Robin's Laker

[tx river rat]

Mick
Is the bottom widder are just the top
Ron

[hairymick]

G'day Ron,

Just the top mate. The panels are all exactly the same size as my boat.

Merry Christms mate

[tx river rat]

Sounds like might be in deck measurements
I think Mick may be pulling our leg he has better secondary stability with more angle and top leaned out mor and more boyancy
Ron
Come on Mick tell them you planed it that way

[Kayak Jack]

Don't know what the answer is, Mick, but I'm glad to see you using quality goods to make a quality craft.

[hairymick]

G'day Jack,

I am not too worried about it. Robin is considerably smaller than me and a little narrower at the side near the cockpit should only make her boat better for her.

I had to brute the ends of mine into shape and I think that in so doing, mine is a little fuller in the bow as well. Robin's certainly looks a lot sleeker than mine. Mine performs very well as she is. I think Robins will be faster and even easier to paddle.

I cleaned up my side to decks shear clamps today and started fitting the decks.





Stitched them up and tacked them together.





I was able to source some large syringes from a local stock feed surpplier and did the deck seems with one a - la - Chuck. I think it is much neater with a LOT less sanding to clean up and at $2.00 each are a bargain I think.

Waiting for my tacks to set up now so I can remove the stitches and finish off the seems.

[dangermouse01]

Hey Mick;
Dang that is some pretty wood. Worth the extra $$ just for the look.
Like the wood underdeck gear compartments.

DM

[jem]

I was able to source some large syringes from a local stock feed surpplier and did the deck seems with one a - la - Chuck. I think it is much neater with a LOT less sanding to clean up and at $2.00 each are a bargain I think.

I tried the syringes once. Didn't have much luck with them. I switched to masking each side of the seam off, applying the tack weld or fillet, then removing the tape while everything was still wet and not cured.

But either way does a nice clean job.

[Oldsparkey]

Mick..

If you clean the syringes between applications with some acetone they last forever , I have made all of my boats with the ones I made the 1st one with. Plus they are ready to make more boats as soon as I get some room in the shop.

Chuck.

[hairymick]

Thanks guys,

DM, this gaboon ply stuff is magnificent. I don't know what gaboon means but it is real light weight and has allmost a slightly pinkish colout to the woodgrain. Only problem with it is it splinters a bit when cutting.

Matt, the woodflour mix needs to be a little runnier for the syringe. Makes it easier to load and also easier to squeeze out the nozzle.

This has a couple of benefiets. when not using the spacer method and the panel corners are hard together, the extra epoxy in the mix penetrates right through the ply and is visible on the underside of the seam (just) This should mean that there is 100% penetration with no "hard" spots.

With the panels hard together, the exterior seam is that much smalller = less sanding - I like that - a lot.

As the fillet is going off, I use a very sharp, chisel ground scraper to wipe along the tops of the seams and this removes about 90% of the excess wood flour re-inforcment and this means even less sanding.

The scraper I use at this stage is a piece of high speed steel, from the blade of a mechanical, recripricating hack saw. sharpened to a razor edge with the bevel on one side as in a wood chisel. These old saw blade are worth their eight in gold for this. They also make for a superb kitchen, carving or vegetable knife for mum.

If there is an old machine or engineering shop in your area, it is well worth looking in to see if they have any old bades.

Chuck, thanks for the tips re the acetone. will give it a try.

[Kayak Jack]

Remember that acetone burns like crazy - flammable and explodes. Clean those syringes outside.

Also, don't let the plunger soak in acetone as it will expand the rubber plunger and render it unusable.