As stated in my earlier post, I gave up on the laid-up-plywood idea, and got a 2x6 and a 2x4. Much more rigid & straight, but it too, weighs "tons". The patterns are stuck to the other sides of the forms. Fairly straightforward to put together, and as usual, I "got good at it" by about Form 14. One error: I thought that a 6" width would make a nice, hefty platform, and it does, but Form # 2 was less than 6" wide, so I had to do some
Creative Carving. It gets less scary a few days after its completed. It looks pretty much like everybody else's picture of a strongback, so I must be doing something right.
11-1-12
Well, I was doing "something right, but not everything. In case I hadn't mentioned it yet, I decided to build this kayak at 96% of the design length. I usually remembered this, but not always-for example, I diligently lined Form #1 on the marks, forgetting that the position would be different on a shorter boat. As per the instructions, I placed strips along the shear line of all the forms, and found that I had to reposition four forms, including the bow form. I had no idea until I placed a strip on the forms.
I tried test strips on both shear lines, both waterlines, and 2 strips on the keel line. I think Its right.
I have firmly decided to build an Outer Island. Reasons:
1. I had been searching for a kayak that most closely resembled my Shearwater. After looking at Siskwit Bay, Disko Bay, and Night Heron, this boat was suggested on a message board. I had read that the Siskwit Bay was "not that fast". I simply could not stand the name of the Disko Bay. All I could think of was a Frank Zappa song ( Disko Baayyyy!) I tried the Heron at a demo & hated it. Then, as per my earlier post, I had the amazing luck of meeting Jay Babina by chance, and trying his OI.
2. I like the name. I like the fact that its named after a local place that's familiar to me, not someplace in Washington or Delaware, and its not named after a bird.
3. Not designed by You-Know-who.
The plans, and building notes are very good-all the information you need, without any unnecessary wit or opinions.
I resorted to using the table saw in my driveway, since my Shearwater had a coat of paint drying in the basement. Actually not a bad place to work, as long as the weather cooperates.
I'm working on the strongback here. I got some 3/4" sanded poplar plywood, figuring to lay up a double-thickness plank. I realized a day later that I'd cut it too short. I wasn't too disappointed, however, because it was very heavy & bendy anyway. I snapped out of it the next day and bought dimension lumber.
