Bcone1381 Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 A couple of things I think draw people to the strip built boats is there is more chance to get creative and customize the boat in subtle ways that make it totally yours. I admire the creativity for simple things like fitting for the life lines and recessed coaming and hatches. Some of these guys are just amazingly creative with the details. There are so many things they can do with the wood skin we can not. And of course there is nothing that looks like a varnished wood .[/size]Well, lets dream, and push the envelope on origonality and crativity then! Artistic Creativity will draw people to our construction methods and that has yet to be developed very far because I think the SOF method of Kayak building is in its infancy. Jeff's methods of construction using frames and stringers hits a bulls eye that will serve us for centuries ahead, but was unavailable 100 years ago. But, We have not really built many of these boats yet. The number of contributors on this sight is small. The strip boat builders creativity took some time to develop, and although I am no artisan, I see possibilities for growth in our craftsmanship. For example, we don't have to use plastic hatches, and We can incorporate magnetics to hold them down, and i have not yet heard of a builder here who has sprayed on a coating. Imagine using the Hobbie Mirage Drive in one of our Kayaks! Zoom! Incorporating the retractable skew design that Woodman used...well, I am a dreamer and that's how the wood strippers began incorporating their creative details... they dream and imagine, and try new things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hirilonde Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 I think all hand built boats are hard to sell in general. . No matter how good you are or how well your boats are built it is a niche market. Most people today want to own tupperware. They have no taste at all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodman Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 I think all hand built boats are hard to sell in general. . No matter how good you are or how well your boats are built it is a niche market. Most people today want to own tupperware. They have no taste at all. Man you summed up the market here in Kansas City... They like their High end-Low end plastic...They like their High end racing configurations for the MR340 etc.....I can hardly get the material cost out of a boat around here... These people are ate-up..won't even bite on making their own... enough said.... But they will spend tons of money on new housing so I shove the boxes to em in the shape of cabinets... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodman Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 i have not yet heard of a builder here who has sprayed on a coating. Well this is partly sprayed on... http://www.flickr.com/photos/mo_kayaks/sets/72157632282842022/ And I have sprayed on Minwax stain on numbers of my boats prior to brushing on the spar urethane....Brushing works it into the weave.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodman Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 Open the envelope by building a SOF Surfski with a sealed off cockpit...That would take some thought...The idea of a fabric contoured cockpit with a foam seat incorporated... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bcone1381 Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 Woodman, can you show us any photos of the SOF with the stain/urethane combination? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodman Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 Woodman, can you show us any photos of the SOF with the stain/urethane combination? This is golden oak.... http://www.flickr.com/photos/mo_kayaks/sets/72157632278938115/ I just used a mixture of stain I had on hand...it is a dark color http://www.flickr.com/photos/mo_kayaks/sets/72157632278880955/ This last one was a lighter mix of left over stain... http://www.flickr.com/photos/mo_kayaks/sets/72157635143894211/ You get a chepo touch up gun and just mist the stain on just keep walking around the boat spraying a little at a time. I like the lighter stain so the frame shows through in the sunlight.. To lighten it up you can dilute the stain also . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY_Rocking_Chairs Posted November 1, 2013 Report Share Posted November 1, 2013 I have built both types now and the one main difference for me is time. I was able to whip out a good looking (IMHO) SOF kayak in just under 40 hours of work and each step was different, which keeps me engaged in the project better. The stripper canoe I built for a customer had closer to 200 hours into it and was alot of repetitive steps "OMG, I'm still gluing strips on 2 rows at a time on week 3 of the build" (it was a no-holes boat). So for my personal use I find function trumps form and if I can get an asthetically pleasing product done in 20% of the time of the other style, then that is the way I am going to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AeroE Posted November 3, 2013 Report Share Posted November 3, 2013 Open the envelope by building a SOF Surfski with a sealed off cockpit...That would take some thought...The idea of a fabric contoured cockpit with a foam seat incorporated... I have made some sketches of a SOF surf ski, but after paddling a V8 (owned by the dealer in Olathe!), I'm way less enamored by the idea unless the seat includes drainage. If I want to sit in a puddle of water, I'll get a wash tub. The bailers work pretty much well enough to keep the cockpit from completely filling, but the boats are light years from "dry" inside. That's probably okay for skiing in surf for short periods, but not for cruising, floating in the Ozarks, or racing. In my humble opinion. Seats with drainage and floor boards go a long way to cure that problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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