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Kayak Project

BikeGeek

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
Some of you were interested in my progress once I got this project underway. So, here we go...

I finally got to start building shortly after Christmas. So far the biggest problem has been the temperature. The plans call for a 70-75 degree workshop to aid the epoxy curing. I originally set up shop in my sister's garage in central PA, but, because of the concrete floor, I couldn't get the temperature out of the 40's. I moved everything to her enclosed back porch. It gets a lot of sun during the day and warms up nicely. When the sun isn't shining, the heater can only get it into the upper 50's. I may end up buying a kerosene heater.

The first step was to make long wood out of short wood. When finished, the boat will be 15'8". It's made from mahogany plywood and plywood normally comes in 8' sheets. The first step was to epoxy the hull panels together. I was a bit worried about this step because if the alignment isn't correct, the boat is pretty much screwed. I ended up making some alignment jigs so that when epoxied and stacked, the panels were identical. You can also see the sheer clamps curing along the right side of the table. I'll get to them in a minute.
 
BikeGeek

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
Here's a shot of the keel panels showing the scarf joint. I also started drilling the holes to "stitch" the keel together.
 
BikeGeek

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
The boat is stitched together with copper wire. Once the entire hull is wired, I'll true the shape by tightening and loosening the wires. Once true, the joints are epoxied inside the boat and the wires are removed.
 
BikeGeek

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
Last one until next week. This is just a shot that my nephew took of me applying epoxy to one of the sheer clamps. Sheer clamps are a 1"x 0.75" strip of wood that gets epoxied along the top edge of the upper most hull panel. While it provides some lateral stiffness, its primary purpose is as a nailing surface once it comes time to install the top deck.
 
Deyv

Deyv

Deyvil
Mar 26, 2002
416
0
Montreal
Very nice Tim.

That is a sweet winter project.

I am interested by your Kayak project. Keep us posted.
 
Ian F

Ian F

Turbo Monkey
Sep 8, 2001
1,016
0
Philadelphia area
Good work.

I helped a friend of mine build a CLC LT17 a few years ago. It turned out really nice.

You probably already know, but CLC has a builder's forum if you have any questions.

Keep us updated! :thumb:
 
BikeGeek

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
Originally posted by Ian F
Good work.

I helped a friend of mine build a CLC LT17 a few years ago. It turned out really nice.

You probably already know, but CLC has a builder's forum if you have any questions.

Keep us updated! :thumb:
Click to expand...
Cool! This is a CLC LT16.
 
BikeGeek

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
If I can get through this one, one for my fiancee, and maybe one for my sister with my sanity intact, maybe I'll start making them for others. Don't hold your breath though, it's pretty stressful at times.
 
Damn True

Damn True

Monkey Pimp
Sep 10, 2001
4,015
3
Between a rock and a hard place.
Are you going to add some custom personal touches to the boat?

Friends of mine who have made surfboards (I made one of my own once......once...what a POS!) have glassed personal things into the board. You could inlay a photo, or some trinket into the wood then varnish over it.

Or you could paint it flat black with flames and Von Dutch style pinstiping!

Excellent project. Building a boat, that's way cool!
 
riderx

riderx

Monkey
Aug 14, 2001
704
0
Fredrock
Awesome. Make sure you post any problem areas you run into. I've done a lot of reasearch on this and will make one as soon as I have the storage area.
 
BikeGeek

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
The plan when I started this project was to work on it every weekend and have it finished by March. I had no idea how much work went into putting together a wedding! Anyway, here's some pics of this weekend's progress. It's finally starting to look like a boat!
 
BikeGeek

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
Originally posted by Deyv
Very Nice BG!

Are you behind schedule, will you make it for March?
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I'm way behind schedule, but I'm not overly concerned. The March schedule was driven by the possibility of Trina and I moving. The move has once again been delayed, so we now have more time. I absolutely have to have it finished by May though. My sister is putting her house on the market and I have to be off of her porch.
 
peter6061

peter6061

Turbo Monkey
Nov 19, 2001
1,575
0
Kenmore, WA
Sweet, looking forward to seeing it when done.

