 Click image to enlarge | With the sanded hull and forms flipped over (right side up), I tacked a strip of wood onto
the forms to help hold them in place. The deck side sheer strip was then tacked on *without* glue. |
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 Click image to enlarge | I added a few more courses of poplar, paying special attention to make sure that the deck sheer strip
was firmly seated on the hull side sheer. I added a single course of walnut as the sixth. This is the final course
that will run along the sheer line. All subsequent courses will run from bow to stern in a straight line. |
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 Click image to enlarge | This is a view from the stern. Again, you can see that I didn't have strips the length of the
boat, so I had to make 45 degree lap joints on both sides. |
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 Click image to enlarge | I started the deck fill by running 2 strips down the centerline and filling in outward toward the sheer line.
This pic show the deck almost completely filled in. |
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 Click image to enlarge | More fill. It's a tedious process because I had to plane each end of the fill strip to fit the angle and
bevel of the final sheer walnut strip. I left the walnut strip top side un-routered so that I had a clean 90 degree surface
to butt up against. |
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 Click image to enlarge | Yet another view. She's starting to look like a real, sea worthy craft! Side note: I love duct tape. It clamps well and doesn't harm the fragile cove side of the strips. |
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 Click image to enlarge | The deck is done...well, the deck stripping is done. There's no point in filling in the center because that's
where the cockpit will be cut out.
All nails have been removed and the forms have been pulled out. I used water based wood filler to fill in all
of the nail holes on both the deck and the hull.
Removing the forms before glassing is not the traditional method. The soft cedar that most builders use
would warp away from the intended shape. Normally the hull is built, faired & sanded, and
then glassed before the deck is even built. Since I built the kayak from poplar, a hardwood, I decided to chance it
and get all of the woodwork done before I start glassing.
A set of tie down straps are holding the deck and hull together at this point. |
