural integrity, for example, moisture trapped in these cavities can accelerate the decay process by providing a conducive environment for fungi and other decay organisms to thrive. He wants to follow a survival environment so Mike doesn't use any poisons or chemicals. to kill the BS, instead he will heat them up to hopefully get rid of them.

We'll see later how this plays out. Once the wood cools, the process can continue. Start shaping the exterior of the canoe, refine it, find its aerodynamics and hydrodynamics for an effective trip. In the water, the bull and stern are crafted in specific shapes that efficiently cut through the water and control waves when close to shore or in rougher sea conditions. He also moves on to the detailed shape and refinement of the canoe's hull. This stage requires careful attention. Make sure the walls of the canoe are uniformly thick, which is crucial for balance and durability. The VAR thickness is slightly thicker at the keel to resist shallow water wear and possible grounding.

Still the bora problem continues so I just

turned

the can over for the first time and there are B holidays everywhere and that's been a little worrying because I don't know how deep they are, I hope they're not more than an inch or two, but if they've been deeper than that, it's really going to start. losing a lot of depth in my canoe and depth is safety because that's how much freeboard I have from the ocean coming in over the side of the canoe, so I'm going to clean this up or get out the piece of wood I need as quickly as possible. try my best to see where the borers are and then I'll have to try to control it again, probably with fire.

I did it last time, when I first noticed it, the fire was really effective and I hope this is the last time we see of it. Once the worm problem has been solved, you still have to shape the canoe, but it is still arduous and intense work in which you have to be meticulous and have good physical preparation. Traditional canoe carvers had an intimate knowledge of their materials and understood that the direction of the wood grain significantly affects the ease of carving and the final strength of the canoe. Michael similarly pays close attention to the grain of the wood as he carves when he uses the ax and ad.

He makes sure each cut aligns the lines with the grain. that against it your technique with the ax is measured and rhythmic swinging the ax in controlled arcs this approach minimizes the risk of splitting or fracturing the wood after carving the approximate shape you can begin to smooth the exterior of the canoe this smoothing is not only in In terms of aesthetics, it also reduces resistance when the canoe moves through the water, improving speed and maneuverability. At this point, the ad still plays a key role, but Michael uses it with more refined controlled strokes compared to the previous form.

He keeps the ads at a slight angle. It is better to scrape the wood than to cut it, but not only does the wood weaken in the canoe after so many hits, the ax also suffers thanks to its survival skills. He is able to solve this problem in no time. Finally, using a knife, Michael can make precise adjustments to the wood. The surface of the canoe, especially around intricate areas such as the gunels, bow and stern, the knife is particularly useful for evening out the transitions between different sections, ensuring that all parts of the hull integrate smoothly and fluidly, Although standard measurements are not used, the canoe should be symmetrical so that the water resistance forces can be distributed evenly along both sides of the canoe, this way it will move through the water in a straight line more easily.

If one side were larger or shaped differently than the other, it would create uneven resistance and cause it to veer off course. Unless continually corrected, Michael needs to prevent the wood from receiving direct sunlight and drying out, which could cause cracking or splintering. When Michael plans the interior of the canoe to include enough sleeping space, he must also consider how this will affect the external shape of the canoe. The exterior must be refined, this ensures that it does not become too bulky or lose its hydrodynamic efficiency due to the increase in interior volume. The work should be consistent and precise, but sometimes the calculations fail, so you can see here.

I made a small mistake, the grain goes down. at an angle like this, when I cut it this way it breaks like this and comes off. I really should have cut it from the other direction like this, so that as you go down the log, the grain goes up and down like this. To keep checking so you don't have this type of problem, this change in cutting allows Michael to finish the job without any problems. A stream-lined hull should have a smooth contoured shape to reduce water resistance by allowing water to flow over it smoothly. This involves having a pointed bow and a tapered stern.

Michael makes sure the bow is sharp enough to effectively split the water as it moves, reducing the impact of the spray. The stern is also shaped to exit the water smoothly, which helps maintain speed and reduce the When you wake up, you try to maintain moisture. Some mold appeared. Salt has been used for centuries as a natural preservative to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. Applying salt water to wood not only helps prevent mold growth, but also preserves it for longer periods and reduces the risk of deterioration for the precision carving phase. Michael uses small, sharper ads that allow for greater control and precision.

Thin ads are particularly effective at smoothing and shaping the curves and corners where the hull meets the floor of the canoe, which must be precisely angled to ensure stability and comfort. However, not all cuts are equally precise and the wood is beginning to suffer. These cracks are starting to scare me. Cracks can compromise the structure of the canoe and cause water leaks and, if left untreated, can worsen over time when they occur. Treating them quickly and effectively is crucial to Maintain the integrity and safety of the container. A good way to prevent this from happening is to have very sharp tools.

Sharp tools make clean, precise cuts in wood. Which is less traumatic to the wood fibers than jagged tears caused by dull tools. Clean cuts heal. They are better and less likely to crack as the wood fibers are carefully cut without unnecessary pulling or tearing, so it is essential to reinforce the interior structure so that it can provide a stable and durable platform for both paddling and sleeping. before salt water served to get rid of mold, but it also has the ability to attract and retain water molecules from the surrounding environment by treating the canoe with salt water.

