I’ve run into a problem I don’t know how to solve on the new kayak prototype, so I thought I would submit the issue to the hive mind of Instagram for consideration:
So the new big guy boat needs a slightly taller chine stringer both for skin clearance and stability, but I’m already maxed out on the height of stringer I can use for the curve that I am flexing around. (I’m not gonna make a 16 foot long steambox) Also, even if I could make the curve, it would be too tall, and then the lashing would be unstable.
So I’m thinking no big deal, I’ll just have people glue on an extra strip, but the devil is in the details.
First problem is that you would need a minimum of 30 spring clamps for this and the rest of the kayak only needs 12. I’m pretty unhappy about the prospect of asking my students to purchase an additional 18 spring clamps. It’s not that big of a deal if you get the one dollar ones from Home Depot but in places where those aren’t available, this can get pricey pretty quick.
Next issue is glue, epoxy is too expensive, toxic, and fussy for this step and the squeeze out from gorilla glue would be impossible to clean up because of the existing lashings, which kind of leaves me at titebond 3. Honestly, I don’t have a lot of experience with titebond 3, but I will say that this area of the kayak often has a little bit of water submerging the area of this glue joint, for hours or even weeks if people put their boats away with water in the bottom. Can I really trust Titebond 3 under those conditions?
So that’s where I’m at right now, having people buy 18 more clamps, and then gluing the strips on with titebond 3. Having people buy extra stuff and an extra kind of glue for one step is definitely not the Cape Falcon Way, but it’s the best I can come up with so far.
Anybody else have any brilliant ideas?
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