Step 7: Finale...
I am proud of my work, but learned a lot about what not to do. I went too far in making the ends "pointy" and when I am solo in the boat, fully half of the front end comes up out of the water. It can be narrower, making paddling solo easier and allowing for more freeboard. I will paint the full wood frame instead of using a clear coat, thus avoiding missed spots that will rot.
A video of the launch can be seen here.
Notes for the next effort:
Do not twist the stringers to bring the ends to a sharp "V" shape. Less displacement at bow and stern, more stress on members, completely unnecessary. It also seems to have warped the entire thing, making it arch high in the center.
Give it a narrower beam at the center. I'm most likely to be using is solo, and I'll need to be in the middle for that. Too much width means too much leaning to paddle.
Don't use screws. Even with counter sunk pilot holes, I still split a lot of stringers. I saw a kayak design that used paracord for lashing all the members together, so I think I'll try that method instead.
Seal the entire wood structure prior to assembly. Water will get in anywhere it can and rot it from the inside out. This will most certainly happen in the least accessible areas, making repairs nearly impossible.
A video of the launch can be seen here.
Notes for the next effort:
Do not twist the stringers to bring the ends to a sharp "V" shape. Less displacement at bow and stern, more stress on members, completely unnecessary. It also seems to have warped the entire thing, making it arch high in the center.
Give it a narrower beam at the center. I'm most likely to be using is solo, and I'll need to be in the middle for that. Too much width means too much leaning to paddle.
Don't use screws. Even with counter sunk pilot holes, I still split a lot of stringers. I saw a kayak design that used paracord for lashing all the members together, so I think I'll try that method instead.
Seal the entire wood structure prior to assembly. Water will get in anywhere it can and rot it from the inside out. This will most certainly happen in the least accessible areas, making repairs nearly impossible.
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HWACK
says:
Apr 29, 2012. 10:42 AMReply
May have missed it, but what does it weigh?
4
balloondoggle (author)
in reply to Apr 29, 2012. 1:28 PMReplySee above :)
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