pakalolo

It could look like a "Crotch Island Pinky" (which isn't as long as an "extreme" C.I. Pinky. Here is an example, but with the darkness it's hard to see the lines http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/267361_2077723594268_1580340431_2068881_4754065_n.jpg I don't know for sure but it is a "double-ender day sailor"

And I can't believe I'm wondering, but looking at coaming pictures on the web, I see that some coamings have the kayaker sitting with his back in the widest part of the coaming and I also see kayaks built where the kayaker issitting in the narrower part of the coaming. Why the differences? The plywood coaming with Vardo is not really an elongated oval, but has distinct narrow and wide ends. I imagine the wide part goes forward, right?

I think they are comparing verticle grain an flat grain. What region do you live in? In Maine we use primarily white cedar . . . . out west they'll use red cedar . . . . but I've definitely used vertical grain dug fur for a 30ft clamp (similar to inwale) before so you'll probably be fine as long as everything gets lashed together. What are your options?

Hi Jeff, Could you comment a little more specifically about the Vardo coaming. I'm made the outter deck beams, both fore and aft, extra long and have trimmed up the center ones so the lashing holds. I understand that the forward part of the coaming is to rest on the deck beams, but is the same true for the aft section? Can you give a rough estimate as to how long those deck pieces are (I understand that each kayak is custom). It still seems weird that the lip is only 1/8th of an inch, but that's what the plans call for.

I'm about to drill the holes for the painters in the bow and stern, but I'm not really confident about the location. I see some pictures where it looks like the are back 10 inches from the bow and others only look like 4 or 6 inches. If they go back 10 inches I'd be in the first circular cutout of the plywood bow piece and it seems to me that I would want a separate hole for my painter so as not to stress the skin. I am building Vardo. Should I just go back like 4 inches and down 2 inches or should I go back far enough to go through the gunwales and the bow piece?

Wow!! And measuring my full size drawings (still glued to the wood), the coaming pieces are only 1/8" difference in widths? That doesn't seem like much. My upper coaming is 1 1/8" and the smaller two are 1" in width. So the lip is only 1/8"? Intuitively, it seems like the lip should be a bit bigger. It's definitely seems bigger in the video and the book.

So if I did have a friend help make one, and having a vardo, White cedar would be too soft? Maybe not though. Stacked together it's probably stronger than the marine plywood coaming. If not maybe oak. But what seems to be missing from the videos and the book is how many laminates for the wide base? Then all I do is cut 1/2" strips for the skirt to grab, so how many laminates of 1/2" to get the lip? Thanks!!

Thanks guys! P Douglass, I would definitely prefer a laminated coaming, but my tool selection is so nil. I've spent a year in a boat shop and we had to bend lots of stuff, with steam, boiling and pure brute force, but I don't even have a table saw right now. But maybe I can find someone around here to help. Newer area and not a lot of friends with shop equipment. But, no, I'm not really happy with my jigsaw coamings!!

Having used a jigsaw to cut out all of my parts, my coaming pieces are not really uniform and do not match up as well as I'd like. I'm not sure how to glue the top piece to the middle piece. Am I supposed to be trying to keep a good lip on the outside of the top edge to accept a skirt? Am I try to center the inside holes? Am I trying to have a lip on the inside? I would have definitely preferred a laminated coaming, but for this first build I'm settling for the glued up plywood version, I'm just not sure what my intentions are supposed to be. Thanks!!

I was wondering this same thing myself, uncleralph . . . . glad I searched the forums and saw your post!!

And just out of curiosity, what would be the advantages/disadvantages of using a hinged deck plate similar to this one http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse.cfm/deck-plate-8.00-polyc-blk-locking-center-104565/4,2537.html Is it mainly not used because the screws would show? I'm just wondering what some other options are and what I should definitely avoid (aside from the Sealect option) . . . . I'm just curious. TopKayaker.net seems to have a whole article about deck plates being used . . . . so I'm just curious one way or the other http://www.topkayaker.net/Articles/Customize/KayakHatchDeckPlate.html

I think I plan on putting two hatches in my Vardo (unless someone talks me out of it for some reason). I've seen on the Kudzu site that for the past month or so the 10" hatches are unavailable. Does anyone have any recommendations on where to get suitable hatches that would work with this kayak? I definitely prefer a larger diameter. Thanks!!

Sorry if this has been asked. I try to search a bit before posting, but I didn't find my answer. Are any of you sealing your marine plywood frames with anything? It just seems weird to me to have exposed, but maybe I missed something in the book or on the forums. A month ago I was helping to put a new deck on a sailboat restoration. We used marine plywood and coated the underside with west expoxy. Does anyone do anything to coat their frames or are they fine just being how they are? Thanks!

nice job!! looks like a clean build.

