North Alaskan kayak frame build, Day 2). Today I continued my efforts to match the sheer curve of the survey kayak, building two more models, the last of which is satisfactory. Owing to the finished dimensions, I believe the original builder may have started with sawn planks 4 inches wide, which would have been...
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North Alaskan Kayak Frame Build, Day 1: Prep
North Alaskan Kayak Frame Build, Day 1) Started the day by sharpening my tools and trying to get back into a boat building mindset. Although I did buy a couple of carving knives specifically for this build, generally I don’t have much in the way of fancy handtools. It’s not so much about money...
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Building North Alaskan replica kayaks
This month in the shop we are swinging back towards kayaks again with a commission for two different North Alaskan replica kayak frames. Both of the original kayaks are housed in the Burke museum in Seattle WA, And likely date to sometime around the early 20th century. Both were surveyed by Harvey Golden and...
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Some of our favorite skin-on-frame photos: Checking the lines on an F1
We’re sharing some of our favorite skin-on-frame photos from the last 15 years while we build the tiny house. (Check out @actuallytiny). Here Tom and I are checking out the very intentionally unfair lines of my F1 kayak design. Visually the curves seem to flow nicely when the kayak is finished but a lot...
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Sharing some of our favorite skin-on-frame photos: Bending ribs
We’re sharing some of our favorite skin-on-frame photos from the last 15 years while we build the tiny house. (Check out @actuallytiny). When I first started building boats I went to visit a local cabinet maker named Robert who had built an entire sailboat in his backyard. I thought he would be a good...
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Sharing some of our favorite skin-on-frame photos: Deck straps + toggles
We’re sharing some of our favorite skin-on-frame photos from the last 15 years while we build the tiny house. (Check out @actuallytiny). The deck line and toggle arrangements on traditional Greenland hunting kayaks have always fascinated me. A quick page through Harvey Golden’s book, Kayaks of Greenland reveals a vast array of potential setups...
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Sharing some of our favorite skin-on-frame photos: My favorite Greenland kayak ever
We’re sharing some of our favorite skin-on-frame photos from the last 15 years while we build the tiny house. (Check out @actuallytiny). I’ve been thinking a lot about the kayak in this picture lately. Built 16 years ago this less than faithful reproduction of a certain historic Greenland kayak remains to this day my...
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It’s kind of painful how little time I get to spend with a boat before I start hacking into it with modifications
It’s kind of painful how little time I get to spend with a boat before I start hacking into it with modifications. Trying to find the right seat heights and position in the tandem right now. Also switching to 3/16 bolts and cup washers (always the plan). Moved the bow and stern seat back...
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Building a Greenland paddle
I literally can’t explain why I don’t like making Greenland paddles. It’s easy work, pays well, and I really believe that my shape is superior to most of what’s out there, but for whatever reason I’m just sick of making them. After 15 years of making about one of these a week I finally...
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Notes on the tandem canoe
Got the tandem canoe on the water for the second time today. My friend Don and his son joined the mission, thus helping me get a visual on what the canoe loaded with gear would look and feel like. (All pics show a total weight of 400 lbs) This canoe is 15’9” long, 36...
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Notes on the solo canoe
Got a chance to try the new canoes today. I’ll post my thoughts about the solo canoe today and the tandem tomorrow. The solo boat is 30 inches wide 12 1/4 inches deep and 13’9” long, it weighs 30 pounds and it’s probably about as durable as a well-made Kevlar canoe. 14’9” is probably...
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Working towards finishing the canoes today
Working towards finishing the canoes today with a quick and dirty rough install of the seats with some hex cap 1/4-20 bolts and some random hardwood dowels. Once I test the boats and decide on final seat heights I’ll replace these with oval head machine screws and cup washers for a more finished appearance....
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Almost ruined two brand new canoes today
Almost ruined two brand new canoes today by once again not taking my own advice. It seems like nearly every time I completely screw something up it’s because I’m trying to do something that I explicitly tell my students not to. In this case it was trying to use up some partially cured polyurethane...
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Skinned and dyed the solo canoe
Skinned and dyed the solo canoe today. Cool shadows on the sidewalk. I really like the curved laminated walnut and ash seat I ordered from Northstar Canoes. Not a super hard thing to make but the economics of the time involved makes just buying one the easier option, plus it supports canoe people. I...
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Reviewing shaping on the 14 foot solo canoe
Nice light in the shop this morning. This winter has been pretty brutal so it’s good to finally see the sun. With this last solo frame finished I finally have a solid sample set to analyze the shape that my rib length formula is creating. To my eye it looks good from the bow...
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