The Construction
This is a recent photo of the partially completed hull
"Strippers" they are often called
This method of boat building is old and well perfected. It basically involves setting up a series of molds and then wrapping strips of wood around them. More specifically, I'm mostly using the method outlined in the book Kayakcraft which is a great set of instructions for anyone wanting to take on this type of project.
The wood for this boat is clear cedar that has been ripped into 3/4" x 1/4" strips. Each of those then get a concave and convex edge. This a great method because then each strip fits together perfectly at any angle seen on the plans.
The molds and raised construction surface are all made of particle board. It's cheap and easy to work with but you have to make sure it doesn't get wet. You can see in the photo how the strips fit over the molds.
Eventually, all the wood inside and out will be coated with a clear epoxy over fiberglass which ultimately will provide most of the strength and all of the water resistance.
cover page