Vardo questions

[Charlie]

Hi,

I'm building from one of Jeff's kits and the manual. I'm on pages 34-35 of the manual and have a few questions:

1. On what frame does the laminated beam go on? I'm guessing 8' 2"?

2. Should the frame and/or laminated beam get trimmed to fit the frame better (this is the beam from the kit)?

3. Between what frames do the floorboards go?

4. Bow deck beams- do the end right at the edges of the frames?

5. Stern deck beams (the two side ones)- do they end at the frame edges (i.e. they're only about a foot long)?

 

Thanks,

Charlie

[Kudzu]

Once you start to put the boat together some of this will be more obvious, but you want to leave enough of the beams handing over to be able to lash them.  Also you find that I suggest pulling a piece of T-shirt material over the frame and checking how everything looks.  Where possible it also better to leave stringers a little long, see how they look before trimming.

 

Lam beam shouldn't need to be trimmed. Floors fit in the notches underneath the frames.

[Charlie]

Is this the correct location for the coaming? Also, I get the impression that the metal brackets are not really necessary, but exactly where would they go if I use them?

 

[Kudzu]

Coaming is pretty close but I like to see the front more centered on the lam beam and centered over the frame at the back. Hard to tell exactly where your is sitting but looks like it need to go further back on both.  Check your spacing, the beam may be leaning toward the back of the boat, it tends to shift around till it is lashed in place.

 

Looks like your center deck beam is hanging down under the beam? That needs to be flush against the the beam.  Notched and lashed as you have the two on the side.  It is supposed to be bend and have a nice curved line on the deck instead of a just a flat line. It is subtle but it really improves the looks and keeps them from looking like a home made design.

 

One other thing, the two side beams at the lam beam should be on top of the lam beam, not under.  I just realized that this was shown on the plans but there is nothing to show this for precut frame kits so there is no way you would now this. So I just added that to the shop prints we cut from and they will be included with any new kits.

 

Now, what metal bracket? The only metal in these boats would be the foot rest mounting brackets.  Did you buy a set of those?

[Charlie]

Thanks! So the center beam also get notched and goes on *top* of the lam beam, right?

 

And the coaming gets lashed to the lam beam in front and the frame in the back?

 

There were 4 L-shaped metal brackets. From looking at other posts I thought maybe they were for coaming support, but yes, I did get the foot rests so that's what they are for.

[toddn.robinson]

I have similar questions.  I notched my center deck bean so that it hangs under the the laminated beam, but flush. I have the side beams notched and resting on the laminated beam, all ready to be lashed into place,but it is not clear to me how far past the laminated beam they are intended to extend.  I cut them flush at the laminated beam. not realizing that the plans call for 78" deck beams  But a beam that long would take the beams all the way from the frame at 13'9" to 5 inches past the 8'2" frame, almost to the back of the coaming, with nearly than 2 feet entirely unsupported. That cannot be right, can it? Thanks very much for your guidance.

[Kudzu]

The two other beams should be on the top of the Lam Beam.

The center one is notched and under the lam beam.

The coaming will rest directly on the top of the Lam Beam.

 

 I cut them flush at the laminated beam. not realizing that the plans call for 78" deck beams  But a beam that long would take the beams all the way from the frame at 13'9" to 5 inches past the 8'2" frame,

 

The lengths are not set in stone, that is a rough dimension and you have to trim to fit.

 

I leave as little extra stringer sticking in the cockpit as practical. You have to have some so that you can lash it. Again, not set in stone, but just a little bit more than you need for the lashing to hold it in place. There are some photos in the manual you see what I have done.

 

The extra length length of the stringers should extend past 13' 9".  Then as shown in Chapter 4 or 5 stretch some t-shirt material over the frame to simulate the skin on the boat.  You can see where the skin will rest and trim the excess beam past where the skin falls, so that you maintain a smooth line on the skin. No unsightly bulges or bumps.

[Charlie]

Thanks for the help and here's the FROG (and leaves). I did install the footrests but removed them for the oiling (it still needs a couple more coats of oil). Any advice before I get much further?

 

[AJGRANT]

1) Possibly a similar question on the combing placement.  Does this look right?

            

 

I have Jeff's plywood prefab combing.

The combing strap holds it in place like in the video Part #2 , but unsure if it is to be lashed.  

           

If so, should only the bottom of the 3 plywood layers be lashed under the skin?

 

2) Your "Skinning Polyester Part #2" video shows how to install the laminated comb-

            How to sew the skin on to the plywood combing?

 

                       

 

            As attachment points for sewing, what replaces the holes drilled through the laminated combing?

      

 

Thanks

[Abyssdncr]

1) Possibly a similar question on the combing placement.  Does this look right?

 

            As attachment points for sewing, what replaces the holes drilled through the laminated

Thanks

I'd move it back and have the overhang over the frame equal for and aft. Looks like you're about an inch, inch and a half too far forward.

I've built the laminated coaming two ways: all glued together and stitched in place like a laminated coaming as well as keeping the lower ring separate and screwed together for assembly. If you keep the lower ring separate, run the screws through the ring so just the tip is poking out and as you situated the fabric, it will snag/hook itself on the screw tips and stay put for the most part. When I did this, I finished the fabric in spar varnish which weeped through the fabric and bonded the fabric to the lower ring as well.

Either works fine, but if you go the separate lower ring, make sure it doesn't flex so much under the fabric that you can't get the top rings on.

[Kudzu]

The plywood coaming is designed to be screwed together, not sewn. Installation is covered in the Assembly Manual.

 

Center it over the frames. In the photo it looks to far forward or you laminated beam is to far back.

[benhardt57]

Charlie, I'm just a newbie, and I am not building the same kayak as you are, but when looking at your FROG it appears that you have your bow and stern plates (or whatever they're called) reversed. Or, I have to switch mine.