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

[Music] today we will be following Michael Atkinson as he turns a 6t log into a fully built canoe he is going to do so by using traditional and survival techniques using natural elements like bwax and even making his own homemade tools but along the path he will also face a few challenges will he make a canoe strong enough to complete a 930 M Journey along the coast of [Music] Australia here is where it all starts with a 16 ft log Michael a seasoned Adventurer and survival expert is known for his channel Outback Mike he embarked

on a remarkable journey to construct a Dugout canoe for his solo [Music] Expedition at the heart of this Dugout canoe project is the careful selection of the right long a critical initial Step In traditional canoe building for his ambitious solo Expedition Michael has selected a 4ton noric Pine Long native to the South Pacific this wood is chosen for its lightweight buoyancy and a straight tall trunk which minimizes warping and [Music] defects the centerpiece of the construction process is hollowing out the log it's essential to maintain enough thickness in the walls and base to ensure structural

Integrity while also removing enough wood so the canoe is lightweight but still [Music] resistant his survival skills will allow him to be as faithful as possible to traditional construction and that's why he will craft all types of handmade tools including this bamboo measuring device the fact is that to understand the nature of the project we first need to 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 moral

survived a shipwreck on on the Peruvian and drifted on a raft for 42 days before being washed ashore near present-day Townsville Queensland inspired by him and his adventures Michael will try to experience the challenges faced by moral this adventure will take him on a nearly 12we Journey along the Great Barrier Reef facing all kinds of adversities and living a once- in a-lifetime experience but before that the removal of bark must be done to facilitate the shaping and smoothing of the log's exterior to make things go faster he uses a power saw to Mark the cuts

that he will later make with the [Music] axe during this process Michael finds his first challenge a set of borers starting to eat up all the wood the holes that the larv make go quite deep which can be very bad news borer holes create cavities and tunnels within the wood which compromise its structural Integrity for instance moisture trapped in these cavities can accelerate the Decay process as it provides a conducive environment for fungi and other Decay organisms to thrive he wants to stick to a survival environment so Mike won't use any poison or chemicals to

kill the BS instead he will heat them up to hopefully get rid of them we will see later how this unfolds once the wood is cooled the process can continue he starts to shape the exterior of the canoe refin finding its aerodynamics and hydrodynamics for Effective travel in water the bull and Stern are crafted into specific shapes that efficiently cut through the water and manage the surf when close to shorelines or in rougher sea [Music] conditions he also moves on to the detailed shaping and refining of the canoe's hull this stage requires careful attention to

ensure that the walls of the canoe are evenly thick which is crucial for balance and durability the thickness VAR slightly being thicker at the Keel to withstand wear from shallow Waters and potential [Music] groundings still the bora's problem continues so I've just flipped over there can for the first time and there's B hols everywhere and that's been bit of a worry cuz I don't know how deep they go I'm hoping no more than like an inch or two but if they've gone deeper than that really going to start losing a lot of depth to my

canoe and depth is safety because that's how much freeboard I have from the ocean coming over the side into the canoe so I'm going to clean this off or take out bulp of wood that I need to as quick as I can to see where the borers are at and then I'll have to try and manage him again probably with fire I I did last time when I first noticed him the fire was effective indeed and hopefully this will be the last that we see of them once the worm problem has been fixed the canoe

must still be shaped even so it is an arduous and intense job in which one must be meticulous and have a good physical preparation traditional canoe Carvers had an intimate knowledge of their materials they understood that the direction of the wood grain significantly impacts the ease of carving and the final strength of the canoe Michael in a similar vein pays close attention to the wood grain as he carves when using the axe and the ads he ensures that each cut align lines with the grain rather than against it his technique with the axe is measured

and rhythmic swinging the axe in controlled arcs this approach minimizes the risk of splitting or fracturing the [Music] wood after the rough shape is carved out he can start to smooth the exterior of the canoe this smoothing is not just about Aesthetics it also reduces drag when the canoe moves through water enhancing speed and maneuverability at this point the ad still plays a pivotal role but Michael uses it with more refined controlled Strokes compared to the earlier rough shaping he holds the ads at a slight angle to scrape rather than chop the wood but wood

