My Pearl Build

[Holmes375]

If I'm right, I got the 6oz, I think that is the lightest that Sweet composite carried. and I don't think I would go lighter... The other day we were going to the pool session, and my daughter(7 years old) put her paddle against the Honda(Element) at the back... I thought it was in the vehicle, so I backed up... Hear and feel some thing funny, stopped, and sure enough, the paddle is stuck under the front tire... I had rolled over it. I drove forward and picked it up, the only damage was a few small pebbles that went thru the glass into the cedar wood of the blade. easy fix.

Well that was quite the real world torture test

Sweet now carries 4 oz s-glass on a regular basis and I'm thinking of trying it out on a S&G kayak project I've been roped into. I'm hoping to keep this boat as light as possible for the 63 year old lady paddler. I'll double on the stems and along the keel.

 

[Holmes375]

Hey Alan,

Here's a link to the tape trick that better illustrates the procedure. Vaclav is a very nice guy from whom I learned a lot when I got into cedar strip kayaks. You'll find a wealth of info at his site regarding materials and applications, too.

http://www.oneoceankayaks.com/Wshophtm/Shop23a.htm

 

[Jim Dodd]

Holmes
That's one pretty kayak !
Helped a friend build that same design. They are a lot of work ! Similar to building two canoes.

Your right ! S-glass is a good call for canoes, and kayaks . Even though the weave is visible. Stand back 5ft and it disappears.

Jim

 

[Jim Dodd]

Sorry Alan !
I missed your question !

Pearl started life as the Pirate, that Bob Brown designed. It was a great hull, but needed tumblehome. Thus I overlaid Bruce Kunz's Merlin plans, added the Merlin tumblehome to the Pirate.
Pirate+ Merlin= Pearl.

Jim

 

[Muskrat]

Where did you get the pirate plans from? I looked for them but couldn't find them anywhere. I already have the Merlin, passage... Actually I have all of Kunz's plans. I'm a bit of a plan hoarder. They are nice for comparison when doing my own designs.

 

[Jim Dodd]

Originally the Minnesota Canoe Association. used to sell them, But Bob pulled them for some reason.

I've always latched onto plans when I ran across them, especially when I was a member of the MCA.

Jim

 

[Jim Dodd]

The biggest difference between the Pirate, and the Merlin, in my opinion, was the Pirate had more flare.
The flare makes it more seaworthy, again my opinion.

Jim

 

[Jim Dodd]

I know it's been a while, but I have the inside of Pearl sanded, just need to finish filling a few spots with putty, then glass.
Beings I had a lot of tumblehome, I hand sanded much of the interior.
My favorite hand sanding tools, are pieces of cut Pool Noodles, wrapped with what ever sand paper I need, and those stiff 50 grit sanding discs they use with a drill, or angle grinders.
Here's a few pics. I like to keep the center form in as much as possible, to keep the hull true to shape.

Jim

 

[Alan Gage]

Looks great, Jim. That's probably my least favorite part of the build to do but it's also my favorite part to be done with.

Glassing tomorrow? Looks like a nice day to spend in the shop with the rain forecast.

Alan

 

[Jim Dodd]

Thanks Alan

Monday looks promising, if I don't get side tracked !

While I have my strongback handy, I'll cut gunnels, and insert strips for the Kevlar.

I set up a separate skill saw for 1/8" thick insert strips. Boy they look like they will be thin !

Jim

 

[memaquay]

Looks great! I'm in agreement with Alan, and probably anyone who has done that odious job, sanding the inside is the "least favourite" thing to do!

 

[Mihun09]

If you were going to paint the inside, then you don't need to sand it so much.

 

[Jim Dodd]

If you were going to paint the inside, then you don't need to sand it so much.

Good one !

Jim

 

[Jim Dodd]

Back at it !

Cloth laid out

Cloth wetted out

Everything went good, but did have some outgassing (air bubbles in the resin) I lowered temp, and used a blow drier, but no luck. I added two fill coats, I think I've got it handled.

New trick for the stemless builders. Some like to put a layer of filled resin inthe ends. Trouble with that the resin likes to run. Here's a solution. Cut a 1" wide strip of Polyester fleece from a fabric store, saturate it with mixed resin and lay it in the stem joint. Stuff it in with a brush or stick. Here's a pic

This was the first time I tried this. I will cover this with a flotation chamber.

Jim

 

[sailsman63]

Pearl is looking good...

Interesting trick with the polyester. My trouble is that I've not been able to get my glass to lay that flat in the ends to start with! (Actually considering an inner stem, so I can have a shallower curve to work with...)

I'll have to see what your flotation tanks look like... also something to consider.

Luke.

 

[Jim Dodd]

I've posted about modifying a design.
This is how I turned my symmetrical Pearl, into Asymetrical.
My current build.

I had to adjust the bow stem, maybe an inch and a half forward.


Jim

 

[Jim Dodd]

Put together flotation chambers. Plan to add screw type bilge plugs, so will need to glass at least part of the back side of the inserts.
Have one fit, ready for glassing.
Here's a few pics.

Jim

 

[stripperguy]

JIm,
I like those chambers and the patterns. I plan to make similar tear drop shaped bulkheads for my next build too.
What is your expected finished weight?

 

[Jim Dodd]

I'm hoping for 40-45#. Extra glass, on the bottom, ash trim, flotation chambers, and my beefy seat will add the #s.

Tomorrow, I'll post a pic of how I feather the edges, to get a good fit.

Jim

 

[Alan Gage]

Those tanks look great. Good work. And I like the trick of soaking fleece with resin and jamming it into the stems instead of thickened epoxy. Did you thicken it at all? Did it stay soaked into the fleece or did it run some?

Alan