F1 kayak build time lapse, Day 7. Sound on and don’t forget to scroll, there are two videos here! For our final videos in the series we go for a quick paddle on the Willamette river in downtown Portland. Every construction medium has advantages and disadvantages but near the top of the list of...
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Time lapse: F1 kayak build: Day 6
F1 kayak build timelapse, Day 6. I like to tell people that building a skin on frame kayak is quick and easy but that’s not entirely accurate. After 20 years there’s one part of the process that I still struggle with every single time: rigging the deck lines. The crux of the problem is...
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Time lapse: F1 kayak build: Day 5
F1 kayak build timelapse, Day 5 As usual, don’t miss that sound button. Here I’m coating the nylon with 2 part polyurethane. It’s not a perfect finish but the confluence of price, durability, low toxicity, and ease of application creates a pretty incredible overall value. I put it on in 4 hours and that’s...
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Time lapse: F1 kayak build: Day 4, part 2
F1 kayak build time lapse, Day 4, part 2. Shifting gears from jazz to swing for this one so don’t miss that sound button! Whether I stitch the fabric on wet or dry just depends on the which fabric I’m working with. I like this particular fabric because I can stitch it on dry...
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Time lapse: F1 kayak build: Day 4, part 1
F1 kayak build time lapse day 4, part 1. Don’t forget that sound button, these bass grooves aren’t going to listen to themselves! The first kayak I ever skinned 20 years ago took me 14 hours and left my hands bleeding. The system I was following seemed unnecessarily complicated so in true Cape Falcon...
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Time lapse: F1 kayak build: Day 3, part 2
F1 kayak time lapse, end of day 3. The biggest driver of efficiency in my kayak building system comes from the years I taught in person. At first, these weeklong kayak building marathons ran upwards of 11 hours per day, but over the years I learned how to optimize every part of the process...
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Time lapse: F1 kayak build: Day 3, part 1
More work on the F1 kayak. This is the end of Day 2 and beginning of Day 3 on this buid. About 4 more hours of work for me, about twice that for a first time builder. For anyone looking to check out a complete build at a little slower pace I have a...
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Time lapse: F1 kayak build: Day 2
On day 2 of the build I prep and bend in the ribs, tie the keel on, and attach the stems at either end. This is usually a half day of work for me and a full day of work for first time students....
Time lapse: F1 kayak build, Day 1
In addition to slogging through instructional video updates, I’ve spent the last couple weeks building a couple of new demo boats for the shop. I decided to time lapse this F1 build. This first video represents about 4 hours of me working and roughly corresponds to what a student should be able to accomplish in...
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On YouTube: Skin-on-Frame Kayak Construction Details, Part 2: Skin, Coating, and Outfitting
We just posted part 2 of our Skin on Frame Construction Details video to the Cape Falcon Kayak YouTube channel. In this second half we discuss fabric choices, coating, deck rigging, cockpit outfitting and gear storage. Whether you’re interested in building your own boat or having us build one for you this video gives...
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On YouTube: Skin on Frame Kayak Construction Details, Part 1: Framing, Wood Choice, and Design
We just filmed and uploaded a new version of our Construction Details video to the Cape Falcon Kayak YouTube channel. In part one of this two part series we take you on a detailed tour of wood choices, scantling sizes, various materials, modifications, design philosophy and more. This is a great primer for anyone...
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Video: On the water with the F1 and a solo canoe
Like every boatbuilding medium, skin on frame has advantages and disadvantages, but the ability to build rapidly and cheaply without forms or molds is a potent evolutionary force. When designing a new boat I start with a random stab at my goal, try it out, and then start chipping away anything extraneous. It usually...
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Video: West Greenland Kayak build, Day 10: Paddling test
The actual maiden voyage of the kayak built in this series was posted at the beginning of the series so make sure to scroll back and check out that video. Filming conditions weren’t ideal that day though so I think I’ll conclude the series here with a re-edit of an older video of me...
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Video: West Greenland Kayak build, Day 9: Rigging the kayak
After waiting 24 to 48 hours for the coating to cure, I install the leather deck lines, toggles, rub strips, and seat mat. The deck lines are made of English bridle leather which is incredibly expensive but also tough enough to hold up for many years in a saltwater environment. In my opinion installing...
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Video: West Greenland Kayak Build, Day 8: Coating the kayak
As I mentioned at the end of the last post, traditional Greenland hunting kayaks were covered with 3-6 seal skins, a precise and arduous process done almost entirely by women. In addition to the painstakingly stitching, aged seal fat was rubbed on the seams to maintain waterproofness. The coating we use for our kayaks...
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