Category: kayaks/ canoes

A Short Paddle

After this past weekend’s trip to St. Michaels, I left the kayaks on the truck’s roof for washing and storage yesterday. That didn’t happen. I thought another paddle might be good. This morning’s breakfast was quick: coffee, boiled egg and toast followed by a long walk for the dog (he’s been acting up. Now he is sleeps at my feet). Our stroll was pleasant with cooler temperatures and early sunshine. That convinced me to drive down to the local park and check out the river. Despite the rains, the conditions were good. My Outer Island kayak at 37 pounds is easily hauled around, especially with the dolly I built. Loading the boat with necessary gear, I wheeled it from the parking lot down to the floating pier.

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The water was muddied and current quick. The surface was smooth and the boat moved with little effort.

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Maybe 3/4 of a mile up-stream I discovered a Blue Heron resting on a downed tree protruding from the south bank. I’m surprised I can glide in so close and quietly readied my camera. The bird remained frozen, watched this intruder, but in the 15′ range he took flight further up stream. We followed.

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bird side eye
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snags

Another 150 yards on we found our bird again. This time he was more poised to fly and took off just as we drew in. Crossing the water, the pursued headed up the mouth of an overgrown creek entrance.

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ready to fly

At  this point I felt a tinge of guilt in the pursuit, but the beauty of the thing and maybe the “hunt” led me on. Of all the times I’ve passed this creek, I’ve never ventured up it.

 

 

 

 

A whole other world was in there. The shade was cool. Song birds greeted us (or gave warning of our presence).

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winding up the creek
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obstructions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A short distance along, the path got crowded. However, we did find our prey. This time we caught him as he bolted.

 

 

 

 

 

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flight

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I had the shutter speed and aperture all wrong but, this is evidence of the third sighting. Shortly there after, with little room to maneuver, we turned for home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not focused on finding Big Bird, I’m struck by the beauty along the way. We will have to return in a few weeks when the colors are full-out.dscn0294

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Round trip time was maybe 2 hours total. I decided I need to stop taking this backyard treasure for granted.

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On By eebe4In kayaks/ canoes, Outer-Island, Outer-Island sea kayak1 Comment

One Ocean Kayak’s "Cirrus SLT"

On By eebe4In Cirrus SLT, kayaks/ canoesLeave a comment

 

Last September I gave my youngest boy plans to build a kayak. Designed by Vaclav Stejskal of One Ocean Kayaks, the Cirrus SLT is perhaps the best design I’ve seen for a growing 11 yr old boy. Now almost 12, he and I started the stitch and glue boat almost 5 months ago. With part time attention, today marked the boat’s maiden voyage. It was christened “Bob”. We had a fun time paddling up a portion of the James River for lunch and then returned.

Bob and paddler. Happy Birthday (10 months later).

Here’s Vaclav’s description of the kayak. I heartily agree.

“This is a kid’s first dream kayak with serious grow up performance that they will not so easily outgrow. At a mere 28 lb it is just about the lightest kayak of it’s type available, even lighter than genuine racing kayaks. It was designed with great care to inherit all the nice tracking, efficiency and stability behavior from its parent design the Cirrus. The Cirrus SLT could also be the ideal craft in which to introduce your youngest to the joys of paddling in nature and perhaps even some practical woodworking skills in your shop: definitely a memorable building experience for both kids and the “adults”. The size of the kayak makes building possible in the smallest of shops and garages. Even shop teachers and Scouts now have a kayak that is basically dedicated for paddlers from 85 to 145 lbs and under 5’6″ in height”.


I’ll have to say that this site has all the performance data you could possibly want. The rolled plans could not have been better for a scratch build. The full-sized paper templates worked great. We scored the plywood with a utility knife, cut close to the mark with the jig saw, and made the final trimming with a small hand plane. The stitched panels were dead on. Aside from that, the boat’s rolled deck and Pettit Ocean Blue paint look great.

Some construction photos follow here:

Hull wired in cradle with molds.

 

Deck added.
Close up of deck. Copper wire and hot melt stitches.

 

Test fit to the user.
Taped edges for clean glass trimming.
Set up for epoxy end pour.

