Crossed disciplines

Building a kayak. Model airplanes. What do these have in common?

Well, I have several plans to work from but want something kinda specific for my personal boat. I know the bow shape I want and have the main frame laid out in my head and somewhat in reality, but have questions about where the ribs should start and how the chines will lay. So, build a scale model to adapt and improvise with so I can see what the skin will do over the frame. If I pull the chine up tight, do I get a steeper cut water or a plow? If I move the ribs forward or back, how is that going to effect bow wake. (More bow wake is a speed killer.) Just part of the design process, but a ‘working’ model really helps a bunch.

The trees are getting cut this week, I needed a new fuel line for the saw, so had a slight delay there. (Stihl chainsaws dont use generic lines, grrrrr) then off to the mill. I should be able to start the deck here in a couple of weeks. The coffee tree I am using for the freeboard chines and cutwaters was skirted 3 years ago, so its well seasoned now.

Its funny how building a yak is reverse to building a house. A house you build the foundation (the bottom) first, with a yak, you build the top first. The deck is the foundation of the whole boat. It has to be as near perfect as you can get as the rest will magnify any issues it has.

In other news, ,,

Doing good today, no achy joints even though I paddled a 5 mile race yesterday. And of course Dad is giving me advice on how I could have taken first,,,

Same old same old. Maybe next year, the SOF yak will be ready (better be) and I’ll have a better shot at first. Narrower beam, lighter boat and better bow shape should help tons.