gorn

that's a great pic of your Shad. I've lost motivation to finish mine, so the frame hangs in my garage waiting for me to get inspired again. Good review too. Like you, I'm also lucky to have a huge lake nearby. For me it's Lake Hume, near Albury / Wodonga in Victoria. Well done :)

Thanks Jeff. That was my thinking too, but wanted to make sure I wasn't over thinking it

Ok, its been a long time between any work being done lol. I have a problem, or so it seems to me. I have checked my frame measurements over and over, and they are all spot on. My issue is, the coaming seems to leave portions of stringers and frame showing in the cockpit. See pics. Is this normal? I cant seem to find any pics showing these angles on a Shad. I now live a 5 minute drive from one of the largest lakes in the state, so the time has come to get off my ass Comments please.

amazing stuff. Someone needs to coat a SOF with this

Thanks labrat, will do

Thanks P Douglass I still have some minor hull work to do, but have had to put it aside for a little while. Getting ready to move house, so trying to get other things in order. Soon enough she will be done, and then I will post more pics

Thanks for the nice comments guys I will be using epoxy on anything I feel is going to get wet often. As good as the Titebond reviews are, I dont want to take a chance when I now have epoxy here at hand. Had a sleepless night, was up til dawn, but it did have an upshot. Ive worked out how to mount my foot rests without fowling the frames, so will have that done this week as well 1st time Ive had a plus point for insomnia :/ HA!

A few pics today. I was a bit further along than this a week ago, but once I test fitted the combing, I saw mistakes Id made I blame it on late night working on it The 3 frames in front of the seat, where all off by about 6-8" too close, so the combing would have showed quite a bit of frame work underneath it. Dammit. Anyway, I have moved the frames to their correct location, and have checked all the others, which were fine. I now have to make new floor boards, as the originals are now far too short. I also am about to run out of Sinew, so an order to Jeff is about to happen as well I thought that I would be finished by now, but procrastination, coupled with very hot weather got the better of me for a few weeks. Id say Im maybe 2-3 weeks out from skinning at this point, which is not bad. I already have my next 2 boats being planned in my head lol. Whoever says one is enough is delusional! Im wanting to do a Stonefly, and Im also going to do a Pygmy Kayaks, Coho. Lots of work to keep me out of trouble I bought some footrests from the local kayak store, but Im so short that the rests foul the frames everywhere I need to place them. I may just make my own out of ply, and put some threaded inserts into a wooden rail so that I can adjust them if someone else wants to have a paddle. We will see what I can come up with. Cheers Aaron

Hi Jeff I got some measurments from skinboat.prg for their greenland bags, and IMO their too long. I have ordered a pair of these http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=28922&pdeptid=1760 , got them on sale for $65 ea. Which are longer than the 1st ones I mentioned, and still allow a small amount of room in the rear for a dry bag, not much room in front. Im going to go with the Redfish seat as you suggested, will order in the next week or so.

Hi Jeff I'm running out of steam on building things, so a bought one is the best option for now. I will see about that seat, and let you know if he needs the plans. The main reason I want these ones, is they have separate gear storage in the bags, as well as chambers for flotation. Thanks for the info as always

Hi Guys Im wondering what float bags you guys are using in your own kayaks? Ive been waiting ages for Skinboats.com to get new stock of their Greenland bags, but am still waiting. Id rather install them before skinning the kayak, so I can check the fit properly, and make any anchor points I may want. Ive been looking at the NRS Hydrolock bag, which is float and storage, but am not really sure it will sui the shape of "Shad". Will this bag work for me? (bear in mind I will have 8" hatches above the bags) http://www.rutabaga.com/nrs-hydrolock-kayak-stow-float# Im also considering the NRS Seat pad http://www.rutabaga.com/nrs-seat-pad Opinions? Whats the best seat for skin on frame? Thanks

