2011: Post 42 – Continuing onward with the Disko Bay

Continued from previous post number 41..........

The butt joints in the chines and gunwales had 24 hours to cure.  So tonight I decided to put the frames and stringers together with tie-down straps to see the rough shape of my kayak...

Looking toward the stern

The gunwale butt joints will be just in front of the masik frame
(i.e just in front of the cockpit) and the joints in the chine
will sit behind the cockpit 

With the stringers tied to the frames I was able to cut the extra length off after deciding the locations of the joints. 

I had not joined the keel pieces but with the kayak frame laid out like it was I was able to figure out the rough length needed for the keel, decide where the join will be, and cut one of the 10 foot pieces so as to have a more managable length.  I removed the keel pieces and set them aside.  Then I decided to leave everything together and hung it from the floor joists so it is out of the way.

Frame hung from the ceiling (less the keel)

I then joined the pieces of the keel with a butt joint...

The joint in the keel strip will likely sit just in front of frame five
but once I figure out the shape of the bow stem it may end
up behind frame five.

I have to admit that after tying the frames and stringers together and seeing the shape of the kayak take form I am feeling a sense of accomplishment in this early stage of this project...