J Winters "Kite" build

[stripperguy]

That's what I was assuming you would do if you were using carbon for decks and bulkheads. I thought I was missing something


BTW. That is RED. I like it. One question though, what will you use for the UV protection, clear varnish?

I think it's the same red as MDB's swift canoe...
And for UV protection, I'll have a clear coat over everything, an automotive acrylic clear coat. I have gallons of it laying around...The pigment itself could act as a UV absorber, the outer most layer would surely fade quickly though.

 

[wysedav]

SG, I asked what canoe I should build over on ADK forum, and you recommended the JW Kite and said you would build one this winter. I'm glad I found this thread, it's inspiring me to build a Kite too. I'm just about finished with my Petrel build build so I'll probably start in a month or so. It looks great thanks for the thread.

David

 

[stripperguy]

SG, I asked what canoe I should build over on ADK forum, and you recommended the JW Kite and said you would build one this winter. I'm glad I found this thread, it's inspiring me to build a Kite too. I'm just about finished with my Petrel build build so I'll probably start in a month or so. It looks great thanks for the thread.

David

David,
Any photos of your Petrel? I have never stripped a kayak...pieced together an unfinished Appleline kayak once, but that's it for my kayak building (assembling) experience.

Time and paddling will tell whether I made the right choice building the Kite. It seems that it will fill a need, but, again, seat time will reveal all.

Update for anyone still watching:
Sanded second side last night, did the first side on Friday night. Entire hull, including all stem strips, is now blended and very smooth. I plan on a final coat of red pigmented resin later today. I have not yet sanded the creased tumblehome or the sheer, I'll wait until I flip the hull around. I can't see the crease well enough as it sits. That crease will be very visible when the hull is in the water, and I don't want to sand by feel alone. Most of the sheer will be covered by the gunnels, but that crease is a focal point.
SIL was commenting last night that I was spending way more time to get this exterior very straight. He then voiced what I had been thinking...It might be easier to just leave a hull bright, doing so introduces enough distraction to not need such fair lines...

 

[stripperguy]

Now that I have the last (I hope) covering coat on the outside of the hull, I can hurry up and wait for the resin to cure.

Here's how it looked only hours ago...

See how those stems strips are finally blended in?

Here's the stern, nearly the same as the bow. There a few low spots that I didn't bother to sand down to, those spots should not be too noticeable when all is done and shiny.

Here I stopped part way through, to show how the resin covers up all the matte, sanded surfaces.

Here's the best overview I can manage without moving the boat or rearranging the shop...

You can still make out the cedar substrate, but as everyone at this house was just saying, they all like it that way, you can tell it is not a production boat!
Eventually, I'll have a clear coat on the outside, so it should look this shiny for a while! At least until I scrape it over everything I can find in a river, pond or lake!
I don't know if you guys (and gals?) are looking for even more photos, but there is a bunch more linked in my signature.
I'll let the resin cure for a bit, and then pop it off the forms. After that, I'll sand and glass the inside, and sand the tumblehome crease on the outside.
And it's gonna get really scary in the next few days...I'll find out what it weighs!!

 

[Rippy]

I'm becoming a picture junky. Every hour or so I run to the computer to check on all the builds and restorations to see if I can get another fix. I am anxious to see the carbon pieces get built, especially the seat. Also I hope to see your foam cutter that you are fabbing together. Gotta run, gotta go check the other builds for action.

 

[Hanz]

It looks great to me. It will be interesting to watch as you finish it up.

Thanks again for the many photos and detailed explanation of what you're doing.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

If I'm planning to have a carbon faced deck and bulkhead, what does it matter if the substrate is cedar or foam? A foam cored bulkhead and deck can possibly save a little weight, plus, it's less effort than stripping and sanding a panel.

Done! I'll pick up some foam this weekend. I can piddle along with the decks and bulkheads as I wait between coats for the hull. I still need to finish the hot wire foam cutter that I started a week or two ago...

Now yer talkin'!

 

[wysedav]

https://picasaweb.google.com/wysedav/Kayak?authkey=Gv1sRgCICMwaW67qHhJw

Looking great, I need some more pictures, it has to be off the form by now. I just created a picasa album wth pictures of the petrel so I could add them to this forum. I couldn't imbed so here's a link.

 

[latremorej]

Wysedav
That kayak looks sweet!