does not only weaken in the canoe after so many blows the axe also suffers thanks to his survival skills he is able to solve this problem in no time [Music] finally using a knife Michael can make precise adjustments to the Cano surface especially around the intricate areas like the gunels the bow and the stern the knife is particularly useful for evening out transitions between different sections ensuring that all parts of the hull integrate seamlessly and fluidly although standard measurements are not used the canoe must be symmetrical so the forces of water resistance can be distributed

evenly along both sides of the Cano this way it will move through water in a straight line more easily if one side were larger or shaped differently than the other it would create unequal resistance causing it to Veer off course unless continuously [Music] corrected Michael needs to prevent the wood from receiving direct sunlight and drying out which could lead to cracking or splintering when Michael plans the canoe's interior to include enough space for sleeping he must also consider how this will affect the canoe's external shape the exterior must be refined this ensures it does not

become too bulky or lose its hydrodynamic efficiency due to increased interior [Music] volume the work must be consistent and accurate but sometimes the calculations fail [Music] so you can see here I've made a bit of a mistake the grain goes down on an angle like this so when I cut it in this way it breaks up like this and breaks away I really should have been cutting it from the other direction like that so as you go along the log the grain goes up and down like that got to keep checking so you don't have

this kind of problem this change in the cut allows Michael to finish the job without any problems a stream lined Hull must have a smooth contoured shape to reduce the water drag by allowing water to flow over it smoothly this involves having a pointed bow and a tapered Stern Michael ensures that the bow is sharp enough to effectively split the water as he moves reducing the impact in spray the stern is also shaped to leave the water smoothly which helps in maintaining the speed and reducing the wake by trying to keep humidity 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 the wood not only helps prevent mold growth but preserves it for longer periods and reduces the risk of spoilage for the Precision carving phase Michael uses small sharper adses that allow for more control and accuracy the fine ads is particularly effective for smoothing and shaping the curves and Corners where the hull meets the canoe floor which need to be precisely angled to ensure stability and [Music] comfort however not all cuts are equally accurate and

the wood begins to suffer these cracks are starting to freak me out cracks can compromise the canoe's structure leading to water leaks and if not treated May worsen over time when they occur addressing them promptly and effectively is crucial to maintain the integrity and safety of the vessel a good way to prevent this from happening is to have very sharp tools Sharp Tools make clean precise Cuts in the wood Which is less traumatic to the wood fibers than the jagged tears caused by dull tools clean cuts heal better and are less likely to develop into

cracks as the wood fibers are sliced neatly without unnecessary pulling or tearing then reinforcing the inside structure is essential so it can provide a stable durable platform for both paddling and sleeping before saltwater served him to get rid of the mold but it also has the ability to attract and hold water molecules from the surrounding environment by treating the canoe with salt water the salt impregnated in the wood helps regulate its moisture content 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 in the Pacific Islands where they have been used for centuries to stabilize canoes in Oceanic Waters they significantly increase the lateral stability of a canoe this is particularly important in rough Seas where waves and strong currents might otherwise easily tip a traditional single Hull canoe crafting them involves careful consideration of proportion and balance the curvature and their attachment points must harmonize with the lines of the main hall the cross beams are positioned perpendicular to the main hall and run the width of the canoe providing a stable plat platform for attaching the Outriggers

so first I ever put the flights in position the canoe is getting closer to being finished so it's time for the first flotation test as it seems it works [Music] perfectly choosing sturdy wooden poles and durable ropes he ensures that the Outriggers are securely fastened to the main Hull using traditional lashing techniques he secures the poles to the hall with ropes creating strong and reliable connections each kn not tied is a nod to centuries of Maritime [Music] [Music] tradition a test in similar conditions to those he will experience helps him to keep in mind other

