May 7, 2017.
May 7, 2017. The North Star hull on the right has been fiber glassed on the outside, then removed from the box beam and turned upright onto slings made from old carpet. I've taken the station molds out to prepare it for interior 'glassing.
May 7, 2017. Fiber glassing the Twin Star hull while it's still on the box beam. I'm still scraping and sanding the interior of the North Star.
Sea kayak build, 26 June 2017.
Jun 26, 2017. Adding a second layer of fiberglass to the bottom of the tandem hull.
Sea kayak build, 25 June 2017.
June 25, 2017. The second layer of 'glass on the Twin Star trimmed along the Alaska yellow cedar bottom line.
June 25, 2017. Still life with epoxy resin. Warming the resin to reduce its viscosity was not a good idea.
June 26, 2017. Misadventures with fiberglass. Laying out the glass cloth in the North Star interior.
June 26, 2017. Wetting out the glass cloth inside the North Star. There is a small patch in the middle where the epoxy did not penetrate the glass cloth. I'll have to sand and scrape that bit out and patch it.
June 30, 2017.
June 30, 2017. I'm really starting to not like the tandem boat's stern, squared off like a rudder. On the other hand, the hull is upside down. The square corner will be under water.
June 30, 2017. One more coat of resin on the tandem hull, I think. Then I can take it off the box beam and cradle it for prepping and laminating inside the hull.
July 2, 2017.
July 2, 2017. I've taken the Twin Star hull off its box beam. Most of the station molds are still inside the hull, attached with hot glue. I should have left them there and stripped the deck before fiber glassing the interior.
July 2, 2017. The Twin Star tandem hull from the front, before the station molds were knocked out. I messed up the bifid bow somewhat. Looking at the Twin Star, you can see the small triangle of mismatched western red cedar just in front of the nose piece. The color difference didn't show up until the resin went on. There is a mismatched piece in the same spot on the North Star, only that time I think I cut the piece from a redwood scrap rather than red cedar. It's much darker than the surrounding wood.
July 16, 2017.
July 16, 2017. Preparing to 'glass the inside of the Twin Star hull. I've also put the station molds back into the North Star and begun stripping on the shear.
July 17, 2017.
July 17, 2017. Adding a second layer of fiberglass across the Twin Star hull to strengthen the double cockpit area. I know, it adds weight, but I like knowing it's beefed up.
July 17, 2017. The second interior layer of 'glass, rough trimmed and laminated in place. Love those shiny reflections!
July 25, 2017.
July 25, 2017. Beginning work on the North Star deck. This is the first time I've referred to the plans since I set up the station molds on the box beams. You can see one of Rob Mack's drawings open inside the Twin Star hull, which will become a work table holding strips and tools for the next several months. Work continues on the North Star deck.
July 26, 2017
July 26, 2017. See what I mean about the Twin Star hull becoming a temporary tool box while I worked on the North Star deck? Kathy thinks this selfie looks a bit maniacal.
July 26, 2017.
July 26, 2017. Stripping continues on the North Star deck.
August 7, 2017.
August 7, 2017. Scrap strips, hot glue, and spring clamps. An instant jig for edge planing strips. The ends are becoming long and tapering as the deck gets closer to completion.
August 7, 2017. The deck is almost closed.
August 19, 2017. A Precambrian clampipod thingiform. Laying a blue tape trail.
August 19, 2017. A Precambrian clampipod thingiform, laying a blue tape trail back to its den.
August 23, 2017. The deck is closed.
August 23, 2017. The North Star deck is closed. Now the scraping and sanding begins.
August 23, 2017. The deck is (mostly) closed, save for that little bit in the stern.
August 23, 2017. The deck is (mostly) closed, save for that little bit in the stern. Still some work to do there.
25 September 2017. Cutting 1/16 inch Peruvian walnut veneers for the cockpit laminations.
25 September 2017. Cutting 1/16 inch thick Peruvian walnut veneers for the cockpit laminations. I scooped handfuls of wood flour out of the bottom wheel housing to thicken the epoxy with when I glue the veneers into the cockpit laminations. This is the band saw that I tweak by whacking the table with a rubber mallet.
September 25, 2017.
September 25, 2017. The North Star deck being rough sanded.
25 September, 2017.
September 25, 2017. The view from the stern.
12 December 2017.
December 12, 2017. The station molds are back in the Twin Star tandem baidarka, ready to strip the deck. Figuring out where to put tools and strips of wood while keeping them close at hand was a challenge in my narrow shed space. I knocked together a crude table that sits over the North Star like a flat roof.
December 12, 2017. The station molds are back in the Twin Star tandem baidarka hull, ready to strip the deck.
From Baidarka build photos
