P Doug (WA)

I understand where Jeff is coming from, but I'm in Joe's camp. I like to be able to say "I did it" and I just don't feel I can if I use full size plans. Coarse, there is the arguement that I did'n make up the offset tables, so I didn't really do it.....

Ya, something is down some where. I can't get to Jeff's site and same thing on my favorite woodworking site. Sorry, I put this on the wrong post.

Glad you jumped in, Jeff. Begining to worry about you. Afraid you took one of those cold kayak trips and frooze up!. Hope you are feeling better. My wife and I are just getting over Whooping Cough of all things.

Joe, don't know where everyone is and being I have only built one kayak (Curlew) I hesitate to try to answer questions. One does not make me an expert. But here is a picture of the stern area of my Curlew. The gunwales do not extend past the frame and lash to the stern. They butt against it and are lashed together infront of the frame. I'm pretty sure this is correct, because I posted these pictures as I built and wasn't told it was wrong.

I really enjoyed the lashing and the wax felt good on my hands. The hands did get a little sore, but a good sore. I'm anxious to see the pictures.

looking good

I alway buy at least an extra sheet. I make mistakes and hate running for more. Besides I always have a use for any extra.

I got rid of my radial arm saw, scared the H*** out of me. Actually the most ouchies I have received have been from my grinders and stationary sanders. Nothing serious but they sure well remove skin fast.

Just look too cold for this old goat!

Looks down right COLD!! I'm a warm weather kayaker! Great picture.

SWEET! Love the color and the storage idea.

How would you stitch around that??

If you really can't find adequate wood, or the cost is prohibitive, maybe you should concider one of Jeff's kits which includes the frames out of good baltic birch.

Boy, it's hard to say what I wish I had known, because I went into it not knowing anything about it. I had never built anything like it before. For a novice like me to be able to buy the book and with some help from this forum, build one with out a kit says a lot about your book and the simplicity of these boats. I guess the only thing I wish I had known, was to know all this years ago when I was younger. I'd had one years ago!

Just as a thought though, when I built my kayak, I thought of painting the bottom orange, with the word "HELP" written on it in black!

That looks FINE!

"An idle mind becomes idled"?

Top 3%, now that's not bad, I would say.

I know it well be a great success. Congrats.

Dang, that's the second time in my life I've been wrong!

I think the softness of the top layers affect it also. Okume is much harder, lwast what I have is.

Personally, I think you will always get some small amount of splintering with baltic birch (if that is what you are cutting). Least I've never succeeded in not having some. Even drilling a hole through I always end up with some little amount of splintering. The project I am working on currently requires some very clean holes to prevent air leaking. I tried everything I know of to prevent splintering, sandwiches between board, sharp fornister bit, still got a little splintering. I could do it with Okume, but not BB. I finally coated around the holes with epxoy and than sanded, to get the clean holes I needed.

ME too, hope you sell a ton. I might buy one just toget that cover picture, it is awesome.

The heigh and thickness are really dictated by you. I did one a while back to use on my next build. The heigh is around 1 3/4" , thickness of the bottom is just shy of 1/2" , the lip is stick out about 1/2" on the sides and a little over 3/4" on the front and rear. I added a couple extra strips front and rear. Just for cosmetics. I also stepped down each layer around the lip a little so I could round over the top. Again cosmetic. Maybe you can tell what I am trying to describe in the pictures.

Yep, good price. I paid $36.99 plus tax and was happy.