 

[stripperguy]

https://picasaweb.google.com/wysedav/Kayak?authkey=Gv1sRgCICMwaW67qHhJw

Looking great, I need some more pictures, it has to be off the form by now. I just created a picasa album wth pictures of the petrel so I could add them to this forum. I couldn't imbed so here's a link.

Dave,
Your Petrel looks great! I'll bet you're itching to get it wet!! As for photos, I usually insert from a pasted URL link, and be sure to uncheck the box that says "Retrieve remote file and reference locally".

No...it's not off the forms yet. I did a little more blending and filling on the stems Monday night, and last night I wet sanded almost the entire hull using 320 grit SC paper. I ran out of 320 grit about the same time that I ran out of arm. The stems were still too soft to sand. But the rest of the hull is looking and feeling great, as smooth and soft as a babies behind, or maybe my granddaughter's cheek. Once I get everything else done, I'll come back to the exterior to spray a layer or two of acrylic clear coat. The finish in most spots is about that of an average auto panel.
Maybe I can take some photos tonight...

 

[stripperguy]

First let me say that this is all you forum members' fault...none of this would have happened if I wasn't trying to keep your photo appetites sated. Rippy, this is your fault.

I went out to the shop tonight, only to feather in the stems a little bit. A little scraping, a little wet sanding, and when I regained consciousness, the boat was off the forms!

Here's how it started, I would just take out a few forms, just to see inside better

I gotta say, It was looking pretty good, even with the #4 and #12 forms still in place.

So I crawled underneath, and those forms were just blocking too much of my view. Next thing I knew, well, have a look.

The forms did twist out very easily, even the stem forms popped free pretty easy, they can be stubborn sometimes.

The question on everyone's mind, (OK, maybe not everyone) did you weigh it? Well, uhmmm, I no longer have a functional scale at home...but I did crawl under and lift the entire hull.
So, honestly, I don't know what it weighs just now, but I think I'm going to be pretty pleased when it's done. It feels awfully light at the moment!

 

[Guest]

WOW! That underside view is incredible. Looks like an autumn leaf. Probably weighs the same.
And you're right, it's Rippy's fault. (Thanks Rippy, keep up the good work)

 

[memaquay]

Looking good! Gonna try to get a move on with mine tomorrow, gotta keep up with the Joneses!

 

[Hanz]

I love it!!! That is great looking.

You are really moving right along. The red looks fantastic.

 

[Rippy]

Thanks SG for a fix. I don't know why but the old Steppenwolf song about the pusher man just came to mind. I'll be back latter for another fix.

 

[stripperguy]

Update without photos:
I weighed the hull this evening...it's 24 lbs just now, I was hoping it was less. I do have to do the sanding inside yet, and the sheer line has an extra strip on it, so the hull will lose a little weight. But my hope for a 25 lb boat looks to be out of the realm of possibility.

But, I did print one of the photos today, and use a black magic marker (doesn't really use magic) to color in the gunnels and a thwart. Yeah, it will be very pleasing to the eye.
I also colored in a bulkhead and deck...I may have to rethink some. Stripped decks and bulkheads may be needed to better blend with the rest of the interior. Since I'm gonne be overweight anyway, what's another 1/2 lb or so??

 

[stripperguy]

Alright, admittedly, I'm not very good with Photoshop, but here's an idea of how the Kite could look with the black gunnels and thwart.

I think it's going to need stripped decks and bulkheads. But I'll keep the decks a bit below the gunnels. It will be less muss and fuss to keep the decks lower, no need to blend to the red hull. And there is a very interesting pattern in the strips where that crease joins the tumblehome, it would be a shame to cover that up. I do want to keep the decks horizontal though, I often step on the decks when dragging up or down beaver dams.

 

[memaquay]

I think that extra strip is what was confusing me with the Kite. No that I see that, the lines are all falling into place. It's gonna look sharp!

 

[Rippy]

Glad for another picture. That update without pics (116) had me biting my knuckles. I think it would look great with natural stripped decks (lowered) and bulkheads being they are on the inside of the boat. In fact, I'd like to see a picture of that. I'll check back at break time.

 

[stripperguy]

No work tonight, we're watching the grandkids while daughter and SIL visit Boston...tomorrow I'll slap together a cradle and maybe start sanding the inside.
Oh, and take some more photos to keep Rippy happy.