New Kayak on the Ways

[peakbagger]

With regards to hull volume, its good to meet the designer. Nick Schade is not a big frame person and his hull widths (beam) tend to be tight for someone with a large frame. A kayak is steered with the whole body and the tighter the clearances on the width makes for better control. Unfortunately the tighter the clearance between ones butt and the sides of the boat, the harder it is to get in and out. This also applies to the hatch, it should be the minimum size required to get in and out of the boat while large enough to do a wet exit. Many of the recreational kayaks go for lots of beam and huge hatches making them slow and poor handling.

I am decidely not the same "frame" as Nick and long ago at a kayak convention tried a couple of his designs and decided I needed a wider boat. I was working off offset tables so it wasnt hard to add some width to the patterns and it didnt impact the overall design.

One thing to note is a wider boat generally requires more power to paddle due to added hull drag. The length of the hull also factors in considerably.
When I used to paddle with a local club there were some petite women who were absolute speedsters with long skinny kayaks, that a average person would never fit in.

Many folks make the mistake of buying a short wide boat and wonder why they cant keep up with the crowd.

 

[Paradox]

It's a Kayak!

In the past few months I have completed the cockpit coaming, installed the perimeter line loops, and neared completion of the hatches. Yesterday and today I bonded the deck to the hull.

 

[peakbagger]

Is the lip around the hatches raised somewhat? I cant tell from the shadows but it looks raised a bit. I must admit the flush hatches look good but over a long trip I get some leakage as I use the hidden method of keeping them shut, which only latches in two locations. I expect if I didnt want to mar the lines I could put external hardware but everything goes into drybags anyhow. Your coaming lips look good. I have had a major battle on both boats getting the glass to set right. About the only place I have considered vacuum bagging.

 

[Paradox]

Is the lip around the hatches raised somewhat? I cant tell from the shadows but it looks raised a bit. I must admit the flush hatches look good but over a long trip I get some leakage as I use the hidden method of keeping them shut, which only latches in two locations. I expect if I didnt want to mar the lines I could put external hardware but everything goes into drybags anyhow. Your coaming lips look good. I have had a major battle on both boats getting the glass to set right. About the only place I have considered vacuum bagging.

The hatches are flush. I plan on using a neoprene gasket material I purchased from CLC. I plan on using external bungies to hold the hatches down.

I always weigh out my epoxy/hardener amounts and the wood stove gets the temperature up to 85 degrees. I have used three different brands of epoxy over the years and have never had a problem with them hardening properly. Removing the amine blush is always a bit of a pain, but I find that a pint of white vineger in 2 gallons of water works very well. MAS epoxy is reported to not have the amine blush.

 

[peakbagger]

I used MAS on the last boat and West system on the first. I didnt have amine blush on either but preferred MAS. I use Armacell neoprene pipe insulation for gasketing which is sold at home depot for wrapping hard to insulate pipes. As far as I can tell its the same closed cell neoprene others sell but costs less. One box will last a long while. The exterior straps appear to be the ticket for a tight compartment although I have seen some folks apply blocks on the hatch covers edges to increase the pressure on the gaskets.

By the way, I really like Epiphanes varnish for a top coat. On my earlier canoe, I used standard spar varnish and got UV degradation anyhow. No trace of degradation with Epiphanes. Be aware, only apply it in a very well ventilated area as it gives off some strong fumes.

By the way I do have a left over block of closed cell neoprene used for bulkheads if you need one.

 

[Chip]

let us where/when the maiden voyage will be. we'll need film.

 

[Paradox]

I used MAS on the last boat and West system on the first. I didnt have amine blush on either but preferred MAS. I use Armacell neoprene pipe insulation for gasketing which is sold at home depot for wrapping hard to insulate pipes. As far as I can tell its the same closed cell neoprene others sell but costs less. One box will last a long while. The exterior straps appear to be the ticket for a tight compartment although I have seen some folks apply blocks on the hatch covers edges to increase the pressure on the gaskets.

By the way, I really like Epiphanes varnish for a top coat. On my earlier canoe, I used standard spar varnish and got UV degradation anyhow. No trace of degradation with Epiphanes. Be aware, only apply it in a very well ventilated area as it gives off some strong fumes.

By the way I do have a left over block of closed cell neoprene used for bulkheads if you need one.

Thank you, for your input. I'll take you up on that closed cell neoprene.

 

[bubba]

...I always weigh out my epoxy/hardener amounts...

I was wondering about that scale on the floor beneath! Also kinda thinking you have some special training and experience with epoxy - maybe smaller amounts...

Really like how this is turning out. Nice project!

 

[Paradox]

I was wondering about that scale on the floor beneath! Also kinda thinking you have some special training and experience with epoxy - maybe smaller amounts...

Really like how this is turning out. Nice project!

Thank you Bubba, I have been having fun with it. Sorry, I misled you with the scale. That scale is a rather inaccurate/non-reproducable bathroom scale that I use for estimating the total weight of the boat. The precision is a pound, but the reproducqble accuracy is only 5% at best. For measuring epoxy/hardener amounts, I use a digital scale that is very reproducable, with a precision of 1 gram.

 

[Chip]

so is this baby floating mid april ?

 

[Paradox]

so is this baby floating mid april ?

I am working on it.

 

[Paradox]

Started cutting the forms in August 2011, finished today 4/7/12. Weighs in at 45.6 lbs on one scale and 46.6 on another. Weight includes seat, deck rigging, and floatation foam. Just add water!

 

[alistair]

So when do we christen it?

 

[Paradox]

I am shooting for this coming Friday or Saturday on Moore Reservoir.

 

[alistair]

When you know it is watertight lets plan a paddling/ camping weekend in the Dacks?

 

[sardog1]

Congratulations! Very, very nicely done. Go easy on the single malt until you learn her ways. (I'd bring some to the christening, but I've got two boats and one 1040 to get done this month ......)

 

[peakbagger]

A fine boat indeed.

Moore reservoir is a good choice if you can get some chop or swells as that design really comes into its own with some active water. Time to work on your technique for wind at your back paddling as thats the one down side for a rudderless boat.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

That looks fantastic. Looking forward to seeing pictures of it on the water.

Keith

 

[IndianChris]

Nice! That thing looks awesome! Looks like it's going to fly across the water!

Don't forget your harpoon, rope and air bladder for your whale hunting expeditions in Baffin Bay!
...or the bow and arrow for the Caribou hunts on Ellesmere Island!

Nice job!

 

[Chip]

There should be video by Friday night. Hopefully the christening and launch go better than Judge Smail's.