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Curlew Buildlog Part 3 - Skinning


Aethyr

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Link to Curlew Buildlog Part 1

Link to Curlew Buildlog Part 2

Part 2 took me through building the frame and a laminated coaming. Not shown is the floor boards and rail/foot pedals.

 

Skin is starting to go on!

 

Fabric is pinned to the centerline with pushpins. Sides pulled taut and pinned up as well.

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Here is the front. Some of the fabric has been trimmed down:

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And the back half I used the spring clamps as glorified pins to pull the fabric tight around the frame.

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After I used the spring clamps, I pulled out the pushpins and tried to remove any slack possible. The back part around the curve going horizontal to vertical has some slack fabric that I am not sure how I am going to remove. I am going to sew up to there and hope it works itself out by then.

I have finished up the foot pedals and I am waiting for the varnish to dry before buttoning up the front half. I am also working on drilling the sew holes on the coaming. before starting the actual sewing part. I hope that I can get this into the water in a couple of weeks!

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After I used the spring clamps, I pulled out the pushpins and tried to remove any slack possible. The back part around the curve going horizontal to vertical has some slack fabric that I am not sure how I am going to remove. I am going to sew up to there and hope it works itself out by then.

 

 

You just have to work it out as you go. That is the one thing about a Curlew, the stern is hard to sew. Knowing what I know now I would have shaped it differently to make sewing it easier. Hindsight is perfect!

 

If you are using the 8 oz. poly most small wrinkles will pull out when you shrink it. But you don't want to depend on that. Take you time and don't be afraid to back and restitch it. When I did the last one I had to back up and redo it to get it looking right.

 

BTW, never though of using push pins on the sides. That is not a bad idea. When you get the to stern it might be very useful to pull it snug and use a few to hold it in place.

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Back half done sewing the straight stitch:Posted Image

 

Around the stern I am still not 100% happy with it. The entire back half could be re-stitched. As my wife said, it looks like man sewing to her:

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Front half complete: I swear the tiniest wrinkles show up like crazy in the pictures. It should stretch out all the wrinkles once I am done ironing it.

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Also I got a few new toys at the house to play with:

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One friend had a forge but no anvil, and another friend an anvil but no forge. I generously offered to store them both at my place! :D

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As my wife said, it looks like man sewing to her:

 

Sounds like she's volunteering to help  :D .

 

Actually it's looking good in the photos. Yes you can see creases but it still looks taut - should come up nicely when ironed B) .

Getting from the deck to the stern is difficult to do smoothly but yours looks significantly better than mine was at this stage although I used the method with 2 cords wrapped in the seam.

 

 

(Off topic: What are you going to make with the new "toys"?)

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Well from this "man's" perspective it looks darn good.  Better than I did and I was proud of mine! :unsure:   It will look even better when ironed.  

 

I love your new tools.   I have an old anvil, I found out in the desert.  That thing was heavy packing home and I had a good ways to hike!  I always wanted to try a forge and some blacksmithing.  I have the plans somewhere for building a forge using a big truck rim.  Ahh I have such a long bucket list!

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I took a weekend long blacksmithing class last year.  Made some coat hooks (basic forge use, basic hammering/shaping), 6" iron ring (practice forge welding), chisel (tempering) and 1 project of your choice. I picked blacksmithing tongs (giant pliers). I like the idea of knife making and decorative ironwork.

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Didn't get any pictures of sewing on the coaming.

 

Here is the start of the whip stitch:

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Looking down the front of the kayak. Get to see my foot pedals and the interior of the coaming:

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Down the back of the kayak:

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A little more whip stitch:

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And the front done:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Looks like I developed a slight bend at the very tail end of the boat. Hopefully a light lean will fix it.

 

Here is coat #2 on the bottom drying:

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And from the back (which isn't stitched as nicely, at least up close and personal like I took this):

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I mentioned it in another thread, I am using Rustoleum Marine Spar varnish which is an oil based polyurethane which is supposedly UV/Salt Water/Mildew resistant, and expands/contracts with the weather (perhaps more flexible?) from Lowes at $12/quart.

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