Kudzu

New store is finished. I moved it to my website. You will find we are carrying a much smaller inventory now. Sales levels since Covid have dropped dramatically and it is just economically feasible to keep our previous inventory in stock. We are focused on plans, books and a few basic supplies. Our fabric source has dried up and we have no fabrics at the moment. We hope to add it back to the store but finding fabric has always been a struggle. But I am going to keep looking because I was about the only one selling a good polyester fabric Want to say thank you for your past support! Jeff

Looks great! Since you bought those plans I have made a couple of small changes. One is the frame under the rear of the coaming now has a center brace cut in the frame. I found after a couple of years of regular use the plywood started to weaken and eventually collapsed. You can make a simple brace that will wedge between the keel and the deck. I just cut a couple of slots and made it snug fit. Works good and will save issues down the road. You can remove it if you need access to the rear space too. As for the coaming support, since you did a laminated coaming you can probably get along fine without it. I don't use them in mine but of course that will depend on how strong you coaming is. How much spring back it has.

Did not think about it till seeing you photo, but last ones I did were with the old fabric which had a loose weave and was easy to more around to conform. I don't have any good suggestions without seeing it person. I do remember the first one I built I ended up putting a seam horizontally along the fantail. I will think on this but not sure I have a good idea. New fabric may not be a good choice for this boat.

I always sew mine. It takes some patience to get it right but it can be done.

This is the reason I never built a traditional boat. They are built by eye, not by plans (for the most part). There isn't a good easy way to build two exactly alike boats. Fuselage frame may not be identical but they will be extremely close. And no, no longer doing classes. Last one I tried to put together all but one student backed out. Just hard to put on a class for a price people are willing to pay. So I sold off all the tools and supplied I used in the classes.

I have not read about bledding fingers but if you follow my method for sewing on the skin it won't be a problem. I have a video(s) up showing how I sew on the skin. Use the thread to pull the skin tight and a dowel to pull the thread.

Even I am always amazed at the weight of the frame. Of course the skin and paint will bring that up but even so they are so easy to handle compared to Tupperware boats.

In the 12 years that VARDO plans has been available I have never been asked that question. Sounds like you caught a 12 year old mistake to me. Plans list quantity for all three (even though it does appear only two are needed) Deck beams are listed on the plans and long enough. You don't have to waste those, just cut a scarf and glue them up to length needed. I do it all the time. Never built a boat that didn't have a few scarfs in the stringers.

BINGO!! Thank you. After reading it the only real restriction for me is the battery can not be directly under orover the gas tank. I wasn't planing on that so not an issue and another Internet know-it-all put to rest.

Got to be a member.

I don't frequent this group often and probably should. Restoring a '62 CC Sea Skiff and need to relocate the battery. Existing space is VERY tight, Was located in the bilge. I can find a battery that will fit but there is no way to put in a box and I really want to do that. So I need to relocate. Tons of room under either of the front seats. But I am leaning toward putting it aft, under the rear seats. It is large open space with super easy access. The gas tank is located behind the seat. 30 gallon galvanized tank. Battery would be adjacent to it and with all the ventilation I see no issue. But I have people in another group howling at the idea. Some are saying it is against CODE ? I assume they mean some regulation but I can't find anything anywhere that addresses this. I don't see the problem but I thought I would ask here. Is there a safety issue with a battery beside/under the tank? I would be in a box and tied down.

Store is and has been open for a while now.

It and Curlew are my favorites. For different reasons but that is the two I paddle most.

That is why the engineer in me could never build a traditional boat. I couldn't stand the thought of designing something and not being able to build it exactly. Then it being to unstable or having bad manners after all that work. Plus not being to reproduce the same hull shape again if I wanted. Not against traditional boats, just no interest in building one.

Looks like you did a very nice job there.

Plus Okume would be a much better quality plywood too. Assuming the DF you get is typical of what I can get. It is really disheartening the difference in American made plywood and imported plywoods. While I prefer to buy American the imported plywood is FAR superior to anything I have seen made here. But as you said, shipping is very expensive. I need 3 sheets for my Chris Craft. Shipping is as much as the plywood so I am trying to work up an order for all the wood for the boat at once.

Not sure what is going on but Seals has said they are not taking any more orders this year. They say that they have no more manufactoring capacity left(??). Try ordering this winter for next year. That means no Skirts too. So I am looking for a new source for backbands and skirts.

HAHA!!

What Dave said. I have never been able to get three coats on with 1 quart and always have bit left over on the 2nd quart. I always buy 2 quarts because the gallon will go bad before I use it again. As for thinner, what ever they recommend. Rustoleum uses acetone. I have tired cleaning brushes with other thinners and it ruined the brush. Did strange things to the paint so follow the instructions and used what ever they recommend. And by all means thin it! Thinning it allows it to soak into the fabric and will stain the fabric a consistent color and looks MUCH better. If you don't you have a horribly blotchy finish inside the boat. Plus, while I have no proof I think that it helps seal the fabric better. If you skin off some paint on the surface, and you will, the fabric will remained sealed with the paint that soaked into it.

Probably is the next step. I am a little short in kids boat but not having any around me it is very difficult to gage much less design kids boats.

Trying to email you about your order and your email keeps bouncing. HELP!

Short Shot LV was designed for someone her size. If she has come from short fat boats she will probably find it pretty unstable compared to those and she will find it substantial easier to paddle or faster for the same amount of effort. As for stability, she should adapt fas. But those first few minutes may make her wonder what she got into. I have seen it a good bit when people move from fat boats to one of mine. They wobble and struggle for a few minutes but they quickly adapt and learn that keeping your body center of the boat is keey. After a couple of hours they are paddling around comfortable and totally forgot about the stability. Standard. Your are at the top end for the LV. No wiggle room in the LV for weight gain or gear. Plus the boat is bit small all around. I think you will find the regular Short Shot is just fine. You might find the tracking a little loose but I doubt it. But everyone is different and if you did a SMALL skeg would tighten it up. But I prefer not to add them unless you really need it.

I actually to stitch the fabric together just enough to hold it in place under the coaming. You just have to work out where with the coaming in place. Do I not show this in one of the videos?

You can clamp the two together and even them out. When I was making kits I always put the coaming together temporarily and sanded it to get perfect mating surfaces.

I have video(s) on YouTube that walk you through the whole process.