: Hi all. I just completed (except for the varnishing) my first kayak
: following Nick's Great Auk plans. The build went well, largely
: due to what I've learned from this site. Thanks everyone for
: some great information! I started with the Auk because, while
: I'm a fairly experienced (albeit amateur) carpenter, I'm a
: novice at kayaking and the description of the Auk suggests it's
: good for beginners.

: The finished boat is a bit heavier (xx lb.) than I'd hoped for but
: I used 6 oz cloth, doubled on the hull bottom and inside cockpit
: area. Since I really enjoy camping, I'm expecting this boat will
: be really good as an expedition craft for exploring coastal
: Maine (where I relocated 4 years ago after living in the DC area
: for 25 years). I'm figuring I'll use the 3.2 cloth on the next
: build (for which I'm considering the Guillemot).

: A few things I learned on my own during the build which I haven't
: seen mentioned here. The first couple relate to tools. I'd
: bought a multi-purpose tool (I think Fein is the original but I
: have an cheaper brand) shortly before starting the kayak. I did
: not buy it specifically for the kayak build but found it very
: useful. The sanding pad fits nicely into tight spaces not
: accessible to a lot of other sanders and is not as aggressive at
: removing material as many other power sanders. The saw
: attachment was also very useful for cutting out the cockpit and
: hatches - much easier than a hand saw and producing a finer,
: slightly beveled, cut than a jigsaw.

: The second tool I got a lot of use from was a Dremel with a
: 1/4" sanding drum. I used a router to make the beads and
: coves on the strips but the Dremel is very useful for shaping
: wood on the boat.

: Has anyone else used either of these?

: Somewhat related to the Dremel was my technique for the seam
: between the hull and deck. Nick's book and websites say to use a
: plane to bevel the edges for a tight fit. As an alternative, I
: made a quarter-round cove on the first strip on the hull. This
: allowed a normal bead on the first strip of the deck to fit
: tightly without any planing. It seems to be an easier solution
: to a tight fit than hand planing these strips and worked well
: for me. Is there a reason this wasn't a useful technique or why
: it might not work on other designs (the Auk has nearly right
: angle joints which I know many designs do not)? BTW, the reason
: this is associated with the Dremel is, after glassing the hull,
: there was epoxy in the quarter cove that needed to be removed.
: The 1/4" sanding drum was a perfect tool for reshaping the
: cove so the deck still fit tightly.

: Anyway, I've attached a photo and there are more photos
: demonstrating my build on Facebook, available here (you do not
: need to be a Facebook user to access these photos):
: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=89606&id=1538964097&l=e3f5ad13c6
Looks great Dwight! I'm glad you posted the pic, as I'm just getting started on my firt, a Great Auk as well. Forms are lofted, all lined up on the strong back, and some nice clear cedar has been purchased. Soon as the snow is out of my yard, I'll start ripping strips!
Sean.