We have maybe $450 in plans and materials. Its all been worth it. The final product beats any roto-molded boat “bottle” by miles. My buddy can really zip along.

Passed a couple crewed shells.

The “Real Feel” temp was 102. Casting along in the shade was significantly cooler. Saw bass, brim, and gar. Water was done and pretty clear. We had a PBJ lunch on the bank before turning around.

We skirted the south shore in the shade.

Finally used my homemade and collapsible dolly. It worked great. A strap (not shown) holds the hull down. Pulled by the nose, now we can load the boat like a wheelbarrow and truck to the water’s edge.

My homemade dolly.
Also ordered some stickers for the name plate.

I loved the grin on my boy as he rolled along. We’re looking forward to some overnight trekking this Fall. Heck, I may have trouble keeping up with this water bug!

One Ocean Kayak’s "Cirrus SLT"

On By eebe4In Cirrus SLT, kayaks/ canoesLeave a comment

The weather has finally turned for the warmer. We’ll get to sail UNA again in the next week or so in the company of a few buddies. Life is looking up. Winter did droned on here, but some boat projects did allow dreaming of new adventures. Too cold for much of anything, the dinghy “Gigi” was hung in the shed to wait for paint, her spot in the garage was taken up by a different build. This one is a stitch and glue kayak for my youngest boy. Perhaps as a set of rolled plans, it was a bit too abstract to qualify as a birthday gift for an 11 year old at the end of last summer. Though I hadn’t, and still don’t, plan on documenting this project much, yesterday I was struck by some beautiful lines and decided to take a few pics. This little pretty is a 14.5′ boat from One Ocean Kayaks. Gigi is more lapstrake in build than stitch and glue. This new addition is a true edge-to -edge s&g boat. The designer, Vaclav Stejskal, has perhaps the best site I’ve seen sharing detailed performance numbers on kayaks. Much of it is beyond my patience to understand, but I’m glad he has taken the time. His designs are an obvious passion. Honestly, I saw a sweet little boat that appeared well thought out and bought the plans. Vaclav uses his boats, no doubt went through several prototypes, and that care shows in the precision of the full size templates. I frankly was amazed the panel joints could be so tight. 

Stern with hull and moulds.


















Half of the fun is figuring out the right method to approach craftsmanship. Jig saw cuts to within 1/32″ of the panel cut lines followed by a light pass of a hand plane delivered much better results than aiming to hit the line precisely. Also, mastering how to snake 18 ga. copper wires between deck panels as you close it up took several “fails” before discovering a crisp fish hook shape or “J” was easiest to knit close panels with needle nose pliers. We’re now ready to glue the seams and order some glass.

Stern with deck.
Fine lines of the bow.

The hull is made of 4mm okoume ply. The deck is a lighter 3mm. In order to keep the 3mm aligned I used hot melt glue that will be scrapped off after the first pass of epoxy gluing the joints. I’m continually surprised at the shapes one can get from flat plywood.

Wires and hot glue dabs


I’m looking forward to tripping up the James River or down the Appomattox for and overnighter with my boy.

Where I Dream …

On By eebe4In kayaks/ canoes, Outer-Island, Sooty Tern, UNA build & projects1 Comment

You can have dreams without work, but they will never come to fruition without work.

Occasional periods of drudgery have risen throughout this build.  A few days ago I hit one of those “bumps” and had to walk away from the boat for a bit. The sanding and faring was getting to me, but what really slapped me was a warped centerboard. It went from a straight and true foil after glassing one side, but the second side glassing created a potato chip. I had added graphite to the epoxy for lubrication purposes and I expect the black heat sink got too much sun when I turned my back. I’m not sure if I can remove the glass to correct it or more quickly just start over. So, we went for a paddle.

Along the James.

The kayak trip restored a better outlook, but I wasn’t ready for the board or more sanding so, I lay the spars and sails in the backyard, studied how to lace and add controls, and finally raised the sails. That sent me dreaming again. Now I can face the drudgery again.

Laying out.

 

Needs downhaul tension.

 

Too tight on yard outhaul.

 

Mizzen lacing. Boomkin not yet installed.

