flynfysh Posted March 7, 2016 Report Share Posted March 7, 2016 being one of those guys who reads 3/4 of the instructions in skim mode I realized that with 99% of my Vardo frame done that I had attached the bow and stern stringers in a different manner than I see many others on this forum have. After I had sawing and fitting I glued (with Titebond III) the ends of stringers to the bow/stern plywood and then lashed one side stringer to the opposite side stringer (picture) . I have noticed other builders drilled holes through the stringers and lashed them closer to the bow/stern, do you think that is necessary or do you think my way will work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich D Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 I think you'll be fine. I've done it much the same many times. If you had not used glue then I would say that you would be better off lashing right on and thru the stem pieces. I don't care to use glue on these boats in places I can avoid it so I drill and peg the stringers to the stems as well as lashing. The main thing is to get a good attachment to the stems to keep things from shifting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hirilonde Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 A SOF hull is some what flexible when finished. This is actually a good thing, it is part of why it is so resilient. Glue joints do not like to be flexed or twisted. It might be that the bow and stern joints for the stringers move so little that glue will work fine. It has been proven over an again that lashing works and stands up to flexing for a really long time. The only glue I use on a SOF boat is the 2 or 3 components that make up the bow and stern and for laminating the combing (but that is a different subject). It is more for convenience that I glue the bow and stern assemblies as it keeps them exactly in position to each other while lashing. If the joinery of these pieces is close then after lashing the glue becomes unnecessary. My suggestion at this point would be to add lashings as Jeff describes in his books, plans, manuals and videos. Then if the glue fails it won't really matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flynfysh Posted March 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 thanks guys, after due consideration I decided to do half of what you said and am adding pegs , but leaving the lashing as it is. When I sink later on I'll rue that I didn't heed all of your advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Spoken like a true Alaskan. Make sure to keep us posted on your progress. We'd love to see your finished boat, and pictures of your paddling grounds, especially! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flynfysh Posted March 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 so, I've now got my kayak covered and I ironed the fabric and am trying to decide if it's tight enough... any pointers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted March 15, 2016 Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 Put up a picture, brother, and somebody will chime in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flynfysh Posted March 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 So, I tried to take a picture to put up but it didn't show much. Instead I made a sample frame and covered it and then kept raising the temp on the iron. I was going to continue until I melted the fabric but, I was finally at full heat on the iron and the fabric still hadn't melted so I used that setting on the kayak. The fabric tension felt much better after that so now I'm painting it ...I'll send a pic when the paint job is done. BTW starting on a second kayak (paid the second fee) this one for the girlfriend...the second frame almost done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 Awesome. The skin should be taut, like coin bouncing taut, you know. Can't wait to see your finished boat. Be careful with the boat building thing, flynfysh, it can quickly get out of hand! Have fun, brother. I got relatives in and around Homer, btw. You Alaskans is tough. Brrr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flynfysh Posted March 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 Have another question, what wood do you guys out there use for the laminated coaming? On the first Kayak I used red cedar but it seems a little soft. I have some beautiful red cedar that I got from an old time boat builder 16" x 1 3/4" x 17' no knots, it's great for stringers. Even though I live in a rain forest the supply of wood here is limited and there is only one lumber store (not a chain) in town and shipping from outside is very expensive. The wood available at the lumber store is..pine, fir, mahogany,or oak..there is a possibility of yew from a guy here who builds traditional bows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted March 23, 2016 Report Share Posted March 23, 2016 To laminate, the fir or oak would work, I think. You can also steam some green wood. Yellow cedar might be available green to you, and it's pretty nice. Also, you may be able to steam green yew. That would be cool. You should try to find somebody that has a mill. There's a type named after your state, after all... If you can't find good wood for a coaming, consider Jeff's plywood coaming. It's a viable option. Ironically, the reason these type of boats exist in the first place is the people up there in frozen land didn't have trees. They did have bone, driftwood, and access to large hides, though... Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flynfysh Posted April 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2016 the fabric did get bounce-a-dime tight and I've almost finished the paint work (one coat more). It's now hanging in my living room to cure awaiting final (hopefully artistic) painting. I looked for other woods for the next coaming but may have to go with the red cedar again and find a harder coat or more coats of varnish. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted April 2, 2016 Report Share Posted April 2, 2016 Nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abyssdncr Posted April 2, 2016 Report Share Posted April 2, 2016 Nicely played! I love showing my wife these pictures, saying, "See, we have plenty of room for me to build another boat!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DURRETTD Posted April 3, 2016 Report Share Posted April 3, 2016 Congratulations on your choice of an interior designer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flynfysh Posted April 3, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2016 being single I can get away with alot more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Tiger Posted April 4, 2016 Report Share Posted April 4, 2016 As I have stated before on this forum, the choice of spouses can make an enormous difference. Mine, for example knew what she was in for when she met me. It was not at all an issue to build an outrigger canoe in our old living room. It is also okay to ride a skateboard in the house. Wrestling is, however, sadly, absolutely banished to the outdoors. Break one irreplaceable vase... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flynfysh Posted April 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2016 the second kayak is all framed and the tung oil is drying. I am about to laminate another coaming and was going to buy a clear fir 2x4 to cut and use...but...I read in another woodworking forum that kiln dried wood doesn't bend well. For my first kayak I use red cedar that I got from the stock of an old boatbuilder who cut and air dried his own lumber. I traded some flying for (4) 1 3/4" x 16" x 16' rough saw red cedar boards that I planed and cut and used both for my stringers and my laminated coaming. The only problem I had was the cedar seemed soft for the coamin. Back to my question..what is your experience of bending air dried vs. kiln dried lumber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abyssdncr Posted April 5, 2016 Report Share Posted April 5, 2016 Can't help with the question at large, but that frame looks beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flynfysh Posted April 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2016 I bought a 2x2x8 clear(well almost) fir board yesterday cut it into 3/32 strips and then tried to bend it with the heat gun method around my jig for laminating a coaming for my second Vardo...abject failure...the wood cracked even around the larger bend, For curiosity I continued and it broke twice trying to go around the smaller bend. I was going to give up but, after a Scotch, decided to try again and to wet it down. I took it outside and hosed it down and this morning tried again....success, at least with the first strip. I'm going to count my blessings for now, let that strip dry and go fishing for the rest of the day...wish me luck...maybe I'll catch a steelhead or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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