Two Lakers for the Kids and 1 for dad

Builder show and discuss their progress.
john the pom
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Location: S.E. Queensland

Post by john the pom »

Lakers are breeding like rabbits. 8)
Har_Laker
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Location: NE PA US

Day's Work

Post by Har_Laker »

Finished the coaming
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Finished the varnish on my son's boat and stored it.
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Seat we decided to go with.
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Ply has nice patterns, my daughter wants to do the WHOLE KAYAK! hunter green. I may have to VETO!
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I have to say in response to the rabbit breeding analogy that there are three kinds of doodlers, triangle, circle, and square.
I think that the laker appeals to the triangle doodler.:)

I have a question. I got some paddles ship to store at walmart for $14 bucks. They seem to be pretty well built. My question is that the paddles are convex or concave depending how you are looking at them. Should they be used palm up? or palm down?
Last edited by Har_Laker on Fri Jul 25, 2008 4:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Kayak Jack
Design Reviewer
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Location: South-central Michigan

Post by Kayak Jack »

Convex face goes forward, concave face ("working" or "power" face) goes back. Concave face "cups" water in a power stroke. If the paddle blade is asymmetrical (and it almost certainly is) the more square corner goes up and the angled outside corner goes down.

Use a piece of tape (reflective if you have it) to mark the center of the shaft. Have your kids (each one with individual paddles) stand, holding the paddle in front of them, elbows at sides and bent at 90 degree angle, forearms flat out in front, gripping the paddle with forearms parallel to each other and the floor, hands at shoulder width. Measure between the inside edges of their hand and place a piece of tape there. Be sure they're centered.

Now, have them raise their elbows straight out from their shoulders, elbows at 90 degrees, forearms straight out in front, parallel to each other and the floor. Measure the distance between the outside edges of their hands. Put strips of tape there. Be sure they're centered.

These will mark the "normal" areas where their hands will grip the paddle when paddling normally, and symmetrically.

Sometimes, you will slip the paddle off center to get more power on one side in case wind or current is blowing you off course.

Sometimes, you will have one hand out on the blade at one end, and a hand somewhere else on the shaft, to get leverage for a turn etc. Reaching way up by the bow or back by the stern to pull will turn a boat more quickly.

Sometimes, you will tuck a blade up under your arm, reach way forward with the blade, and lay it in the water to do a bow rudder stroke. If you are moving, just putting the paddle in the water will pull the boat that way. Sometimes, you reach out and place the paddle in about 2'-3' off the bow, and actually do a few strokes to pull the bow over to that side.

But about 98% of the time, their hands will be in between those strips of tape.
Kayak Jack
Doing what you like is FREEDOM
Liking what you do is HAPPINESS
I spent most of my money on whiskey and women - and I'm afraid I just wasted the rest.
Har_Laker
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:31 pm
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Location: NE PA US

Thank You!

Post by Har_Laker »

Kayak Jack,
Thank you for your detailed response it is very much appreciated. I have 35 yrs experience using canoe paddles and 2 days with the kayak paddles.

Thank You,
Jeff
Har_Laker
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:31 pm
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Location: NE PA US

New photos and some questions

Post by Har_Laker »

Sanded top and bottom, then decided to add another layer of glass for wear and tear

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Bottom and side rough sanded, they will be painted

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Top sanded, ready for varnish!

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I had a question about kayaking and boat wakes. I have no motor lakes picked out for practice with myself and the kids, but eventually we would like to hit a nearby motorized lake with decent bass fishing.
How does the laker do when it is broad sided by a wake?

Jeff
coogzilla
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Location: Southern California

Post by coogzilla »

Nice work!
That last one is too pretty to slap paint on. IMO.
Get her some dark green sunglasses. Might work?

Coogs
JEMWATERCRAFT:
Touring Pirogue-
Har_Laker
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:31 pm
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Location: NE PA US

Progress

Post by Har_Laker »

Daughter getting ready for paint

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Putting on the first coat. I was wrong, the color is "Jade" green. We used rust-oleam on my sons, but we're using Benjamin Moore for this and mine. It seams much better as far as application.

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Coogs,
I won, she's doing the top with varnish. I'm guessing the you are single. I know I would be if I started building in my living room.:)
Good looking boat. I'm thinking of doing some staining on mine also.

Jeff
Har_Laker
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:31 pm
Type of boat I like: <-- Please read instructions to the left and delete this text. Then, tell us what type boat you like! :-)
Location: NE PA US

Build Update

Post by Har_Laker »

No new pictures to post as of yet. We got the paint on my daughters kayaks bottom and the first coat of varnish on the top. Looks good!

I evened up all the pieces for my kayak and discovered that mine is the one that the kids cut out by themselves!

Lots of sanding:)

Got the bottoms and sides taped and started stitching the panels around the forms.

This build will take much longer as I am coaching my sons football team 4 nights a week through the month of August. We got the kids kayaks done in about four weeks each working nights and weekends.

I'm dying to go paddling and fishing. We all watched the paddling videos on www. kayakpaddling.net and everyone is anxious to get out.

Looking forward to posting pictures of our "fleet" in the new Laker section when they are done.

Hope all is well with everyone!

Jeff
Kayak Jack
Design Reviewer
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Post by Kayak Jack »

Jeff, Good to see your Daughter involved there. Da'st I guess that her tee shirt is now partly green? :lol: I paint like kids do, some on the target and more on me and the floor.

Hug that little girl for us grandpas. And, show her the pictures of my Granddaughter, Katie, along with seven (count'em 7) on the Au Sable a couple months ago. This may help encourage your daughter to want to get out there and do a lot with her boat. http://jwpifer.myphotoalbum.com The second photo picture group down on the left side. (Bear's Buddy and Toby are in that first shot too. I'm the fantastically handsome geezer standing immediately behind Katie.)

Last weekend, Katie started getting serious about learning how to paddle. "Our" boat won't be our boat very much longer, I'm thinking. She'll be at the helm of her own boat mo-damned-sukoshi. Grandpa is getting shoved aside, making room for the next gaggle of paddlers. The torch is being passed.
Kayak Jack
Doing what you like is FREEDOM
Liking what you do is HAPPINESS
I spent most of my money on whiskey and women - and I'm afraid I just wasted the rest.
Har_Laker
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 10:31 pm
Type of boat I like: <-- Please read instructions to the left and delete this text. Then, tell us what type boat you like! :-)
Location: NE PA US

Post by Har_Laker »

Thanks Jack for sharing your pictures and your family. You have a beautiful grand daughter and have made some exceptional boats. You are living a charmed life.
My father has passed, but my father in-law bears a resemblance to you with the beard and all. He is also an exceptional wood worker. He has a lot to offer when I try to do a strip built.
My in-laws retired on the upper delaware and all of my kids love to go there to fish, boat, and hang out.


Jeff
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