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Shoot, is that all the mistakes you made? My first stitched hull I finally had to throw away, it was so bad. I made the mistake of using the CLC templates, and not battens.
I spent forever fighting the glass under my planked deck. It's very hard to get fiberglass to stay up and cure. For some reason, it never occurred to me to turn the boat over and let gravity work for me, instead of against me.
Don't forget to check fit and alignment after stitching, before glassing the seams. I forgot fit, and while everything is symetrical and aligned side to side, I'm slightly hogged under the seat.
Check your "clever improvements" several times before installing them. I managed to make an adjustable seat rack that cannot be adjusted because the boat has sides.
Here's a couple of suggestions of things that really did work;
Use a plane. The things are fantastic at cutting runs and high spots off. Use the pvc clamps that CLC suggests. They hold the cloth tight. Bevel the edges of the panels, they fit together nicely then. Don't overglass, unless you want a heavy beast like mine is.
And lastly, *listen* to all the people that are thoroughly stunned by the beauty of your boat. They are seeing it better then you, the one focusing on that invisible wave of glass cloth that only you can see.
This is an archived message from The Kayak Building Bulletin Board.
Guillemot Kayak - High
Performance Wooden Sea Kayak Designs