Thanks all. A small table saw is definitely on the list sometime during the next couple of months. Just had to load up on firewood so I need to save up again. I ended up lucking out huge. I got all my stringers cut. For my six stringers at 18' I got 12 each at 12'. Cut split and delivered for $40 They'll each need one scarf so I'll have over 5' extra for each. I know it was luck and not the going price, but that's all he wanted.

That sounds fair. but what about if I am doing all of the work? The guy only wants to charge me for cedar and tool use, but I will be milling everything out myself. I'm not looking to low ball him, but I also don't want to pay more than I have too. White cedar is cheap up in Maine and is a great boat wood.

So I've been trying to figure out how to get some stringers for the past week. I have lots of experience with a planer and table saw, I just do not have either of the tools. I found a cedar shop in the area who trusts my experience and said he'll provide the wood and tool use if I can come in and mill everything out. He just wants to know what it is worth to me. How much is fair for the 6 stringers for vardo? 2 at 1-1/2 x 5/8 --- 18ft 4 at 1 x 5/8 --- 18 ft I will be doing all of the milling and all of the scarfing, but what do you all think is fair for the cedar (I'll be using white cedar not red) and the tool use. Thanks!!

Yeah, it was distorting due to me cutting out the middle . . . it would not at all lay flat due to the plans being folded numerous times. I made due the best I could. It certainly doesn't look like a CNC machine is cutting my pieces, but hopefully my pieces will work. Errors always stand out to the builder, but hopefully they will all allow my craft to function decently. What sort of saw do you use to cut your wood? What do others use? All I have is a hand-held jigsaw. Thanks Dave

I think I did the dumbest thing ever buy cutting out each part from the plans seperately. I've spent the last hour trying to glue the coaming pattern to my plywood, but since I cut out all of the pieces in the center it is net to impossible. I feel like I almost have to order new plans because I just don't see it happening. And even if I get the first one, I still have two to go. I'm trying everything from walking around putting a weight every couple of inches . . . starting from the narrow end and working up each side at the same time . . . . starting from the wider end and working each side . . . it just won't lay flat but out like a donut as it is now. What a bad start. I'm sure many of you are saying "why did you cut out all of the center parts" . . . but like I said, "beginners mistake". While cutting out the patters it looked like I could fit more on the plywood if they were all seperate. What a mistake!!

Hi Mark, is the last vardo frame at 13'9"? Because I have a frame that says 15'3". What do you think is the minimum strongback length for the Vardo? I'm running out of room or else I have to change my build location to the dirt and cover it with a tarp whe it rains. It's all I have available (although kayaks were built on the dirt or off the ground for thousands of years, right?) Obviously a shop is ideal, but it's either my deck of saw horses or on the dirt on saw horses. Thanks!!

I have assembly manual revision 3.0. I never received a CD, but I see many people commenting on a CD that was supossed to come with the manual? (not sure) Anyway, I'm trying to figure out the length needed for my strongback. Vardo is 17'. If I had a ton of space I would just make the strongback that long. Currently I reclaimed an old fat floor joist from an old house and planed it down. The current length is 13' 11" On a different post I saw that someone said their last vardo frame was at 13' 9" which would seem to make my strongback long enough, but I have a piece of paper that doens't say "frame" or "bracket" but just says 15" 3" (it looks like a frame). So I'm just wondering what is the minimum length I can use? I can add on to my current strongback, but then I am going to have to move my build location from my deck (with rain covering) to the side of the house on the dirt and saw horses. Thanks, I've searched some other post, but I'm still settling in with my comfort on this first build.

Thanks Hirilonde!! (nice quote, I love Carlin!!)

I have read that we can reuse our plans if we pay a fee (I think it is $24 or $25), but how can we reuse the plans if we glue them onto the marine plywood. Two ways around this are to have an architect scan the plans and reprint them before cutting them out and then being honest to Kudzu and paying the fee. Or I guess one could just trace the patterns onto the plywood? Otherwise it is $74 to get reprints of the plans (even though the book can be reused) What have others done? Thanks (I'm all for paying the multiple use fee -- just wondering what some options people have used to "reuse" the plans)

I have wooden boat building experienence and am thinking of tackling a SOF. I'll build my girlfriend's first and then mabe pick another model. The Vardo seems to be recommended quite a bit. I'm interested in something that can carry some weight and that has hatches. Do the Vardo plans come with hatch diagrams and whatnot? I didn't see any of the other models mention that they had hatches. There is no surf on the coast here. I'm interested in a designed that is good for the ocean and that I can take in a river and that has some hatches. Am I asking for too much? I honestly don't know. What models can you all recommend? Thanks