Making a cedar strip sea-kayak.   18 foot

Plan and formwork

Lofting-drawing full size plans on sheets of hardboard
Form @ every foot - the length of the kayak, and one at stem and stern
Strong Back 2"x4" the length of the kayak
Fix all the forms on the strongback.
The forms and the strongback are made of 15mm MDF
The forms are fixed plumb and true.

 

 

 

 

 

Preparing the cedar strips, from 19 feet of 10” x 4” plank of cedar.

Cut the timber 20mm(3/4") thick.
Cut these into 1/4 inch strips
With a router cut the bead and cove.

 

 

 

Making the kayak. - Timber work

Staple the strips to the formwork, hull at first, deck afterwards.
The strips are glued together
Mix the colour of strips for interest and contrast
When stripping completed, remove the staples.
Sand the outside.
Add fillers to the staple holes.
More sanding and ensure any gaps/holes are filled with fillers.
Strengthen the stem and stern
Build cockpit coaming.

 

Glass sheathing the Kayak.

Fibre the hull and then the deck
Allow the glass fibre to cure
Take the two halves from the formwork
Sand the inside of the deck and the hull
Fibre the inside of the deck and the hull

 

 

 

 

 

Fixing the rudder piping, hatches and bulkheads.

Fix the piping for the rudder system
Cut out the hatch covers and prepare them, sanding etc
Add rubber gasket and glass them etc.
Tape the hull and the deck together, inside and outside.
Fix the stern for the rudder system
Make cockpit coaming lip with ash strips
Make and fit bulkheads

 

Finishing off

Final sanding of the kayak
Varnish Fix footrests and rudder controls
Make seat and fix backrests
Fix decklines and toggles.

 

 

 

 

 

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