2011: Post 51 – Freedom for the Disko Bay

Continued from Post 49…

Sean had suggested some time ago that I remove the frame from the strongback to ensure that the keel was not hogging (see Post 46).  But I just had faith that it would not hog and had left it on the strongback until I had all the deck stringers in place and had epoxied the bottom ring of the cockpit in place.  Early this past week I decided it was time to set the Disko free.

While singing (in my mind only) snippets of “I want to break free” I removed the screws holding the first and last frames in place and set the frame on the basement floor. 

I checked the bow… 

I checked the stern…

Yeah!  Positive rocker.

Later, I set to work drilling holes through the gunwales and backer plates.  Then I did a dry-run of putting the lines in place in front and behind the cockpit.  I draped a towel over the frame to simulate the skin being in place and then inserted and pulled the lines through the holes from inside the kayak.  It worked out pretty well. 

I am using ¼ inch bungee cord in front of the cockpit...

...and ¼ inch reflective deck line behind the cockpit and, of course, for the bow and stern...

I had earlier screwed the backband to the coaming to try it for fit.  I think it will work out just fine with some adjusting and am glad I made the decision to spend the few extra dollars for it…

I sawed off the excess plywood sticking below the keel and sanded things smooth and I made some wood toggles that the deck lines will run through... 

I wanted to put a couple coats of Danish oil on the frame before this weekend.  Someone had given me a can of it a while ago and I checked the warnings on the label…   do not breathe fumes… wear an organic vapour respirator… After reading the can I decided this was not something I wanted to do in the house.  I would have to wait for a decent day on a weekend to do it outside.  This might not happen in November, not around here anyway.  I will have to wait and see.

So I decided to hang the frame from the joists.  At least now it is up out of the way…

Well that is where things sit, or hang, for the time being...