My wife and I are thinking about buying a couple of 17 footer plastic boats in the coming months for our first boats. We get our garage in a few months and then I'll be thinking of projects like that. (Actually I've been thinking of projects for some time now.) We'll see if I ever actually weld and build my own bicycle frame.

As for your wedding, I know how you feel. We just finished doing all that prep work last October. :D :thumb:
 
Ian F

Ian F

Turbo Monkey
Sep 8, 2001
1,016
0
Philadelphia area
Originally posted by peter6061
Sweet, looking forward to seeing it when done.

My wife and I are thinking about buying a couple of 17 footer plastic boats in the coming months for our first boats. We get our garage in a few months and then I'll be thinking of projects like that. (Actually I've been thinking of projects for some time now.) We'll see if I ever actually weld and build my own bicycle frame.

As for your wedding, I know how you feel. We just finished doing all that prep work last October. :D :thumb:
Click to expand...
My buddy who built a CLC boat went through the same debate and determined building a CLC boat was both cheaper and better - it's lighter and will last longer (apparently rotomolded boats deteriate over time). If you have the space to build it, you'll be much happier.

Good job BG! Now the fun stuff begins! ;)
 
BikeGeek

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
All the hull stiching is done! I had planned to "true" the boat and fillet the seams, but I found a flat spot on the bottom that is being very stubborn. No epoxy until I can get that flat spot out. :( You can see it under the square in the first picture.








I got some more bad news. My sister now wants to put her house on the market in April. I need to get this thing off of her porch as soon as possible. :(
 
BikeGeek

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
Major progress over the last two weeks. The hull is faired, the interior is filleted and sealed, the cockpit is 'glassed, footbraces are in, stiches are out, chines are sanded, hatch covers are constructed, and the hull is 'glassed and under two coats of epoxy. :D

I'm falling behind in my pics posting. :( I'll try to get some new ones up by tomorrow.
 
Serial Midget

Serial Midget

Al Bundy
Jun 25, 2002
13,053
1,896
Fort of Rio Grande
I just wanted to make sure it was in the water by summer... :)

I paddled for 4 hours on Sunday and, with the exception of some power boats, it was quite nice. My legs needed the rest.
 
BikeGeek

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
Originally posted by Serial Midget
I just wanted to make sure it was in the water by summer... :)

I paddled for 4 hours on Sunday and, with the exception of some power boats, it was quite nice. My legs needed the rest.
Click to expand...
It was supposed to be in the water by now. :(

I swung by the shop in Annapolis last weekend for some inspiration (their showroom is amazing) and ended up taking last Thurs and Fri off. I got 4 days of work on it. I feel pretty good about where I'm at. I'd say I'm 75-80% done with assembly.

I can't wait to get this boat wet. :)
 
BikeGeek

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
Originally posted by johnbryanpeters
A note, sort of late:

The dust mask you have been using does not do squat to protect you from epoxy fumes. Buy a good respirator with charcoal filters and use it. The health results otherwise can be very ugly.

J
Click to expand...
Thanks John. Luckily the epoxy I'm using has no harmful fumes. The mask I'm wearing in the picture was to avoid breathing in the fine silicone dust used to strengthen the epoxy when gluing up the scarf joints. I also use it while sanding, in combination with a dust filtering vacuum attached to my ROS.
 
BikeGeek

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
Originally posted by johnbryanpeters
Can you tell me more about that?

Nice boat, I'm jealous...
Click to expand...
The kit came with MAS Epoxy.

I'm getting conflicting info. The boat company web page reads: "there is no odor from our MAS epoxies, and MAS epoxies present no explosion hazard....CLC epoxy is not solvent-based and has almost no odor...."

The MAS epoxy web page reads: "Avoid breathing vapors. Use epoxy only in areas with good ventilation. In small areas, be careful have a supply of fresh air and to exhaust any fumes. Wear a respirator with an organic vapor cartridge."

:confused:

My workshop is pretty well ventilated with an exhaust fan that draws fresh air in from an open window across the room.
 
BikeGeek

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
I moved the project to the workshop above my sister's garage because things are going to get messy soon. Here's a pic of the interior sealed and footbraces going in. The kit calls for holes through the hull to install the footbraces. I chose to fix mounting hardware inside the boat so I didn't have to put any more holes in the hull than necessary.
 
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