Kayak Build Log

The stitching is started and the hull is shaping up!  I’ve got the first two panels stitched up and the temporary forms in place.  The CNC cut panels line up very well.  The first picture is of the bow and the next is of the stern.  The clamps that you can see laying at the ends of the boat are used to pinch the bow and stern together so that the ends can be stitched.  Before I started stitching I took one of the 50ft rolls of soft wire and cut and formed them into what look like large staples.  You can see some of them laying on the table if you click on the thumbnails.  Having the wires formed up ahead of time makes the stitching process go very smooth.

Well I’ve got the deck panels on the bench drying.  Here are a few more pictures of the process.  The first one is the panels laid out with the fiberglass tape cut and ready to go.  These panels have already been joined on the back side so I’ve just sanded the epoxy that seeped through so that I get a nice smooth joint.

This next picture is of the glued joints that haven’t had the tape and epoxy trimmed on the edges.  It isn’t hard just need to take care not to remove any wood.  The last two pictures are of a set of panels clamped to the work bench for drilling.  In the one picture you can see the drill jig used to make the 6″ spacing between holes and 1/4″ from the edge of the panels.  The holes are used for stitching the panels together.  I will start doing that tomorrow.  So I should have something that looks like a boat pretty soon!

Since yesterday the workshop looked about the same as today, and I was tired, I didn’t post.  Tonight I joined the eight panels that make up the four right hull planks.  What you can see in the pictures is the four joints being weighed down by bricks and I used very thin brads to tack the planks into place so they didn’t shift as I applied the fiberglass tape and epoxy. You can also see the stack of the joined left hull planks. The plastic wrap under the joints and mylar under the 2×4 is there to keep from epoxying the planks to the table or the 2×4.  Epoxy doesn’t stick to the plastic wrap or mylar once it is cured.

This is the first time I’ve worked with fiberglass and epoxy.  It is pretty easy and not messy at all if you take your time.  So far I’m really pleased with the kit.  The supplied instruction manual does a good job of describing the construction steps and the epoxy book tells you everything you need to know about handling the epoxy. 

The only thing I’m not thrilled with is the mounting solution for the foot pegs.  The kit comes with screws that are put through the side of the hull.  I’ll be ordering studs that are epoxied onto the inside of the hull so that I don’t have anything sticking through the hull.

I’m building an Osprey Std from Pygmy Boats.  It is a 15′8″ wood-core sea kayak with a 24″ beam.  The kayak comes in a kit that is made up of CNC cut 4mm high grade plywood that is stitched together and then fiberglassed.  I expect the kit from UPS tomorrow hopefully they won’t disappoint.

Well I spent a few hours this weekend constructing a work bench for the kayak.  It will give me a 16ft x 3ft flat level work surface to build on.  It is made of the straightest 2×4s I could find in my pile and I have put 3/4″ plywood down on top of the frame.