March 2017
My grandson Tucker and I are building this boat together. This is his second kayak; he's outgrown the Yost Sea-Flea I made for him several years ago.
This is Kudzu Craft Tadpole, Skin on Frame boat.
http://www.kudzucraft.net/Boat-plans/Kayaks/tadpole-kids-kayak-full-size-plans.html
We are building it from plans, not kit form.
We cut and glued the plan sections to two sheets of baltic birch 11mm plywood.
The strongback needed sanding down to remove the details and notes from three previous builds. First time using my new Festool sander, although Tucker had the first use of it working on another project, doll bunkbeds, while I set up the strongback.
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11 March 2017
Cut frame pieces, set up locations on strongback and set and aligned frames.
A man who owns a dog doesn't howl at the moon.
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23 March 2017
If using 11mm baltic birch, adjust width the 12mm.
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24,25 March 2017
Removed paper from frames, routed radius to edges of frames, planed cedar 1x6 planks to 5/8" to turn into stringers, cur 48 feet of large stringer size (1 1/2") and 72 feet of small stringer. It will be a job getting the two large and three small 13' stringers out of this knot filled Home Despot crap.
Saturday I built a jig for cutting the scarf angles to glue sections of stringer material together, cut bad pieces out of stock, and glued up the stringers.
Waiting for the owner to sand on his next shop day.
Magical stuff for holding components in place until fasteners are driven.
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26 March 2017
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5APR17
When I'm gone my kids and grandkids will know a lot of love and a little DNA went into all of these boats I built for them.
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26 April
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24JUN17
Finished frame lashings, removed from stronback, fabricated and installed seat boards.
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14, 15 July 2017
Completed skinning and cockpit installation. Ready to paint. Waiting colour and design decisions from the owner.
14 July 2017
Tempoary lashing of the bottom piece of the coaming assembly.
1 1/2" battens for cutting the excess material before sewing.
The indispensable hot cutter tool.
Ready for coaming tomorrow.
15 July 2017
The view from your navel.