GEODETIC KAYAK

John K · Post by **John K** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 5:17 am

Has anyone here built one of these? I have ordered the plans and from the description you cover it with "cloth?" Was wondering what people have used for a cover.

Aaron B · Post by **Aaron B** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 11:20 am

A few weeks ago, I was out in Seattle and went to the Center for Wooden Boats. Of all the cool boats they had, some were skinned kayaks and umiaks. I at first thought it was just fiberglass cloth, only because I didn't think they'd use seal skin, but apparently they use ballistic nylon. The umiak in the link below was absolutely stunning.

Details on how they do it is here:
http://cwb.org/BoatDatabaseUmiakBuild.htm

John K · Post by **John K** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 5:52 am

Aaron - That is one fanastic job they did. I have never heard of some of the compounds that they used on the skin. I will have to read more about the process.

Thanks

John K · Post by **John K** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 4:55 am

I got my plans and the kayak looks like something worth building. It is a design from 1940, so the covering suggested is canvas. I have been reading about other coverings.

Does anyone know about a book that covers old and new coverings and how to install them?

Post by **Bill Edmundson** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 6:41 am

John,

I can't read! But, you might research restoring old Old Town Canoes. They were wood strip with canvas covering.

Bill

Aaron B · Post by **Aaron B** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 9:36 am

Hi John,

I spent a lot of time at this site http://www.yostwerks.com/ when I first decided to build a boat. The skinning tutorial looks straightforward.

Is this similar to the plans you have? http://www.dngoodchild.com/5313.htm

I still don't know how I went from wanting to build a kayak to an inboard runabout.

John K · Post by **John K** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 9:53 am

Thanks Aaron B:
Yes those are the plans that I bought and the place that I bought them from. PVC is one of the materials that I have read about - Thanks for the site.

I have also read about nylon and wondered how it would hold up. Rather than having to stretch it, it shrinks onto the frame when it is heated. I have been looking for good instructions about using it. The one site has some limited instructions. About enough to get you going, but not enough to get the job done.

Aaron B · Post by **Aaron B** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 12:39 pm

About the ballstic nylon, I know what you mean. I followed the skinboats.com link to see if there were any clues, but it looks like they have a vested self-interest in collecting $ for classes instead of tutorials. At least they sell the supplies, including that two-part urethane http://www.skinboats.com/supplies.html

I did some googles, and a few places seem to mention Robert Morris and some said he suggests the same methods as the skinboat/cwb people with the nylon and urethane. I just bought this book by him, I'll let you know what I think of it when I get it, not that I'm an expert or anything

http://www.amazon.com/Building-Skin-Fra ... 0881791911

I'm really interested in your progress on this. A pair of kayaks is next on our boat build list (the Mrs wants to build her own!).

John K · Post by **John K** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 5:04 am

I have also run across mention about Robert Morris. Let me know about the book as this is a winter project for me and in no hurry right now. I am starting to look through my left over wood to see what I would need for the Kayak. I will take pictures as I go, so you can see what it looks like.

I think it is something different from the skin kayaks that I have seen. I have built a skin kayak from a kit years ago. It had a vinyl skin installed in 2 layers with rubber cement gluing the layers together.

Aaron B · Post by **Aaron B** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:51 am

Hi John

Finally got a chance to push aside other books and take a peek through the Morris book. He suggests nylon, 15oz with the 2-part poly. Its supposedly near indestructible. He doesn't specify ballistic nylon, but describes the same process of shrinking with an iron as shown in that Umyak build. He says that untreated 10oz canvas will last about 5 years, as long as you keep salt rinsed off, and allow it to fully dry out.

Great book too, lots of good info. Especially on sizing and making a boat for a specific persons size.

John K · Post by **John K** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 5:12 am

Thanks Aaron B.

I was waiting for you to look at the book. I think I will buy it. Sounds like it will come in handy when I build this kayak. Hopefully, this will be a winter build.