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Translucent FreeB


tkguppies

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Wanted the look of kevlar and really like how the FreeB turned out. Tracks great, is incredibly light weight, and is very stable. I worked on the boat off and on in spare time for about 7 months. An hour here, an hour there. I much prefer the skin on frame construction presented in Kudzu's book to the terrible epoxy and fiberglass mess that is stitch and glue. Anyways, to the photos...

 

Glamour shot. Love the translucent skin.

SIgBv8J.jpg

 

First paddle down the street from my house

J9XW56x.jpg

 

Someone's jealous

6RT2oS2.jpg

 

The awkward joy of figuring out the best way to get in without getting wet

sKTR1iP.jpg

 

Rash guards made from HDPE

oRcqkgj.jpg

 

Bonus: turned my strongback into a simple storage cart

NB6Irby.jpg

 

 

 

 

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Tell everyone what fabric and finish you used. I am sure they want to know.

 

Material list:

Frames, floorboards, and coaming are birch plywood

Stringers are doug fir, vertical grain

Artificial sinew tied together

Fabric is your 8oz polyester

Initial two coats with Cabot Spar Urethane (giving the yellow color)

Final two to three coats with Minwax Helmsman Clear Spar Urethane (truly clear)

Frames, stringers and floor boards coated with generous amount of tung oil

Coaming painted with acrylic exterior

Stitch holes filled lightly with Lexel clear silicone

HDPE from cutting board used for keel guard

Minicell closed cell foam block used for custom seat

Foot braces from your site, SeaLect, IIRC

 

Weight wise, I'll have to weight it officially, but I'd guess is about 30 lbs. It feels lighter then my stitch and glue which was 34 lbs. 

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One thing I didn't like was the blotchy areas along the stringers. Next time I will probably spar urethane the stringers, with one coat, after tung and before skinning. Hopefully that will prevent the stringers from soaking up the finish during skin coating. Its a nit and I like the overall look. Also I'd be curious to see a finish that used 100% Helmsman Clear on the white fabric. 

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One thing I didn't like was the blotchy areas along the stringers. Next time I will probably spar urethane the stringers, with one coat, after tung and before skinning.

I didn't really notice any blotchy issues, but then we are all our own worst critics.  If it is a real issue consider this:Tung oil cures to a hard finish with enough coats.  Probably take at least 3 or 4 with drying times between coats to get an impervious finish.  I would either do that, or just use the urethane.  There is no advantage to both, and you risk a bad bond of urethane to Tung oil if the Tung oil isn't really well cured first.

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