Day 5, Row/sail canoe, version 2. Build time: 8hrs.
I have an OCD-like compulsion about finishing things. Stopping part way through anything is like fingernails on the chalkboard of my brain. This can result in some serious lashing marathons. Luckily I have Liz to help my tie. Today was a 6 hour day but I included the time Liz helped to keep things honest.
Using a power drill to wind the artificial sinew and using continuous lashings makes things easier. I don’t worry about lashings breaking because they are all essentially isolated from each other by the coating adhering the skin to the outside of the stringers.
Tying on stringers is one of those things that people get nervous about because it seems like it will take forever (and it can depending on how you do it) but with my system it’s really not that bad. A few hours zoning out to podcasts and it’s done.
Almost forgot to taper my wide keel before gluing it down but caught it just in time. I always put the keel on last because the stringers can shift the frame quite a bit, and often shims are needed toward the ends. A few clamps help to pull the end ribs in a bit, and I might cut the center out of the last rib to fair in that section.
Pouring rain outside today, I’m kinda disappointed the predicted snowstorm never arrived.
___
This post was originally featured on our Instagram feed.
See the original post and discussion here.