 

Trailing wake.

 

A rose.
 While I did not complete the running rigging entirely, I have got it all figured out. The process was an enjoyable puzzle. And, I really love the simplicity of this rig. I believe she will be light, fast, and responsive.  (A decent centerboard will probably help too.)
Lastly, I sold my Penguin dinghy yesterday. Watching the new owner haul her out the driveway was a sad moment. She is a boat that’s beautiful from all sides, but her insides and outs needed a new coat of varnish and fresh black paint. The truth is she hadn’t left the shed for maybe 5 years and deserved to be loved better. The proceeds will provide a new trailer for the new love. Selling a boat and a trailer for a trailer somehow doesn’t sound equitable.
Anyhow, here is to “Tar Baby”. Someone told me you couldn’t have a boat named that nowadays. Really? What is the world coming to? Ignorance for all?
Tar Baby!! Moving on a wisp.

 

Dolly for a Kayak

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While the kayak is light, the added accessories (paddle, life jacket, pump, spray skirt, lunch, etc.) can make the load awkward, if not heavier, and hauling the whole kit any distance can be trying. The solution? a good dolly. I decided to make my own.

I used 17″ plastic wheels, 1/2″x2’x2′ birch plywood, some 1″ PVC with caps, and machine bolt for axles. The ply was cut into 3 pieces and slotted. The heads of the bolts were ground off and holes for cotter pins drilled through the shafts. These were then epoxied into a wood channel. The PVC was cut to length, slotted to slip over the 1/2″ ply and secured with screws. Once the pipe was capped, split pipe insulation was glued onto the pipe.

 

The entire assembly can be broken down readily for ease of storage. The “lightening” holes really serve to strap the kayak to the dolly and they add a bit of style. After a good sanding I’ll put a few coats of polyurethane on the works. I’m very happy with the results. It is very serviceable.

A Little More and a Little Less

On By eebe4In kayaks/ canoes, Outer-Island2 Comments
The hard turn of the shear to deck took several 1/4″ strips as I recall.

 

Sweet lines for such a well behaved boat.

Just a couple pics my daughter ( A Girl Named Leney ) took that I liked of the boat (and some dude with hairy legs).  I continue to make small improvements to the details, but they are slight and I’ve maybe 20+ hours in the boat now.

I recently sold “Chica”, my Classic Moth. Felt like a traitor, but she was really too narrow for my 200 #s. I may build another down the road. Wonderful, light 75# hulls, and responsive open class boats (if it fits in the rule box, its a Moth). Still basically a garage built class, the Moth evolved into a taller rig to become the International Moth. I sailed such as a teen. At 14 I could pick it up from the beach or lawn and walk it to the water solo. They would require your constant hand as they capsized if left alone, but boy were they fast. Those boats grew hydrofoils and now skip across the surface like a water bugs. Anyhow, here are some shots of old Chica:

 

 

Kayak Hoist

On By eebe4In Outer-Island sea kayak2 Comments

Thought I’d pass this along. I have been simply hanging these light weight boats from eye hooks anchored in the ceiling at joist locations. It was a very awkward one man operation and really needed 2 because I had to get boat so close to the ceiling to clear the overhead door when up. Luckily I happened to find a bicycle hoist at Harbor Freight Tools that I readily modified for kayak use.

Host’s box.

The weight limit states 40#.  I suspect this can be significantly extended by replacing the very cheap nylon “line” (term used lightly). I switched to some 1/4″ braided nylon. And, if you really had a load, I’d recommend drilling out the riveted axles and replacing them with a small steel carriage bolt.

The hooks won’t go to waste. They can make good wall hooks for tool storage. Take them apart and you have 3. There are 2 per box = 6 total.
Removed hooks from pulleys.
I added a PVC strut to the lower pulleys for more control of hoist strap locations. I use nylon webbing for the straps, but still run that through the hollow in the pulley to bear the load. Also, the tubular webbing variety is softer on the boats. I’m using both at the moment.

1″ ID PVC added in lieu of “hooks”
Boat #2 raised.

