Subject: Re: [baidarka] Folding Baidarka by Volker Born
From: Volker Born (volkerborn@web.de)
Date: Wed Jun 08 2005 - 06:15:02 EDT
the boat is buildt from John Brands drawings of the british museum baidarka.
the deck layout is adapted from Rudi Cooymans baidarkas.
assembly time is about 15 min. the frame is very simple in construction but not as
flexible as a true replica. I found it difficult to get the right amount of longitudinal flexibility into a classic folder design.
the way to tension the fabric is only tight skin fit, and the deck bungies serve only to held items as compass, spare paddles an so on. also they hold the rings inward, so my thumbs are protected when paddling. i get lengthwise tension during assembly by using a 'pressure keel' (direct translation from german) invented by Herbert Slanar in the 1950s an used in kajaks like the Gesa Mvll - and my self-buildt folders. it is part of the frame.
weight of the Baidarka without seat (unfinished), rudder and bags is 20 kg or 20.5 kg. total length is about 5.30 m, width 0.52 m.
the cross frames have a laminated upper half made of 3 stripes of ash.
the lower half is made of a central layer of 4 mm marine birch plywood
with outer layers of 1,5 mm ash veneer. the cross frames are very light.
unfortunately they are too light, i have to replace the 3 main cross
frames because the keel bends inward due to strong skin pressure. I will
use 3 layers of 2,5 - 3 mm ash for the new lower halves. I bend them cold and
glue them with polyurethane glue.
Paul is right, the stringers are held in position by a hypalon strap. only the gunnels and keel have positioners on the ribs, and the strap spreads out the remaining stringers around the frame. the stringers have no pins or something else to fix them on the ribs.
please ignore mistakes in the message.
Volker Born
-- Baidarka Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside Baidarka or Baidarka archives without author's permission Submissions: baidarka@paddlewise.net Subscriptions: baidarka-request@paddlewise.net Searchable archive: http://rtpnet.org/robroy/baidarka
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b27 : Fri Jul 01 2005 - 01:30:01 EDT