Got to work on the chines this weekend.
They started out at about 16’ long, ¾” square. After cutting to the proper length, I needed to plane a taper on each end (all four sides) that started four feet from the ends and resulted in the very ends being ½” square.



Next step was to temporarily position the chines on the hull and mark the bevels on the ends, where they meet the stems. Once marked you just lift the end of the chine over the keelson and use a small plane to take it down to the line. One problem I had with this was that after the chines were lashed in place they twisted somewhat so that the bevels did not meet the stems flush anymore. When marking the chine ends initially I was just using spring clamps to hold them in position, this held them securely enough but it did not make them lie flat against the ribs like the lashing did. Once the lashings were tight, the angle that the chines met the stems changed. I ended up just running a piece of sandpaper against the chine end until it came reasonably close to meeting the stem properly. Once it’s skinned I’ll forget all about it.






Next was to position the chines on the hull. I used bungee cords to simulate the skin. I positioned the chines so that there will be a 3/8” gap between the skin and the ribs, when measuring between the keelson and the chine. Once both were positioned where I wanted them I just ran a running lashing to secure them to the ribs, same as the keelson.



Last step was to lash the ends of the chines so they are pulled tight against the stems. The lashings cross over the inside of the stems so that not only are the chines pulled tight together they are tensioned to keep them from moving up or down on the sides of the stems.



A few pics of the nearly completed frame.




Doug

Looks real good, your doing a great job.

Gotta love all that fresh, clean work. Good job, man!

Thanks, this yellow cedar really is beautiful stuff to work with and the scent coming off it after every cut is something else. My garage has never smelled this nice before.

This weekend I got the stem plates done. They are the pieces that create the triangular transition from the stem itself to the ends of the gunwales.
They sit in a recess that gets cut into each end of the kayak. You clamp a depth gauge to your saw and just start cutting a whole slew of slots so that there are only thin pieces remaining that you can then break off. Using a chisel and then a cabinetmaker’s file the bottom of the recess gets cleaned up so that it is flat.





Next was to cut the stem plate to fit the length of the recess and mark the sides of the kayak on it along with the required thickness. After roughing out the shape and thickness it then gets pinned into place using 3/16” dowels. Like the keelson, the pegs are set at an angle to keep the plate in place (again, a little glue on the pegs here didn’t hurt either).






After letting the glue set up it was a matter of trimming the pegs and then shaping the top of the plates with a small plane. Then used a batten to set the transition curve on the side of the plates and used a spokeshave to shape them. Biggest fear here was nicking a lashing while shaping the sides but everything went well.




Doug

I’m just making a template for the masik now and have a quick question regarding the layout of the upper curve. In Chris Cunningham’s book (page 96) he starts with a 7/8” mark above the apex of the lower curve (no problem there) and then a 1 1/8” mark from the outside corner of the lower curve, along the angled line which is the inside face of the gunwale. This second mark seems to make the masik pretty thin where it sits on top of the gunwale. I’m not sure if I’m understanding the directions properly as the picture on page 99 shows a lot more wood at the end of the upper curve.


Can I just add some more thickness to the ends of the upper curve without it affecting anything later on? I’m assuming that as long as the top curve of the masik ends just inside the outside gunwale faces I will be all right. I may be getting overly cautious here but I’ve laminated up three pieces of hardwood to make the masik blank and I would rather not have to do that again (a time and money thing).

Thanks, Doug

You can, but it's probably not neccessary, as the dowels should be more than enough to hold the masic, with the lashing further strengthening the joint... the little thin lip being there more for holding things in place for drilling the dowels.
I must say, this is the most fastidious, and beautiful build I've seen in a long time, which is well worth it, since the frame is usually a lifetime thing, often lasting through many skins, though it might be tempting to try a clear vinyls kin, just to show it off!

Thanks Stumpy, for both the encouraging words and the advice. I hadn’t thought about the dowels also taking up any pressure that may be applied to the top of the masik. I did end up adding some thickness to the upper curve since I figured it’s easier to take wood away later than add to it.

First thing was to mock up the lower curve and position of the masik. This boat’s fit is a far cry from the Telkwa Sport I had been paddling for the last few years. You really have to enter this boat straight legged, but once in it seems pretty comfortable. Once I knew the rough dimensions I glued up a hard wood blank that the masik would get cut from. With the template pattern traced to the blank I cut out the upper and lower curves of the masik.




Next step was to make the jig that would precisely locate the notches for the gunwales. The jig is just two lengths of plywood with spacers (the same thickness as the masik) sandwiched between them at the ends. You position the jig across the gunwales where the masik will sit. You then place cardboard against the inside face of the gunwales, the bottom edges 7/8” below the top surface of the gunwales, and tape them in position to the inside of the jig. Once the cardboard is taped in place the jig comes off the kayak and the masik blank is positioned in the jig. The edges of the cardboard and the bottom of the jig are traced to the masik and these become the notches that have to be cut out. The jig worked like a dream and the masik only needed a little fine tuning to fit. I still need to take out some of the thickness of the upper curve and cut them back a bit from the gunwales’ outer edge.







Next was to dimension and fit the deck stringers. I got the two aft stringers pinned in place but need to finish shaping and mounting the masik before installing the forward stringers.




Last thing I got done this weekend was to machine the floorboards. Decided to make them to run from the rib behind the backrest right to the rib at the footrest. They are cut wedge shaped to keep as much clearance as possible between them and the skin. Will wait until the frame has been oiled before lashing them in place.



Doug

Doug,
I really enjoy looking at your craftsmanship and woodworking skill. I like how you use the simplest methods to achieve perfect fits.
I have a naive question: why are the floor boards on the outside, rather then on top of the ribs?
Roy

Morning Roy,

Couple of reasons the floorboards are under the ribs. One is that it keeps the paddler’s center of gravity lower and from what I hear about these boats I want to keep that as low as possible. If the boards are placed on top of the ribs you raise the sitting position by almost a full inch. It’s surprisingly comfortable as long as you’re not sitting on a rib. The other reason is that you would lose the same amount of interior height with the ribs on top. It’s a tight enough fit getting in and out as it is. I think I’m going to have to break down and take some rolling lessons cause I don’t think a wet exit is going to be as easy with this boat as it is with my hardshell.

Doug

Hi Doug

the build looks awesome. you definitely have more patience than i had with my build. looks beautiful.

cant wait to see it on the water.

Rob

Hey Rob,

It was good to meet you this past weekend. I know after trying Turner's boat out you were saying you might build an SOF yourself so if you ever find yourself out Maple Ridge way and want to check it out just let me know.

Doug

I guess this could go out to anyone. If using the cunningham's book what is the ballpark cost of materials to build it?.

for me $450-$500 on the last boat that I used superior lumber grades and expensive skin/adhesive

jeff

Thanks Jeff

I use fuselage construction (plywood frames) and have yet to break the $250 mark, but I'm a good scrounger and recycler.