Message-Id: <199701201851.KAA02091@ns1.intelenet.net>
From: Wolfgang Brinck <wolfgang.brinck@hksystems.com>
Subject: Re: Split keelson
To: baidarka@lists.intelenet.net
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 97 12:47:17 CST
In-Reply-To: <32E3ABC1.7C9@capecod.net>; from "Bill Low" at Jan 20, 97 12:30 (noon)
>
> Wolfgang:
> You wrote:
> "Also, multipart construction may simply have been related to the
> difficulty of getting long pieces of wood of good enough quality.
> Better to piece together several short pieces and save the good
> long stuff for gunwales. I believe it was in George Dyson's book that I
> saw a quote that assembling components of a baidarka took the
> better part of a year."
>
> That seems to make the most sense. The other effect that clouds the
> issue is the skin I use. It must be much stiffer than seal skin. If so
> the effect of the 3 part keelson would be much less. Dave Z's book
> Qajak shows a picture of a bone insert in the split used as a bearing
> surface. I put a piece of plastic (polypro)milk carton in each of the
> joints to give the same effect. Perhaps when I get a chance to break it
> in and loosen it up I will see some effect. I basic idea of splitting
> the keelson makes sense. So far I have not found anything the Aleut did
> to not make sense.
>
> Bill Low
>
I believe the Aleuts used Sea Lion skin which may be heavier than seal
skin. Even so, seal skin when dry is quite stiff, almost akin to very
light weight fiberglass. Of course it softens when exposed to water, but
I have never seen a skin boat in use, so I don't know how much of a
factor this is.
However, you are right, regardless of composition, the skin is a major
structural element and when tight restricts internal motion of the frame
so that movement visible in an uncovered frame is much attenuated.
--
wolfgang. /|
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