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Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2006 8:15 am
by Kayak Jack
While I'm not nearly as ugly as Chuckie is, (note that there are neither any pretty gals nor gators in the background of his picture?), my boat is not as nice looking as his. My experience with the (short African native) model (fish eagle) kayak is very similar.

I've paddled the (fish eagle) model in 25 mph winds on an 8 mile circle route on open waters in a Canadian lake. Coming out from behind one island, the stern was in a dead null, while waves were breaking over the fore deck. The boat just bobbed up and down and went right along. The last mile and a half home were straight into the teeth of the wind. I was under control and under way.

That day, two guys in a canoe were blown clear across the lake and had to be hauled back in a pickup. Several fishermen didn't venture out because of waves. And, probably, given my weak self-rescue skills, I shouldn't have either. But the boat was right at home in the environment.

Another time, on the eastern end of Gitche Gumi (Lake superior) there were four foot high breaking waves. The height didn't bother me, but the breaking part did. My partners were in an open canoe and could have swamped in a blink of an eye. We pulled off. I was the first to abort because of my self-rescue skills. Again, the boat was right at home in the environment.

Upshot is, the seaworthiness of the boat would seem to me to be severely compromised by removal of the deck. But, then, I've never paddled a SOT. I've never paddled a 6' tall blond either. About as much chance of one as the other.

Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2006 8:45 am
by Oldsparkey
Scott
Let me throw this thought out on the table.

If you would make the one you have the plans for as it was designed to be made then you would have a camping boat and something that can handle rough water or nasty weather.

Also make the one from (a slang term for precious stones) water craft for fishing and pursuits along those lines. Make the one which will give you the most use 1st and the other after it is done.

This way you would have two different boats for different uses (they both could be used for the same thing if necessary) for less then if you went out and purchased one boat off someone's showroom floor. Plus your boats would be hand built, custom, boats made the way you want them.

Chuck.

Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2006 11:00 am
by Kayak Jack
Well, Chuck, I guess we've beaten this poor fellow about the head and shoulders enough? Time to talk gree-itz.

Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2006 2:56 pm
by paddling4sharks
Mornin';
Old Sparkey I have to agree. Can't wait for the WadeFish, but it won't replace "Skana", she's an 18' (Maryland Bay). Carries a week's worth of stuff, plus my butt. Fast & dry as a bone. but she sucks at fishin'.
Image

Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:01 pm
by Scott Thornley
Ummm, you do realize that there is going to be a deck ? I'm not converting this to a canoe. And that there is a good chance that the conversion will actually be more rigid than the original SIK? What with the additional vertical ribs, and no gaping cockpit hole? Perhaps a deflection test when and if the boat is completed is in order?

But, if Matt does the 17' Sabalo plans next week, I'll drop the whole conversion thing like a hot rock.

Regards,
Scott

Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:12 pm
by Scott Thornley
Also, I have a Necky Looksha IV skeg, in Kevlar, for camping/ocean play. It is just a pain in the butt to fish out of. This boat just loves the surf though, at least for a 17' sea kayak.

What I am hoping to get is a fishing boat with better speed, layout and control than my Scupper Pro.

Scott

Staining the wood

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 9:34 pm
by ADHORNE
Hello all,
Matt I received the wadefish plans and have been looking over both sets to see which I will build. I know Old Sparky and Kayak Jack are shaking their heads and saying young wipper snapper just ain't got it figured out yet.....ya build em both. but they are well written and good designs.

Well my question is this, when doing the fiberglass but joint you cover the cloth with epoxy. if you are going to bright finish the boat would you stain the wood prior to gluing the wood together with the fiberglass /epoxy (or would the stain would go through the epoxy). What I am worried about is staining the wood but their being a light spot where the fiberglass splice is but the rest of the boat being darker. This post is probably clear as mud, hope you can decipher it though.

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 9:59 pm
by jem
If you use standard e-glass fiberglass, when it gets wet, it become transparent. Even if there is multiple layers.

When you use stuff like Dynol, that does not wet out clear. I don't recommend use that anyway.

If you apply fiberglass and let it dry, you'll see the color and grain of the wood clearly. If you sand that surface and scuff it up, another coat of epoxy or a final coat of varnish will make it transparent again.

The epoxy generally has a slight amber tint to it that brings out the color of the wood nicely. If you want to stain the wood a different color, then you do so with a water-based stain prior to applying epoxy.

You can also tint the epoxy instead with pigments but this is more difficult because you have to tint any later batches exactly the same.

In either case, do a couple test panels to ensure you have the color you want.

Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:10 pm
by Kayak Jack
Adhorne,

The epoxy will make the wood look like it was varnished. Or, another way of saying it is, the wood will appear to have a light stain, and be shiny too.

If you stain before you epoxy, MAKE SURE IT IS A WATER BASED STAIN as Matt recommended. Epoxy will come off of any oil on the wood; it will not grip well or at all.

Stain will not penetrate epoxy; a .30-06 will, though.

Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 9:31 am
by Oldsparkey
Adhorne

This is not the best example but it was the easiest one to find.

All the wood in the picture is the same and to show what epoxy does to the finish of the wood take a look at the bottom boards and then the boards above it ... They are the same except the bottom one has received one light coat of epoxy to epoxy saturate it.

http://www.southernpaddler.com/oldspark ... %20005.jpg

Chuck.