> Instead of stain, why not get some of those veneer designs and
> apply them to the surface of your deck, and/or the sides? You can
> spluge on these, since you'll be saving on lumber costs. You could
> order them now and they would arrive before you needed to glass that
> part. Either leave the bottom of the hull light, or you can paint
> it.

One question: Unless you go to the trouble to flush mount the veneer, won't there be a step off of its edges in the glass?

> Me too, but alas, my house is to small and my garage too cold
> to build in during the winter. I must build outside in the summer.

This is also the case with me right now, but hopefully before the weather gets too cold, I'll be able to insulate the barn.

> Kinda. With small patches of glass cloth and resin you don't
> get a lot of weight and heat over the entire structure all at the
> same time. Any problems would be in small, easily controlled areas.
> Sagging, for instance, could be detected and remedied by using a scrap
> of plywood held inside the boat with clamps until the resin set.

Or maybe stringers flush mounted on the edges of the forms every 2"(?). A lot more work, and possibly only suitable for the foam core idea.

> Certainly you should not turn your back on this work, just put
> it to a different use. If you can get George Putz's book on wood and
> canvas boats, you can see how he builds his frames over forms which
> are simpler, but similer to what you have.

I was wondering about other uses for the forms.

> By the way, good call on going with pine. If you are really worried
> about weight, make the strips a bit thinner, and avoid overdoing the
> resin.

I was contemplating going 3/16" with 1/4" diameter b&c, but, after sketching it out on the computer decided that maybe 3/16" diam. b&c is better for 3/16" strips. If the bit is centered on the strip, you get two foul faces (on curved surfaces), one easier (the outer surface of the kayak) than the other to remedy. However, if you aligned the bit so as to produce the effect of planing a regular 1/4" b&c strip to 3/16" you get one face (the outside) that is indistinguishable from 1/4" b&c, and the other, which is still slightly fouled. The latter solution is only half screwy, this first is screwy "two times". If I have some time I'll e-mail you a sketch of this as my description is probably more confusing than a proper diagram.

> Loading the boat is about the only time lighter is better, and there are
> tools and techniques to aid with a heavier boat. Two-wheel dollys are
> great.

Once I get the kayak built, there comes the problem of transporting it. I'll have to make (I'm not buying a rack system - too expensive) a rack for the truck, maybe a two wheeled trolly as well. My father suggested an enclosed box, for protection against the elements, theft, and vandalism. This idea I like. A lot. It would also cost a pretty penny to have one custom made for me, but, I have a steel supply close by, welding equipment, and enough practical experience to get something put together. In the mean time, I'll jury-rig something, because the box idea is big thinking, I'd probably need the tractor loader to mount the sucker. Oh well, next summer. As long as I'm out there THIS summer, I'll be happy (read ecstatic). :-)

> One technique for easily loading a heavy kayak: People will naturally
> gather to view your beautiful boat. When you have a crowd, open your
> trunk and reveal a cooler with some cold beer and/or sodapop in it.
> Those onlookers will magically transform into willing helpers, who
> will load your boat on your roof racks for you. At that point you
> pass around the beverages, and say `thanks'.

In my case, they'd probably be gathering around the truck to see the KALS - Kayak Automatic Loading System. Kinda like those power loading ramps you see on moving vans, or on vans for the disabled. Sorry, I'm getting carried away, although Mark's probably getting excited. ;-)

> Somewhere I read about people who make `plugs', or hull models
> for fiberglass canoes, using strips of wood. They choose pine because
> it is nice to work with.

Hear! Hear! Of that property, I am well aware of.

Mike Spence