Kudzu Posted December 26, 2015 Posted December 26, 2015 Yet another rebuild of an old Curlew frame. I should name it Guinea Pig instead of Marty. Final version of the laminated coaming frame/Masic. This will become an option in SOME of the boats in the future. It is pretty simple to make and really opens up the knee room. Version 2 - drop down skeg. This looks very promising! Skeg is pretty large but it should be totally adjustable. So I should be able to dial in exactly the right amount of skeg for the conditions. Should allow me to put more rocking in and still have a boat that will track when needed. Skeg is center mounted. Sterling kayaks has done this and talking to Reg Lake I have been impressed with that I read. So really anxious to test this out and see what it is like. Testing the new 6 oz. fabric. I like this fabric! Like all things boat, it has drawbacks but if it holds up to being on the water I will add it to the stock. It has NO STRETCH or shifting of the fibers! That means it is hard to sew on with no wrinkles. VERY LITTLE shrinkage. Will not contour around a baidarka or even the Fantail stern well. But it is a beautiful fabric and sews well. Very tight weave and I see now I should have thinned the first coat a lot to get it to soaked in better. Zebra paint job has been on list for well over a year and I backed out last time I built a boat. Last minute I decided to go ahead and do it. Like all first time efforts I could do better. Details are rough but this is a user boat and I didn't try to make it to pretty. It's going to get beat up. 2 Quote
Wyo George Posted December 27, 2015 Posted December 27, 2015 Very nice, my kids love the paint job. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote
Action Tiger Posted December 27, 2015 Posted December 27, 2015 Your stripes are phenomenal! If you want to make it a little more equine, put a black muzzle on the end, and perhaps the slightest line indication of a mouth. The eyes are very good. I guess we should call them occulli, and should prevent you from ever getting lost. Hope all your experiments work out well. Quote
Digger Posted December 29, 2015 Posted December 29, 2015 I love it , no one will mistake it for a plastic boat for sure ! Creative and fun at the same time . The more I look at it , those are some pretty sexy eyes for a zebra LOL Quote
Wyo George Posted December 30, 2015 Posted December 30, 2015 Your stripes are phenomenal! If you want to make it a little more equine, put a black muzzle on the end, and perhaps the slightest line indication of a mouth. The eyes are very good. I guess we should call them occulli, and should prevent you from ever getting lost. Hope all your experiments work out well. I agree with painting the muzzle black just to add that extra little bit. Quote
Action Tiger Posted December 30, 2015 Posted December 30, 2015 I meant no critique of the paint job, either, merely a suggestion. Those stripes are fabulous. That boat is a real head turner. At the same time, I wonder if you can sneak up on wildlife better in some animal camo? My grass camo paint works good for that. Quote
Kudzu Posted December 30, 2015 Author Posted December 30, 2015 I am no artist, so this is about as good as I can do. Wanted to get the eyes on and May add a couple of stripes around the eyes now. Had it do over I would make the strips wider. I think the wider ones look better. Quote
Action Tiger Posted December 30, 2015 Posted December 30, 2015 The eyes are fantastic. They look great. You are going to get downright harassed on the water in this thing, buddy. Quote
Abyssdncr Posted April 7, 2016 Posted April 7, 2016 Jeff, with the 6 oz. would you still recommend starting at the coaming and double stitching toward the bow & stern, or sewing the tips, stretching it on, and sewing tip to the middle? Quote
Kudzu Posted April 8, 2016 Author Posted April 8, 2016 Starting on the ends there is always the chance of having a bunch of fabric when you get to the coaming. Then you have deal with bunched up fabric and there is nothing you can do at that point and you have wrinkles at the coaming you can't get out. Nylon works well sewing from the ends because it has a lot more stretch and and you can sew pockets and stretch it over the frame. It's very hard to do that with polyester, not impossible but not easy! Quote
Abyssdncr Posted April 12, 2016 Posted April 12, 2016 Another question on this fabric. Watched your double corded stitch video again at lunch today and wow were you getting that 11.6 oz stuff on snug. Were you able to replicate that level of tautness with the 6 oz? If so, I'm going to have to go back and snug some stitches up... Quote
Kudzu Posted April 13, 2016 Author Posted April 13, 2016 Sure can! Just finishing up one with the new 6 oz. with a whip stitch and it is has a slight ring, like a drum. Quote
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