Tag Archives: wood kayak

16 Ft companion nears the finish line

Posted on by under Shop Work

I have finished painting the inside of the canoe I have been working on for some time.  I find canoes challenge my artistic interests in wood boat building.  I much more prefer to design a pattern of strips along the deck of a kayak that works well as a pallet.  Image

I do love the sweeping curves of a canoe however and I enjoy the building process that allows me to slowly create these gentle curves.  In this case I have been struggling with my artistic drive that insists I build a classy and beautiful boat.  I decided to paint the interior with a marine quality paint using a pneumatic sprayer. I chose a cream color that will compliment the unstained ash gunnels, seats and yoke.  The outside of the boat is smooth as glass and will finish bright with several layers of varnish allowing the curly maple and mahogany accents shine through.  

 

Hull is stripped and ready to sand

Posted on by under Stripping the Hull

I have completed stripping the hull.  The build has gone very well, I completed the hull in about 10 hours.  I went staple less, using a hot glue gun to hold the strips while the glue dried while also hand beveling the strips to assure a tight fit without the surprises that I always get when using bead and cove.  Gaps always seem to appear due to a poor fit that cannot be seen inside the bead and cove.  The stripping required extra care and dedication to excellence to make sure that the fit of each piece was as tight as possible but due to the care and precision of each fitting, the build went faster than my others.  

The herringbone pattern along the Keel is absolutely amazing and finishes out the bottom of the boat with a quality look.

How far from perfection?

Posted on by under Shop Work

I am ready to begin the herringbone pattern along the keel of the Tuxedo sea kayak.  If this particular design works out I feel I will be producing some of the finest boats available today.  My intentions have been to build the finest watercraft anyone can expect to own.  I have read just about everything I can find, books, manuals, blogs, forums and websites.  I have purchased plans from multiple sources and built boats from various woods, epoxies and glass.  I have attempted at every step to learn how to build a beautiful work of art and functional quality water craft.  

I believe anybody can build a cedar strip boat.  Its just not that hard.  However, building a boat with cosmetic values suited to a display case or showroom has been my goal since I completed my first boat.   The detail and beauty I have been seeking requires time, patience and skill as well as knowledge of the art of boat building.  The Tuxedo has the Quality of Construction I have been striving for and even if the Herringbone does not work out this time I will continue to work hard to achieve my goals.  Building a boat second to none with my signature style.  Image