Not much to say, except Ive been lazy Back into it tomorrow. Shaping stern Gunwale's to fit the plywood well, then lashing the stringers to the Stern plates. if I have time, I will also fit the floor boards, and try and shape the plastic lawn chair to fit the frames properly too. Should have some pics by Sunday Ive also decided to do 2 hatches for gear storage, and ease of getting to the float bags. They are a push fit O'ring design, very tight. The actual hatch and base are hard plastic, size is 8" Should be here in a few weeks, they only had white in stock, and I wanted black (of course). Next week its decision time for what type of wood Im going to laminate my coming with. Down to the hardware store to see whats available.... Also need to choose woods for my paddle, and get myself a router to sleeve the different woods together. may not be needed, but I will feel better doing it that way. Sorry no pics tonight

I enjoyed the process as well, went faster than I should have, but I always have been kind of impatient. Once everything is together and lashed, I will take some more pics. Have to make a laminated combing soon, will be using the peg board method. I already have the lengths of wooden rod, and will just cut them to size. Going to use some cheap MDF board as the base. Im undecided on material I want to use yet, but have not put much time into whats available that I like the look of Has anyone here used the lawn chair seat in the their own SOF yet? Im curious to see how its mounted? Im planning on using one of those plastic chairs, but gluing some neoprene around it as well, only 10mm thick. Also, I was shying away from making my paddle, but have decided to tell negative self doubts to bugger off and leave me alone for now lol. Im going to laminate a few woods togther before any shaping is done, and will try for hardwood tips as well. I know one thing, it will either be crap or good, I'll take that 50% chance and roll with it (no pun intended) Jeff Put my first post about Shad on my Facebook tonight. Added the link to your site for a look at Shad as well. Hope it gets a few more people looking and buying from you Lastly, I realized today, that not even 1 minute by car, and Im at a boat ramp already. happy about that, no driving for miles wasting fuel, and less excuses to not go paddling

Lashing til midnight last night :/ Sore hands today lol. I still have the deck beams and bow and stern to go. Broke one join, nearly punched myself in the face hahahaha. Will post more pics when everything is lashed together. Satisfying, to see it all pull together, and get some rigidity happening

Some progress today All going well so far, happy happy

With my own scarf joints, I have good glue squeeze on both sides of the join, no gaps, and am using spring clamps at either end, and a quick clamp in the middle. No silly pressures, but enough for a tight join. So far so good

Labrat Thanks for your concern. yes I'm using the Titebond due to Jeff's success with it. I hate epoxy, messy, stinks etc etc. Titebond is stupidly easy to work with, and cheap too. Even though I'm a newby, if my joint doesn't line up properly, I re-cut it and start again. As I said before, I will be doing some of my own testing over the weekend, just to put my mind at ease about scarf joints, not so much the glue. Its one of those things, unless Ive seen it, its hard to believe. But everyone uses them, so it must be right, I just have to see it myself is all

Hi Jeff I did experience a few "flung" pieces of wood initially lol. I swear I could hear you telling me off And yes I keep to the side, out of the firing line, just in case. Pics Ive added to the initial post show how Im cutting now. The offcut cant get into the blade, and just jangles on the side of it until I push it away with a plastic tool. I line the tip of the pine block up with the very edge of the saw blade tips, then the stringer gets clamped with its end flush at the front of the pine. I wanted a 10;1 cut ratio, which would be about 160mm, I think I about 165 or 170, either way is ok. The strongback is 20ft, even though the boat is 17'5. Reason being, I also need new shelving in the garage, so their doing double duty I have the ends marked so I know where Im at. Ive glued some stringers today, and I gotta tell ya, I was nervous as hell! Mostly just second guessing my own abilities, which is stupid I know. I wish the Paulownia was straight too Every one of the boards I bought, had mutiple warps in them, and of course when cut to size, they keep that trait. Im curious to see how they pull together when the frames are added, hopefully on Saturday. Im Im not happy, then I will get the heat gun out and add some pressure, until it behaves the way I need it too. I still cant settle on the idea that a scarf joint with the titebond 3 is going to be stronger than the initial wood. So this weekend is destruction test for one poor piece of Paulownia Tomorrow I will have gunwales glued, the keel is already done, and the side stringers each only have 1 more joint to glue. I do have enough Paulownia to do all of the deck beams, so Im very pleased about that, as I really wanted the Paulownia, light, available, not really expensive, easy to work with. Just the knots and warping are a PITA. Once I have the inital frames attached with keel at gunwales, I will post more pics and an update Jeff, I will phone the mill that sells Paulownia here, and see what I can find out as far as lumber in USA is concerned. You might check companies that do Paulownia Longboard surfboard kits, they may not sell you the wood, but you can find out where and who from. Cheers guys Aaron

