rustyshaklfurd

Thanks! I am humbled. I know that feeling, it continues throughout the build. The forum was a huge help and I am indebted to everyone both in my own post and throughout. I'm still not 100% finished but thanks to everyone's input I plan on being done by the end of the week (fingers crossed).

Thanks! Totally agree about the swimming. I think it could definitely be a curing issue, just too excited to test it out I guess. Severe thunderstorms were predicted for today so I took down the garage setup to get both cars inside. So far nothing, but murphys law would state that had I left the car out it would have hailed as predicted. Hopefully I can set everything back up tomorrow and touch up the few spots that got marred, it is really minimal but it bothers me after all the work. I also might try getting the back band installed.

That could very well be the case, as it was only a few days since the third coat went on. I will for sure touch up a few spots and wait and see.

Test float successful! Sorry no pics but I was solo today. Did not want to risk losing the phone in the lake. Yakima Bowdown racks worked well. The good, it floats and is water tight as far as I can tell. No obvious "weeping" through the skin, but it was hard to tell as I got some water in the boat via getting in and through the use of the GP. I was out for about 20 minutes and I can honestly say it was one of the happiest, most exciting, and oddly enough peaceful moments I can remember. The lake was calm and was not too crowded. The boat moved through the water almost silently and with ease, even when paddled by a relative newb such as myself. The bad, but not too bad, the satin finish is "weak" in the sense the it rubs off easily with abrasion, i.e. paddle hits the side and a little rub off and transfer on the rack. My question can the finish be "toughened"? If so, do I paint over it with a gloss oil based enamel? Is there a polyurethane or another finish that will toughen the boat? Do I add another layer of the satin? If nothing can be done do I just resolve myself to touching up the finish every so often? Thanks in advance and thank you Jeff for the awesome plans! My goal was to have a boat by the time I was 30, missed it by a little over a month but man do I love the result of building your own.

No worries and thank you for the quick reply. That is great about your FreeB and the satin. I used an oil based satin exterior but the one post got me a bit anxious. Good to know about adding a gloss or poly over it if need be. I held off on the deck rigging until I get a chance to "test launch" hopefully tomorrow. I do not want to have to add paint of poly once hardware is installed. I was wondering about the boat in the profile pic. It looks pretty cool.

Thanks! I was reading the Nathan C's post on his shad build looking at how he did his toggles and deck rigging and came across the posting that a builder should not use a semi-gloss or flat for their paint on their boat as these tend to seep water.I thought I read something in the book or manual along the lines of "I have recently started going to the pain store and having my colors mixed. I just ask for their best exterior oil based enamel paint. ... If you are going to use paint I suggest a semi-gloss or even a flat finish." My question is will I be ok since I used a satin? I was going to fill the boat up with a few gallons of water prior to the launch. I am probably worrying too much here but I am getting anxious for the water. Here is a link http://www.sherwinwilliams.com/document/PDS/en/035777476406/ to the data sheet for the paint for what it may be worth. Thanks in advance.

Third coat went on top last night. I also cut all the nylon webbing for the deck rigging and the life lines. Tonight I hope to start rigging the deck and install the backband.

Jeff, Thanks for your reply. I do not understand it either and I might reach out just to clarify. Thanks for the idea about the handle, I'll check the manual for the toggles. Tonight I plan to add the final coat on top and to pick up some nylon webbing for the life lines and deck rigging.

Thanks Jeff! I have been mulling that over all day and cannot think of a way to make a perimeter line work with SBS method for the deck lines. Looks like it is the tried and true nylon webbing instead. I am also mulling over the idea of toggles. Some of the local kayak groups require them for their group paddles. My question is how do I make them, and from what materials?

The deck lines will be black. I ordered about 8 ft of shock cord from Jeff's site. Now I am thinking I might need more but I'll see where I am at. I am thinking of using the skin boat school method for installation. Two lines up front, two in back, and one way up front and back respectively. I am debating about the color for the painters. I think a yellow might look nice. Also I put the third coat on the bottom today after work. The third coat should go on top tomorrow afternoon.

Thanks! Of course. I am a Wild fan myself, but I have always had a soft spot for the Sharks ever since the North Stars move to Dallas. On a side note hockey is another hobby but I save it for the fall and winter.

Thanks, Action! The second coat is on, hopefully only one more to go.

First coat is on, next coat goes on tomorrow (can says 8 hours between coats). Time to celebrate the 4th!

A few quick updates. I was pleasantly surprised at how much the 11oz shrank. I was pretty worried with how things looked after I finished sewing, (lots of wrinkles), but for the most part everything ironed out and tightened up. I pulled the trigger at SW and got two quarts of their All Surface Enamel Oil Base in indigo. I know some people on here do not like dark boats but I believe the boat will turn out very nice (fingers crossed). I cleaned the boat in preparation for putting on the first coat tomorrow.

Action, Thanks for the timely reply. I'll stop by the local SW store and see if I can get some samples and try them out on some scraps. Getting more than one use out of the paint is definitely a win win. Swim Smooth looks like a really good site with lots of good articles and resources. Thanks much!

I will likely be buying some paint today. Has anyone had any experience using Sherwin Williams All Surface Enamel Oil Base? I ask because I like their variety of color choices plus they are having a 30% off sale. If all else fails I'll go with Rustoleum.

Wow. Great looking boat and a great story.

Well good to know they are achievable. I like the short course because swimming is the weakest of the three for me.

Mainly sprints due to limited time for training but one day I would like to work up to a 70.3. Hats off to you for the 140.6. That might be a bucket list one for me.

Well it's funny how life has a way of popping up and impeding progress. Needless to say it has been a while since my last post. Work, travel, and triathlons have meant little progress has been made at least until the last few days. The skin is on and I am working on attaching the coaming. Thanks to Kudzu for the drive ratchet idea. By way of my grandfather I am the proud owner of an American made, North Bros. Mfg. Co "Yankee" ratcheting screwdriver. This is proving invaluable in putting the screws in from the bottom of the coaming. I've heard it said announcing one's plans is a good way to hear God laugh at you, but at the risk of it here goes, I hope to be painting by this weekend.

Finally started to skin the boat. Slow going but strangely relaxing.

Looks great! I hope my Vardo build turns out as good as nice as yours.

Kudzu, Thank you for the advice. Sometimes when a person gets focused it is hard to see the trees from the forest or in this case page 65 from the rest of the manual. I like the idea of putting the screws in from the bottom and if I can come up with a screwdriver bit for the ratchet I might try it.

Prior to starting to skin the boat I began to wonder about the plywood coaming. From reading the build guide and Jeff's book I know I need to lash the bottom ring in place. Knowing this I started searching the forum and came upon nopoe's Ravenswood build thread. I have not taken the coaming apart but it appears to be held together with 6 screws. Another thing I noticed is that some of the paper template tore off. That is not too big of a deal and I think I can compensate for the small area that is missing. Before I start to drape and sew the skin on what do I need to do with the coaming? From Nopoe's thread and Kudzu's responses it a looks like I need to drill the holes for the screws as provided by the pattern. Should these go all the way through the coaming pieces, i.e. through the top of the coaming or are they pilot holes? Do I glue any pieces together? I just want to make sure I am not missing a critical step.

Got the frame oiled (Pure Tung Oil), footrests installed, and drilled the painters. Received my shipment of the 11 oz polyester and hopefully I can work on sewing the skin on later this week.