Kayak Hull Taking Shape

The strip built kayak that I previously mentioned here is taking shape.  As a reminder, it is a microBootlegger Sport designed by Nick Schade of Guillemot Kayaks.

Actually, starting to look pretty good.

At this stage, it is simply a process of adding strips.  As I mentioned in the last post, it’s pretty repetitive work. Each strip has to be long enough, which means splicing a couple of shorter strips, and has to fit.  The fit is the tricky part.  The previously installed strip is beveled using a couple little shoulder planes so the next strip fits perfectly.  Perfectly is the goal, I think my strip fit is more like ‘pretty good’.  A few of the strips need a bit of twisting which is done with a heat gun.

Once the strip is ready to go, a little wood glue and clamps to hold it in position.  I’m using Nick’s suggestion of green painters tape to help with the clamping forces instead of using staples.  Seems to be working pretty well.  Once the glue is dry, a bit of hot glue is used to make sure the strip is firmly stuck to the form and then onto the next strip.  Then repeat.

I previously said I was building using spruce. I’m not. It’s pine. I’m not familiar enough with wood to be able to tell them apart and what the lumber yard told me was wrong.  So… this is a pine strip kayak. Yay!  It’ll be heavier but I’m young and strong.  Well… used to be young and strong… and smart.

After stripping one half of the hull to the center or keel line, it is trimmed straight and then the other half of the hull is stripped up to that line.

Note that I’m not attempting to add any trim strips or do any type of grain matching.  I watched a number of videos of people doing that while constructing cedar strip kayaks and could immediately see this added a lot of complexity. This is my first try and I wanted to keep it fairly simple.

Eventually, you get to just a tiny whisker left to strip – which is called the whiskey strip.

And then the bottom of the hull is complete!!

The straps are there to apply some pressure while the glue dries.

Next, we get to flip it over and strip the top or deck.  Stay tuned!!