: Hi

: After seeing the recent posts on the Nikumi, and the beautiful strip
: baidarkas, I have a baidarka question.
: I know that there are s&g versions of baidarkas for sale, in plans or kit
: forms, but I am curious if anyone has built, or has pics of, a ply version
: of the Nikumi.

Why not make your own, photograph it, and show it to us? Actually, a plywood version should look almost exactly like the fabric-covered version. Certainly you would want the hull to look alike so it would have the same performance charcteristics. The deck could be anything.

I think Aaron was on the right trail when he suggested you build a SOF boat--but if you are interested in a plywood boat, then build the Nikumi frame, with small modifications, and cover it with plywood strips rather than fabric. If you are going to use 3mm or 1/8th inch plywood then your modifications are to make the chine strips 5/8 x 5/8. If you are using 1/4 inch plywood then make them 1/2 x 1/2. With the smaller chine dimensions the thickness of the plywood will bring the outside shape up to the design lines.

Once you have the frame built, clamp roughly cut strips of plywood along one chine, then mark where it hits the adjoining chine. Cut on the lines, and glue this to the chines. You can scarf the plywood into long strips, or just cut the ends so they have a 45 degree bevel and butt them together. The bevel will give you a good glue area, and the panels are supported by the chines, anyhow.

At the bow and stern you'll have to use some judgement in extending the plywood past the ends of the chines, but that shouldn't be too difficult. Let the plywood run a bit long, and ust extend the lines. since there won't be an chine behind the panels, you may want to reinforce the joints with a fillet of fiberglass and resin on the inside.

Some people may debate between just taping the seams or covering the entire outside of the hull with glass cloth. With this multichine design those seams are so close together that the tape approach would practically cover the hull, and leave a lot of edges to sand down. I'd skip that, and go for a neater one-piece covering from a sheet of glass cloth. With the chines on the inside you don't need to put glass in there. Just paint it with two coats of epoxy resin to seal the wood.

Have fun with your project.

PGJ