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Vardo Build


rustyshaklfurd

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I have continued the build but I am currently stuck.  I'm having trouble visualizing and deciding where to make the cut on the stringers and gunwales so they end up flush against the bow and stern respectively.  I have read and re-read the manual on this part but I am stuck.  Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I have included some pictures which I hope illustrate the problem.

 

Bow

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Stern

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I am nearly finished with my VARDO.  I cut all my hull stringers as long as the boat (17') and then did the final trimming to fit the location.  The gunwales will be the longest ones, and the keel will be the shortest one.  It becomes more evident as the plywood frames are placed on your strongback to vizualize.  Deck beams are much shorer.  I posted a picture of my completed frame a few weeks ago, entitled "VARDO FROG."  Hope that helps!

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Take a look at post 14 of this thread: http://messing-about.com/forums/topic/8729-tadpole-kids-kayak/?hl=stringer#entry75733 .  I couldn't get the address to copy and paste to this post so I hope I typed it correctly.  If not, search "cutting stringers" and you will find it.  It's a description of how Woodman cut his stringers at the bow of a kayak.

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Take a back saw - starting at the top inner corner of the gunwale - cut the gunwale in a line parallel to the bow form. The bow form will give you a visual guide. After the cut is made the stringer will spring down against the plywood. If the fit is not good enough yet you can just hold the stringer lightly against the form while making another cut with the backsaw at the joint. With the blade against the bow form the stringer will be cut away to fit. More than one trim cut may be needed. 

   A good fit is preferred, of course. But a less than perfect fit is not something to be too concerned about. I have seen pictures of boats that used willow branches as stringers. The lashing and skin eliminates any movement. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

So I finally got past the stringers and moved on to lashing.  Everything is lashed up and it is off the strongback.  This week I hope to add the footrests and to oil the frame.  I also plan on ordering the fabric.  Any recommendations between the 8 oz or 11 oz for a first time builder? 

 

 

 

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I used the 11 oz fabric as a first time builder  I liked that i could put a lot of pressure on the line

and could pull it tight as a drum. it was hard to pull a hole in the fabric by pulling.

I built 3 Kayaks last winter, Vardo was the first one and I ended up using a double strand of the stitching thread for the seam.

The other 2, Firefly and long shot I used the nylon sinue, they all pulled a tight seam. I used two threaded needles at the same time on the Firefly one one each side criss crossing all the way up the seam. I would do that stitch again.

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I haven't used the 8 oz but had very good results using the 11 oz. That was my first time stitching on a fabric (previous skin boats were glued on vinyl). I'm pretty sure that Jeff himself recently suggested to a first time builder that the 11 oz is easier to 'get right'.

 

apparently the 8 oz will heat shrink more but the 11 oz pulled tight with the stitching and a warm iron did shrink it some and pull it even tighter. 

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Hey Kudzu,

I was looking through the store and planning on ordering the 11 oz fabric.  The store says you have 17 in stock which I assume means 17ft, however, you recommend buying a foot longer than your boat.  Do you know when you will get more of the 11 oz in?  If it will be a significant amount of time I'll plan on ordering the 8 oz instead.

 

Thanks

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