Floor planks and the end of the frame

The final part of the frame, the floor boards. Two sets a pair where
I will sit and another pair where my heels will rest. The first thing to do was some heavy planing to get the boards to sit between the chines and not protrude into the skin when it comes. Once all the planks are cut and planed it time to lash them. This time, because of the wear they ar going to receive, I lashed each rib separately and lashed them 3 times to make sure they will hold up to my build :) A view into the cockpit area with floor boards in place. And there it is the frame. I going to add some tung oil to it in the week but otherwise the frame is ready. Next up the cockpit coaming...

Deck stringers

Now its time for the two sets of deck stringers. Two behind the coaming hole and two in front. The two behind ones were pretty straight forward, two wider beams that will help displace the weight when entering and exiting the kayak. These are the two front ones getting lay out for measuring. I then made a recess to fit them against the masik. Then the front ends are filed to rest on the 3rd beam. Finally they are packed where needed and fixed into place with trunnels. Next up floor boards and the end of the frame :)

Making and installing the Masik

Now on to the last deck beam the masik. I choose to
make it from a pine branch which has the riight bend
which allows me to make a thinner but just as strong
beam.


First up finding the right height and curve by making some
batterns and getting in and out and test sitting.


Now to find a nice piece of pine to make the masik
with. Thats my baby in the middle :)


Here is the branch I choose from my father-in-laws
summer home. The template I made from the measurements
I got from the batterns.


Next fleshing it out with a power-planer and sawing
and and chiseling to get the rough form.


Here it is with most of the rough wood removed.


Next a box to get the angles against the gunwhales.


And then adding the marks to the masik.


The finished masik.


And here it is in place fixed in with two trunnels on either
side.

Next up the the deck ridges..

Stem plates

Now on to securing the ends with stem-plates.


First Setting up the Japanese saw with a stop and sawing
out to help with chiselling the recess for the plates.


Then on to cutting the plates and planning them to fit the slot.
After that the upper surface is planned and filed to make a
nice transition between the gunwales and the cutwaters.

Finally the plates are fixed in place with dowling and trunnels.


Then the plates are trimmed and planned on the edge
and the whole piece is sanded.


Both plates in place and sitting pretty.

Next up the masik, the last deck beam.

Adding the chines and finishing the Hull

Now to finish the hull. All that is left the stringers/Chines that sit either side of the Keelson.
First I have to plane the last 1.2m, tapering down 3mm on each side.


Then onto strapping the chines to the ribs and finding the right lay.


Next shaping the chine ends to fit against the stems.


Then its a running lash down each chine and then lashing each pair together
and each end.
Finally the frame Hull is ready. I am really happy
with it and heres a few pictures at different angles.








Next, flipping the kajak over and working on the plates at the bow at
stern to secure them.

Side project Part 1

I thought would get going with my greenland paddle so I can try and have both
finished at the same time. The planes I am using are from Chuck Holst
and the video at carvegp.


Here is the first part complete, the blades feathered out from the blank.


Next I have cut out the main outline and sanded to the lines.



Next up marking out the bevels and angles for the final shape.
More to come....

Gunwales finished

After finishing the last of the deck-beams mortises the last task on the gunwales was to
bevel the inside edge of the rails.


The bevelling lines were marked out with a simple notched
jig.


The bevel is to keep the top of the rails flat and help when
the cloth is stretched over the top edge.


Here they are in all there beauty.

Now for some forms for shaping the gunwales. These
will help decide the shape and handling of the final
kayak.

Shaping the gunwales

After finishing off the last 30 mortises on the second gunwale its was time to
plane the ends to shape.


A batten is clamped and layed out after measuring
then a line is drawn on the inside.


Marked and ready to go.

I then used a jigsaw to cut close to the line. The next task is to get tight and close to the line with some planing.


A simple planing jig clamped to the block plane to help keep the planing nice and square, it worked a treat.

After planing the first curve I then used the this shape as a template
for the two other cuts gunwale number two, and on the reverse end of this
one.
Then after a lot of planing all that was left were the angled cuts on the under side. This
I done i pairs clamping cutting and finally planing to the line.


Here are they are, the same plane shape at the opposite
end as well.

These slight curves will help give the kayak a nice upper curve when
they are formed into there final forms.

Next in line is either the jigs to hold the gunwales into there proper
shape or I think it will be starting work on the deck beams.