Hi Jeff Ok that makes sense about the bracket , and the scarf joints too , thanks for the fast reply. Hirilonde The problem with the Paulownia, they dont have a stock yard. The have the mill with no public access, and then they have an upstairs office in the city. You place your order, someone from the mill delivers to the office, and joe public goes to pick up what they left. I will just have to tell them staright out that crappy would will not be paid for, as its useless. Its looking like I have enough wood for the keel, the mid side stringers, and all the deck stringers (with lots of scarf joints) Im hoping I only have to use the WRC for the gunwales. I will have some pics later today or tomorrow Thanks guysAaron

Hi Guys Just wanted to post a progress report on my Shad build Im using a clam shell style strongback, as listed in the Kudzu book. All frames have been cut, and strongback mounts attached. Today I cut my first scarf joints with a basic jig on my table saw. The Paulownia wood is very light, and cuts easily, though the knots in it drive me insane. Ive actually had to buy Western Red Cedar for the Gunwales, as I would be short on Paulownia due to the amount of knots present. Very annoying, but seeing as the wood is provided to order, I cant just go along to a lumber yard and sort through shelf stock. Next time I will state that I wont accept c graded wood (Im guessing here on grade, but thats my opinion on what I was supplied) When I picked it up, the 10 lengths were strapped together, with the best boards on the outside grrrrrr. A bit like buying a punnet of strawberries, only to find inedible ones in the bottom. One other thing that has me a bit miffed, the strongback frames for either end of the kayak will have the bow and stern plywood forms sitting in them, which is all fine, except on the paper plans I cut out, the slots are larger to suit the actual keel sized wood which is larger by 3mm. So now I will have to fill those gaps somehow, so that it doesnt just wobble around by itself. Annoying yes, but Im not posting this to tell Jeff off, rather to bring it to his attention for future reference. Im hoping by the end of the week to have the frames fitted to the keel and gunwales at the least. Im moving a bit slow at the moment, as I nearly broke my ankle this week, and am hobbling around like an idiot now lol So far its been quite the challenge (though enjoyable) for me, being my first build, and also my first time really working with wood. For the most part, the plans and the instructions, coupled with the first book, has been very good. The only other thing I really was not sure on, and could not find anywhere, that wasnt covered in the manual, is the orientation of the scarf joints. What I mean is, as an example, looking at the side of the keel stringer, is the scarf meant to be cut across the side or the top of the stringer. Looking from the side I am looking at the scarf joint. If I did it the other way, I would only see the join if looking from the top. Im not sure if it matters or not, and hope Im going the right way Some pics of my scarf jig, my garage/man cave, and the strongback. Cheers Aaron

awesome pic

Just a point to note for any other Aussies following this. Highpoint Timbers in Rockingham, has ceased trading, so Paulownia can not be sourced from them. I'm now in contact with Paulownia Farm Management, who Mill, wholesale, and retail Paulownia. Waiting to hear back on price and availability of size I need.

Thanks Jeff I will leave the design as is

Hi Labrat I haven't phoned them yet, but will have sometime this week. I will be using Paulinia/Kiri. Done a fair bit of reading, and found there to be only 6% average difference in strength compared to WRC. Given that the kayak will be 25% lighter, I see no reason to go with bigger stringers. That's my beginners logic anyway

I have ordered the hoop pine plywood, AS/NZ 2272 from Mitre Ten, who are an agent for Gunnersons Timber. It will be here next week. I will take some pics, and weigh the sheet as well when it gets here. Just as information for other Aussies Thanks very much to Labrat for your help with local produce, I owe you a beer or six