Tom's Strip-built Kayak
I'm in the process of building a strip-built kayak in my basement. This particular kayak is a Guillemot Kayak (actually, a Guillemot Large), built out of cedar strips and (eventually) covered inside and out with transparent fiberglass. The fiberglass & epoxy act as both the structural strength and the sealant. The wood simply provides the structurally important separation between fiberglass layers (inside and out--think I-beam), while giving the finished boat an irresistible attractiveness (like that possessed by its builder).
The pictures here are only those taken post-digital-camera, so the early work is not represented. The vertical wooden sections seen every foot (into which staples are driven) are temporary, defining the shape of the boat during construction. The top and bottom are separate. Once the staples are removed, the top & bottom separate, all internal structure removed, the inside & outside faired and sanded, then covered in fiberglass. Only in the end do the top and bottom halves get permanently attached together (again with fiberglass and epoxy).
Click on any of the small pictures to see a full scale version.
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Side view; 01/14 |
Front view; 01/14 |
Shot across bow; 01/14 |
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View of aft design; 01/14 |
Paddle, in prog.; 01/14 |