The salt impregnated into the wood helps regulate its moisture content by preventing it from drying out too quickly, which is a very common cause of cracking. Outriggers are a traditional feature in many maritime cultures, especially those of the Pacific Islands, where they have been used for centuries to stabilize canoes in ocean waters. They significantly increase the lateral stability of a canoe. This is particularly important in rough seas where waves and strong currents can otherwise easily tip a traditional single-hull canoe. Crafting them involves careful consideration of proportion and balance. The curvature and its joining points must harmonize with the lines of the main room.

The cross beams are placed perpendicular to the main room and run the width of the canoe. a stable platform to attach the stabilizers, so first I put the flights in position, the canoe is getting closer to being finished, so it's time for the first float test, as it seems to work perfectly, choosing wooden poles Strong and durable ropes, ensures that the outriggers are securely attached to the main hull using traditional lashing techniques. Secure the posts to the room with ropes creating strong, reliable connections. Each untied knot is a nod to centuries of maritime tradition. A test under conditions similar to those you will experience helps.

To take into account other items you may need, for example, a rudder allows the paddler to control the direction of the canoe precisely, making it easier to navigate various water conditions, including currents, waves and wind, without it. , Michael would rely solely on paddle strokes to steer. While they can be less efficient, particularly in challenging or windy conditions, sails also harness the power of the wind to propel the canoe forward, reducing dependence on the paddles and conserving the paddler's energy, especially during long voyages. Michael repurposed these old sales that needed a bit of repair. Before use, it is used using reinforced seams or bonding techniques at the seams and edges, improving its strength and longevity, while reinforcement patches in high stress areas help distribute loads evenly across the surface of the sail. .

Michael carefully selects the mounting location for the ground step on the canoe deck. or armed whales, it may not seem like it, but these sails are heavy. Assembling them can be a very challenging job. Small showers approached. If I want to put up the sail and use it as I was planning as a rain cover, that's going to happen too. to work as a shade cut as well, hopefully this will be my tent when I come ashore and literally take the sail, lay it on the ground, put a pole in the middle and that will be my tent.

I can sleep under here. In addition to putting a little more pot proofing underneath for some of the places I'll be camping with the mast in place, the focus shifts to sealing and waterproofing, a process vital to the durability of the canoe and this is where the bees Beeswax is naturally water resistant and forms a protective barrier against moisture, preventing water intrusion and minimizing the risk of wood rot. Decay and deterioration, as it is flexible and flexible when melted, allows it to fill gaps and cracks in thewood effectively by simply rolling the wood. wax and Puris to fix the L.

How few bees on this one, probably also mix this with some grass to make it a little stronger. Once cooled and solidified, it forms a durable and strong seal that can withstand stresses and hardness. movements James moral the famous Castaway who inspired all this Endeavor held the raft with ropes and nails so Michael did the same with some copper and iron nails but these not only serve to secure the parts of the canoe but he also uses them to make their own tools. other leftover materials, a very useful skill in situations of great need, since he could not bend the Timbers easily enough around the bow like a straight Timber, he had to cut some small lines that made it easier to bend it by reinforcing the exterior .

Of the canoe, Michael minimizes surface irregularities and imperfections that can create resistance, slowing the forward motion of the canoe. Additionally, this allows him to build some compartments in which he can store everything he needs during the trip, from water and food to the cameras he will carry. To document the experience, it is important that all of this is protected while still leaving enough space for sleeping. Paying special attention to critical areas prone to water penetration, such as joints and holes, Michael applies additional layers of beeswax for added protection and reinforcement. On the other hand, the historical importance of Dugout canoes used by indigenous cultures around the world, including the Australian Aboriginals, cannot be underestimated.

These canoes have been essential for transportation, fishing and even warfare. Each canoe adapted to the specific environmental conditions and needs of its users displays a deep understanding of local resources and hydrodynamics, the construction of this canoe represents a fusion of historical reverence and personal challenge, shedding light on the importance of traditional methods in the contemporary adventure narratives. You may not realize this, but it took Michael a full year to finish the entire canoe, now it's just down to the final details a joint here a rope there and just a few more nails finally Michael builds a bamboo raft that will serve as platform for your canoe this adaptability highlights a sophisticated knowledge of maritime engineering and environmental management and that's it, now is the time. put it in the water Michael's project is particularly poignant as it reflects the voyages of indigenous sailors who align their modern adventure with centuries-old narratives of exploration and survival.

His effort in building and sailing this authentic Dugout canoe is a compelling combination. of traditional Aboriginal culture and extreme personal challenge, this project not only tested his survival skills outside of the structured environment of the military, but also deeply connected him to the time-honored practices of these communities by documenting his journey in your channel. Michael educates and inspires a global audience Bridging the Gap. Between ancient traditions and modern building techniques, his project underscores the importance of preserving indigenous craftsmanship, understanding historical context, and valuing the intricate relationships between people and their environments in a broader sense. Michael's journey is a testament to the enduring human spirit to explore, adapt and survive.

Against the backdrop of nature's vast canvases, you can subscribe to Outback Mike's channel to watch this exciting adventure continue.