The upper pulleys are mounted to a 1x4x8′ board which is screwed into above floor joists (24″ OC). I further hooked the tail end with orange strapping to help assure the overhead door clears. Now the system is truly a one man operation. Very satisfactory. $9 hoist + $5 line + $1.50 board + $2.50 PVC =  $18. No complaints. Made three.
Boats #1 & 3

Simplicity Afloat

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 The building of this little boat brought forth many books. One I particularly enjoyed was “The Compleat Cruiser” by L. Francis Herreshoff. In it he notes that “simplicity afloat is the surest guarantee of happiness.” This past week was just that. I took perhaps a dozen solo and accompanied paddles in the new boat. All were anywhere from an hour to three. Perhaps the most memorable trip was one rainy scudded sky afternoon. Gliding through marshes, hearing the drizzle on the water, and the dipping of the paddle was delightful. I wish I had taken some pictures, but alas you really can’t. Yet, the simplicity was there and we were afloat. A wonderful end to that day.

There is certainly pride in having made a thing. Several Greenland paddles and flat bows we’ve made hang prominently from the rafters in our sunroom. There is a certain elegance to these objects with their sweet curves and soft hollows. What is it about them that transcends the thing itself? We’ve a lot of machine manufactured paddles and a couple bows, but none are appreciated or displayed. I treasure this little boat more than any piece of furniture in the house. I’m tempted to hang her somewhere, but not all battles are worth fighting and she doesn’t have that furniture grade finish … but, she is mine. The whole experience has made me appreciate craft on a new level. I sometimes wonder if we as a society have forgotten or even recognize it anymore. And all the conveniences of technology seem to have taken the time supposedly saved with it. Have we also allowed it to rob us of finer, simpler, things in life? The now 7 month journey of this little boat has really changed my perspective of boating.

Early morning hitch hiker.

Fine day.

In the marsh.

I do have a few items to fix/ adjust:

  • add hip pads to the braces so I can learn to roll the boat.
  • weld/epoxy/glue a nut under the hatch to aid in removing the lid. I must say they kept the interior bone dry through rain and a clumsy capsize while exiting the boat.
  • may add some thin minicell under the heels and above the knee areas.
  • secure the seat with velcro to the cockpit floor so I can adjust later, though I think I’ve found the sweet spot. I may lower it by 1/4″ too. Every bit helps.
Otherwise the only scratch she suffered was from the mast of the Moth as I removed the trailer. That’s another rite of passage. It hurt and the bay was too shallow for dagger board sailing. All other scratches will be equal.
So here are 2 video clips of my daughter in an SOF and one of my boys in the new boat.
And last for now: one of my great, great grandfathers was a Danish navy captain who brought his family to America as the age of sail was no doubt dying out. Two ships he commanded are pictured here:

the “Flying Dutchman”

the “Otto”

Perhaps some of that blood lingers in my love of the water? Don’t know, but in searching to learn more about faerings and other danish boats I came upon a verse I recalled reading in high school (not much stuck and I couldn’t have quoted it). I must read the whole again (for real and not for the quiz). What adventure is evoked here.






“Then the keel plunged
and shook in the sea; and they sailed from Denmark.

Right away the mast was rigged with its sea-shawl;
sail-ropes were tightened, timbers drummed
and stiff winds kept the wave-crosser
skimming ahead; as she heaved forward,
her foamy neck was fleet and buoyant,
a lapped prow loping over currents,
until finally the Geats caught sight of coastline
and familiar cliffs. The keel reared up,
wind lifted it home, it hit on the land.

— Beowulf, c. 800 AD

FINISHED: 237.5 Hours and $757.50, but wait … there is so much more.

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Was it an eon ago when snow covered the ground? On this 82 degree day it is a strain to recall the frozen fingers that pushed another board through a makeshift outdoor mill. How many times did this shop’s tent decide to talk a walk across the back yard when the wind howled? Well, now the long days of summer are coasting down. July was a beater, but the daylight has been shortening for over a month now. It is now August, the dog days are here, if only for a short spell. Without a name, the dear kayak is complete, tested, and proven. She is worthy of name. Maybe it is superstition, perhaps some respect needed to pay a craft that has delivered so much joy. It began with that first saw cut and now complete, she offers many a paddle and no doubt many water travelled adventures.

