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Kayak # 3
Well I have started a third Kayak. I just do not have the time to wait for glue to dry. As I'm working on the Guillemot, I get frustrated because I have to stop working to allow the glue or the epoxy...
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The Petrel
As I stated in my last post, I have started to build a Petrel. The Petrel is a high performance rough water sea kayak. It was designed by Nick Schade and Nick is the paddler in all of these photos. In...
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Petrel Strong back
I made an external strong back for building kayaks. It's 16 feet long and very stiff. No twist and very straight. It will help me build kayaks very straight and true. On top is an internal strong back...
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setting the forms
Assembling the forms on the strong back. Click on the photo to enlarge. The forms are not attached to the strong back. They are free floating. They can slide back and forth on the strong back. The "U"...
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The wedge
All the spacer blocks are the same except the one in the middle of the kayak. On this one I made a wedge to force all of the floating forms together. Now all of the forms are square and parallel to...
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First Glue
After all the work I have done on the Petrel, today was the first glue to be used. I glued the sheer strips in place. They are the dark colored strips. Then I glued the light colored strips to the...
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Just laying strips
This is the fun part of kayak building. Laying the strips. Every time you lay a strip it looks like you have made great progress. Here the Petrel is in the for ground, and the Guillemot is on the...
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Keel strips
Time to start the keel strips. The short wood strips that are clamped to the center line will act as a guide to lay the first keel strip. This strip is glued to all the forms with hot glue. That way,...
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Still striping the hull
I have about two hours work left to finish striping the hull. It looks rough and ugly now, but it will be beautiful after sanding.
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Back to work again
Well it's about time that I start working on the Petrel again. The building season is getting under way and I have plenty things to do in the MAN CAVE. This winter I plan to finish this Petrel and I...
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Cockpit recess
I made the cockpit recess by lofting a template from Nick Schade's book. I glued wood strips over the template. After the glue dried, I sanded the wood smooth. Then I put down one layer of 6 oz. glass...
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Deck layout
To lay out the deck pattern, I used 1/4 x 1/4 strips in different colors to outline the pattern. I used a hot glue gun to glue the strips to the forms. Once I have an outline to work to, I can start...
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Sunday, November 30, 2014
This is the first post in three years. I stopped working on this kayak when Dad got sick. I had no time with Dad in hospice and after he passed away I had no wind in my sails. I spent the next two...
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First glass
Today is a big day for the Petrel build. I just put the first area of fiberglass cloth down with epoxy resin. This starts a process that will take me until spring.
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Glassing the deck
Today I put the fiberglass cloth on the deck of the Petrel. Once the cloth is soaked with epoxy resin it turns clear to show the wood grain underneath.
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Cutting out the hatches
Cutting out the hatch plates for the kayak. It takes time to build enough courage to start cutting. I hate the idea of cutting holes in a good looking kayak.
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Gluing the deck to the hull
Finally gluing the deck to the hull. Time is slipping away. The big boat show is in eight weeks and I still have lots of sanding and varnishing to do.
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Varnishing
Well if I wanted too, I could put the Petrel in the water today. I still need a couple more coats of varnish to say that she is done. I have brought the Guillemot down into the man cave to put a new...
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Article 3
I got a chance in between thunder showers to take the Petrel out on its maiden voyage. I had a little trouble squeezing my big white royal Arabian butt into the 17 inch wide cockpit. But once I was...
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