elements he may need [Music] [Music] for instance a Rudder allows the paddler to control the direction of the canoe with Precision making it easier to navigate through various water conditions including currents waves and wind without it Michael would rely solely on paddle Strokes for steering which can be less efficient particularly in challenging or windy conditions [Music] also sails harness the power of the wind to propel the canoe forward reducing the Reliance on paddle strokes and conserving the paddler's energy especially during long Journeys Michael repurposed these old sales which needed a bit of fixing before being

used used by employing reinforced stitching or bonding techniques at seams and edges he enhances its strength and Longevity while reinforcement Patches at high stress areas helps distribute loads evenly across the sail surface [Music] [Music] Michael carefully selects the mounting location for the mass step on the canoe's deck or gun whales it might not seem so but these Sails are heavy mounting them can prove to be a very challenging [Music] job little squallers came over if I want to put the sail on and use it as I was been planning as a rain cutor it's also

going to work as a shade cut too hopefully this is going to be my tent when I go ashore as well literally take the sail pick it into the ground put a pole up in the middle and that's my tent I can I'll be sleeping under here as well put a sort of crock prooof a little bit more underneath for some of the places I'll be camping with the mast in place the focus shifts to sealing and waterproofing a vital process for the durability of the canoe and this is where the bees come in Beeswax

is naturally waterproof and forms a protective barrier against moisture preventing water intrusion and minimizing the risk of wood rot Decay and deterioration as it is pliable and flexible when melted it allows it to fill gaps and cracks in the wood effectively just twing up the wax and the Puris to fix the L what a few bees in this one they probably mix this stuff up with some grass as well to make it a little bit stronger once cooled and solidified it forms a durable and resilient seal that can withstand stresses and hard movements James moral

the famous Castaway that inspired this whole Endeavor held the raft together with rope and nails so Michael did the same with some copper and iron spikes but these not only serve to secure the canoe's parts he also uses them to make his own tools from other leftover materials a very useful skill in situations of great [Music] necessity as he wasn't able to bend the Timbers easily enough around the bow as a straight Timber he had to chop some little lines in it which made it easier to [Music] bend by reinforcing the exterior of the canoe

Michael minimizes surface irregularities and imperfections that can create drag slowing down the canoe's forward motion also this allows him to build some compartments in which he will be able to store everything he needs during the trip from water and food to the cameras he will use to document the experience it is important that all this is protected while leaving enough space to sleep [Music] he pays special attention to critical areas prone to water penetration such as joints seams and bore holes that's why Michael applies additional layers of beeswax for added protection and reinforcement [Music] [Music]

on the other side the historical significance of Dugout canoes cannot be overstated used by indigenous cultures around the world including Aboriginal Australians these canoes Have Been instrumental for transportation fishing and even Warfare each canoe adapted to the specific environmental conditions and needs of its users showcases a deep understanding of local resources and hydrodynamics [Music] the construction of this canoe represents a fusion of historical reverence and personal challenge shedding light on the significance of traditional methods in contemporary Adventure narratives you might not realize this but it took Michael a full year to finish off the whole

canoe now it's just about the finishing details a joint [Music] here some rope there and just a few more [Music] Nails finally Michael builds a bamboo raft that will serve as a platform for his canoe this adaptability highlights a sophisticated knowledge of Maritime engineering and environmental stewardship [Music] and that's it now is the time to put it on the water Michael's project is particularly poignant as it mirrors the Voyages of indigenous seaf farers aligning his his modern-day adventure with the centuries old narratives of exploration and survival his Endeavor to build and navigate this authentic Dugout

canoe is a compelling blend of traditional Aboriginal culture and extreme personal challenge this project not only tested his survival skills outside the structured environment of the military but also connected him deeply with these communities alltime practices by documenting his journey on his channnel Michael educates and inspires a global audience Bridging the Gap between the old traditions and modern building techniques his project underlines 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 see how this Thrilling Adventure Continues [Music]