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Nimrod build


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I have started to build a Nimrod, and have made the frames and stringers. I had the aluminum and the fir, so went with that. I really don't like plywood, especially any that I can afford. I considered riveting the stringers to the frames, but will lash with artificial sinew. There is no positive location as with the plywood frames so I may need a rivet as well.

 

 

post-4649-0-61327400-1462128613_thumb.jpg

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Very interesting approach.  Is your aluminum hollow tubing or flat bar?  Have you welded or riveted sheet metal caps to the joints?

 

I imagine that for maintaining stringer locations you could run screws from the inside out through your frames into the wood and then lash, particularly for the keel and stringers, but it might be tight spaces in a few locations.  For the gunwales, you could use socket head cap screws on the outside to be bottom stops and keep them where they belong.

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Isn't George Dyson the aluminum frames guy?

I don't like aluminum at all and don't use it ever, anywhere, if I can help it. One thing that can make me spit fire is aluminum fasteners, especially bolts...

That said, I'm interested to see how this turns out, because the nimrod is a pretty boat, and I know the medium is viable.

Be careful with drilling your stringers. They're smallish to begin with, and holes can create areas more prone to breakage during flexion.

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It is flat bar, I cut it from a sheet on my tablesaw. I TIG welded the joints, just working out the bow and stern now. It was what I had in stock, and I thought it might be a fun way to do it.

 

I don't really want to use mechanical fasteners for several reasons if I can avoid it. I don't want to weaken the stringers, I definitely don't want to use a fastener of another metal because of electrolysis, and I like the elegance of lashing. That said there is no "stop" on the frame and I am a little concerned that the stringers might want to slide on the frames. I could weld on a small aluminum stop, but I am hoping to avoid the extra hassle. I'll see how it feels when I start lashing.

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Started on the bow frame, it will have a 5/8" of fir around the outside to shape and wrap the covering around. Just tack welded here to see how it looks.

 

Unfortunately I wont be doing any more for a couple of months as my son is home for the summer from uni, and we need to finish the kit car that I promised he would drive to graduation but did not!

 

Ill be back:)

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  • 1 year later...

Well a hangar and a year later, as well some work on the kit car and a honey do list, I am back to framing the kayak.

 

just a final adjustment to get everything straight and I should start lashing. I wasted a bit of time trying to build an aluminum bow structure but then reread the cunningham book and had these two bits of fir cut in about an hour and a half.

Kayak bow.jpg

Kayak from stern.jpg

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  • 3 years later...

Daedalus:

Nice boat! The rocker isn't necessarily off;  saying that it turns slow but tracks great is like saying "It's hot out but not cold." On the kind of big water in your video, you'll find great tracking much more important. For quicker turning, learn to edge your boat and use sweep strokes. There are lots of videos on line showing the techniques. Also, as a former safety manager, I can't sign off without reminding you to always where a PFD.

Have fun, Andy

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23 hours ago, andy00 said:

 

 

23 hours ago, andy00 said:

Daedalus:

Nice boat! The rocker isn't necessarily off;  saying that it turns slow but tracks great is like saying "It's hot out but not cold." On the kind of big water in your video, you'll find great tracking much more important. For quicker turning, learn to edge your boat and use sweep strokes. There are lots of videos on line showing the techniques. Also, as a former safety manager, I can't sign off without reminding you to always where a PFD.

Have fun, Andy

Thanks, I took it for a longer paddle  (with flotation bags and a PFD) and it is great, really easy to paddle and very comfortable in a light chop. I made a greenland paddle and was super impressed with that, I was not a believer until I tried it.

 

The boat is also super easy to roll, I had not been in a kayak for probably 15 years and I rolled it first try. I am a definite convert to SOF, I am going to build a solo canoe next.

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On 7/30/2020 at 11:41 AM, daedaluscan said:

 

I made a greenland paddle and was super impressed with that, I was not a believer until I tried it.

 

Love those native-style paddles! Who wants to use a factory-made paddle with a hand-made boat? They work well, and if it doesn't feel quite right, whittle it some more or make one a bit different. Wood paddles are also good winter projects. The one I've settled on for use with my Ravenswood is the 4th from the top, which is a hybrid West Greenland/Aleut model (8'-7").

 

paddles.thumb.jpg.0e96d2145e690e737da4c51a4dec4d39.jpg

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