: Moulded veneer kayaks have been around for a long time, and in
: years past this was the technique of choice for high performance
: racing kayaks. For the homebuilder, it's fallen out of favor due
: to the advent of the much easier to build woodstrip boats. It is
: essentially like making your own plywood, but in a rounded cross
: section shape like a stripper.

: Moulded veneer kayaks (normally mahogany) are usually built in
: three or four layers of 1/16" X 3" (plus / minus)
: veneers, using epoxy resin. The first 2 layers are done in a
: technique called "double-diagonal", meaning that the
: 3" X 1/16" veneers are wrapped at 45 degrees to the
: hull / keel centerline. Layer two is also 45 degrees, but in the
: opposite direction to the first layer. For cosmetic reasons,
: layer three is normally run lengthwise like a stripper.

: Unlike a stripper, with it's stand alone strongback stations, a
: moulded veneer boat also requires the construction of closely
: spaced stringers to stabilize the flimsy veneers. It's kind of
: like building a many chine SOF kayak like mine as the
: strongback, and then a moulded veneer kayak over top of it.

: Another possible technique, borrowing from sailboat construction,
: is to make a stripper first layer, and then overlay that with
: veneers. This eliminates the need to build a complex strongback
: setup. And like the first method, eliminates the requirement to
: fiberglass the boat, but is likely still more work than
: stripping.

: I'm currently building a stripper. After much research I concluded
: that moulded veneer construction was less attractive, and far
: more work. Then again, the prospect of no fiberglassing has a
: certain appeal. Perhaps next time I'll make one.

: The 25 year old Struer Lancer Sprint K-1 below was commercially
: manufactured using moulded veneer, though it was a hot glue, not
: cold glue moulding technique. The Danish built Struer's also use
: a vaccum bagging process.

: As Forest Gump once said .... "And That's all I know about
: that !"

: Tom

Cold molded is cool, but as you mentioned it's not simple for a small boat. Once you get past a certain size, the mold becomes easier because the veneers are thicker and able to span a larger gap. Still for certain hull shapes it's possible with a thicker first layer and not a terribly difficult mold. Normally though they are glassed on the outside. The old hot glue method was considerably different and required fairly expensive equipment, was really only suitable for series production.

Still, it's far easier to build it as a stripper.

Bill H.