Stripped Freedom 15

[Darrells]

deck is glued down and the tape is layed with the saturation coat of epoxy done.

[LEE SCHNEIDERMANN]

Beautiful work! I've been lurking in on this thread and it's nice to see another Freedom taking shape. I've been caught in a crossfire of sporting events for kids and the wife's health deteriorating, so the Freedom 18 has seen little progress this winter. Good Lord willing & if the crick don't rise, I'll post something yet this summer.
You're gonna love this boat!

Lee

[Darrells]

I've been thinking about the coaming for awhile now. Being a strip built boat I did not want to use plywood, but I was stuck on what to use. I finally decided tonight to use Aspen to acsent the four strips on the boat. I took a 1x4 and cut a 1/4 strip out of it and tried to wrap the cockpit,but it snapped. Then I tried to use a heat gun and it snapped again. I had a beverage and thought about it for a while and decided to make a steamer. I had some left over pieces of 2 inch tubing from building the kayak trailer. I gathered them up and welded all of the pieces together with a piece of plate (several 1/8 inch holes drilled in it) about six inches up for a boiling chamber.




It worked like a charm. After cooking for about 5 minutes the strips would bend around the cockpit.



Once I figued out how thick to cut the strips I was home free. Ended up stacking six strips for the coaming. They will be goopied to the the deck once dry with a layer of glass to keep everything fastened down tight. needed alot of clamps to keep the strips in place while they dry.

[jem]

Nice!!!!

[Darrells]

Been doing alot of final sanding in preperation of varnishing. Tomorrow night i am going to put thre first coat of graphite on the bottom. Hatches are all finished up,she's not too far from getting wet. Tonight I finished sanding and made the hatch straps.

[Darrells]

Went out to the shop early this morning and applied the first coat of graphite impregnated epoxy. I am hoping by this afternoon i can apply the second coat and run my heater tonight to get the boat ready to flip tomorrow and start varnishing.







The hatch covers are finished.

[Darrells]

The first coat of varnish is on and it looks pretty good. I will give it another pretty heavy coat and then a light sanding. Once it is sanded it will get 2 or 3 more good coats. I hope to get it slimey next weekend.

[Darrells]

I got started rigging the boat tonight. I am trying my darndest to paddle it tomorrow,but I still have to build my seat tonight. I am liking the way it's starting to look close to completion. Heres a few picks I'm heading back out to the shop to work on it somemore.

[Darrells]

The only thing I know of the still needs to be done is build the seat base, which will be done in the morning/afterwhile. I would like to say thank you to Matt and Ron Smith for the help along the way. I must have PM'd Mat 100 times during this build. It has been a really fun build although a little tedious at times. Is it perfect? No,but it is close enough for me. This is only the second boat that I have built and it has turned out way beyond my expectations. Also thanks to Ron for letting me copy his "trademarked" kayak/camping seat base. If the weather will hold off I hope to give a paddle report tomorrow.

[Bruno]

I definitely can't stand these blue elastic luggage straps and belts !

However she's a fantastic and very inspiring boat. Have great fun with her !