I confess my kayak experiences have been limited to just a few craft, all mine, but this boat excels beyond any of the others. So, it took 237.5 hours and $757.50 in cost. You could add 5-10% in either direction for the time spent, but fastidious records were kept by spreadsheet and tasks noted. This is generally contrary to my nature, except I wanted to know. Cost includes  plans ($95). All of this is clinical and perhaps too obsessive. Neither does the boat or process justice. Would I do it again? Oh, yeah. I’m hooked … and it started as a wee babe. What is it? As Louis Armstrong said, “Man, if you gotta ask, you’ll never know”. The ripples, the waves, the wind have always enchanted me. Add to that the satisfaction of going forth in a vessel I built by hand, no kit, just some plans, boards, glue and glass. Can I call it sublime? (I may need to look that up, but seems apropos. Got to use those words sometime).

There are a few details left to catch up on. I’ve not much more to add there. However, I can’t leave a hole in the process, but I didn’t want post without the true splash. Here ya’ go:

Seized paddle keepers. Deleted the stem toggles as a result.

Glued strips for hip braces.

Starboard hip brace. Slot for back brace webbing.

Brace epoxied and held in place by weight.

Strapped kayak to 2x and leveled.

SS footmans loops. West marine $6 each. eBay 10 for $10.

Back brace webbed to hip brace. I ‘ll add foam to hip later.

Decided against carbon or glass loops. Was ready to paddle.
Loop added to shaped cedar block for back brace aft. Note breathing hole in bulkhead.

Bearers made for 2 kayaks. Heavy webbing is clothed in flat PVC hose.

Missing wheel cover. 1 kayak loaded.

U bolts w/ plastic hose to protect rails.

And here are the true maiden voyage photos. I took a paddle across Knotts Island Bay. You could likely walk across in all honestly, but that would be a different adventure. Boat tracks wonderfully, has good reserve buoyancy, and save for some minor seat adjustments, the 2.5 hr cruise was fantastic. What a reward after the build. Such a perfect day with such a lovely boat. I’m guessing on the cruising speed, but I think 3.5 – 4 kts can be readily maintained. Winds were at 5 kts, humidity was low, and sky was only clouded enough for majesty.

early morning guest
long view
shore edge

ready to ride

1/2 way across Knotts Island Bay
grasses mid bay

waited. looked both ways.

duck blind

blind eye view
Pearl’s

local yacht club

nice collection of buildings I thought.

Tid Bits

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Well, I had expected to be done in June. Life got me off schedule for a good month. As I’ve said, there isn’t much to report on loads of varnishing and sanding, but I do have a few items to share:

  1. I got Minicell from Joe at Redfish kayaks and carved away at the seat. It started as a 4x16x24 block. A Japanese saw and rasp (sure form) made decent work out of it. I used fore and aft forms from the build to interpolate the rough cuts. I plan on securing it to the hull by Velcro strips for ready adjustments until I’m familiar with the boat.
    Fitted foam.

    Note drain channel in center.

    Scraps and tools.
  2. Toggles for the latigo leather deck lines (cut from a belt strip to 3/8″ width) were laminated from yellow pine and mahogany and sanded to shape then varnished 4 times.
    sanded

    drying
    toggles installed
  3. Paddle keeps at the ends of the boat were installed. I think the loose leather tied at the ends will be easier to push the blade under.
  4. Final pass of clear silicone sealant glued in the bulkheads. I placed a small hole dead center for breathing between compartments. The dry time was forever (4-5 days) so I used a lamp to speed things up.
    silicone glow

    Moth over kayak
  5. It is good to have a 9 year old boy to install the foot pegs. I just couldn’t reach the forward bolt to save my life. He slithered in to hold peg frame against hull while I tighter bolts on the outside.
  6. Back brace is sanded, glassed, and shaped. Foam and strap slots need to be added. I still haven’t decided on any hip braces which are preferred for rolls (that I’ve not attempted).
    inside face glassed

    At 230 hours, I’m pushing to splash this baby Sunday afternoon even if a few details remain like hip braces. Yeah! Yeah!