From: Julio MacWilliams <cisco.com!juliom@imagelan.com>
Message-Id: <199605281544.IAA20009@harrier.cisco.com>
Subject: Re: wood-frame kayaks
To: baidarka@imagelan.com
Date: Tue, 28 May 1996 08:44:48 -0700 (PDT)
In-Reply-To: <199605272322.UAA11926@ra.isisnet.com> from "A.Hofland" at May 27, 96 08:22:08 pm
I did not have that problem because I used temporary forms, and then
bend the ribs to match the stringers. By using forms, the stringers get
the "twist" that you need.
The easiest way to build a wood-canvas kayak is to attach the stringers
to temporary cross-sectional forms. Then, for the ribs bend ash or soaked
oak pieces and tie them to the stringers until they dry out and keep their
shape, or leave them tied if you are not going to use glue.
You can use very cheap and fragile wood on the forms, and brake it when all
the ribs are attached, or build thek kayak in two sections, deck and hull. Or
you can build the deck without ribs just several deck beams here and there.
This last one is the most popular method.
Read George Putz "Wood and Canvas Kayak Building", not for the design, but
for the method of construction. It is full of very good ideas.
There go my two cents.
- Julio
>
> The following is addressed to all who have experience building wood-frame
> kayaks or baidarkas. I am currently building the frame for a skin-on-frame
> canoe and have run into a (temporary?) hitch. Am using rectangular-section
> (longitudinal) stringers (3/8 by 3/4) and ribs (1/4 by 3/4). The
> longitudinals are in place as well as the first few mid-section ribs. I had
> intended to epoxy-glue the ribs to both the stringers and the gunwhales, but
> as I attempted to place a rib at the extreme ends I realized just how much
> force is required to get both the rib and stringer to twist and lay flat
> against eachother there. I am steaming the ribs over temporary forms.
>
> I have a couple of questions:
>
> 1) any suggestions with regard to the above problem, or is it simply a
> question of slugging it out?
> 2) I intend to build a skin-on-wood-frame kayak next and would like to
> minimize this problem. I know I can avoid the problem by using round-section
> material for both the stringers and ribs and tieing them, but don't like the
> idea of simply sliding the ribs in holes in the gunwhales (as is done in
> Brinck's book) without attaching them. Again, suggestions or other methods
> will be welcome.
>
> Thanks, Anko Hofland
> Anko H
>
>