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Another thought on your layup. A single layer of Carbon alone, won't add as much stiffness as you think. An insert over the football, will serve you better, unless you plan to add more layers, in place of an insert. Certainly doable ! Good Luck ! Jim

I've never been a fan of keels. I would look for a different hull. You will spend a lot of money on this build. You want to be happy with it. A keel will present more problems, than any benefit perceived to be gained. Glassing over it is the one, I would be concerned about. I would also lean...

I've built several canoes, using a similar method as you describe . I just finished up a 38 Spl. ( Bruce Kunz design.)16'3" about 29" wide. So I use a Stripper as a Male mold. Using a stripper, has the advantage, of also using the forms, to build a 1/8" thick, Cedar insert, instead of foam...

One of my Favorites. Portage yoke/ back rest. My Trangia Alcohol stove. And My Coleman Hulu single pole two man tent. Jim

Trying to find, Boat heat shrink wrap, 7 mill, or thicker. No luck locally. One Marina wants $22 a foot, to shrink wrap. That's not going to happen. They won't sell me the film. I can buy what I want online, but not willing to pay for a large roll, when I only need 17'x 5'. I've used Window...

So I have a new idea . You have all seen large motor boats shrink wrapped, with a blue plastic. I'm going to check into getting my 38 Spl, without outwhales. Shrink wrapped. I could then easily pull a Kevlar copy from it ! My recent, Kevlar 38 Spl., at 16'3" with a 2.5# seat, came in at...

That is an Awesome deal !

Yes. I liken them to a third hand, for hold strips. The biggest two advantages to bead and cove. One strip alignment. Bead and Coved strips, stay in place. Hand beveling, or Robo beveling, doesn't. The strips will often slip. This causes a lot of excess sanding, and thin spots in the strip...

So long as there's no " Wanted Posters" out on you ! ;)

A closer look at you stems ? I believe either your two piece forms, attached to the stem, are too low, or your inner stems are too high ? Someone more familiar with the Kite build, can tell you more ? It looks to me like you will be building a bump, or what they term " Hog Nose" on the...

All I know, is it takes me a lot more time, and trips back and forth, to the wood shop. Even when I'm just doing a partial Staple less method. If a guy could hold the strips in place with Jimmie clamps, and use CA glue, and accelerator ? A guy could whizz through a hull. Jim

That is some great variety, at reasonable cost. Thanks Brian! Jim

I've used drop cloth plastic, Visqueen, and window heat shrink plastic, all with good release. The Boat shrink wrap might be ideal ! Especially if you form it to the hull, prior to laying it over the wetted cloth. Eliminating wrinkles. Great idea Cruiser ! Jim

I'm surprised I hadn't thought of this before. Getting a plastic layer, on the tumblehomed area of the wetted hull? Might be a real challenge ! Much easier over just the football. As far as actual resin savings ? I was just throwing out a guess. So what triggered this thread ? When I...

You have discovered the problems involved keeping the strips tight to the forms. There are more to come. Good luck ! Jim

Picking up a 50# canoe and portaging it, is harder than doing the same with a 30# canoe. It doesn't matter how much you weigh, or how in shape you are. Problem, is reducing the weight of a canoe. Reducing the amount of resin needed to build a hull, by say 30% , without sacrificing the...

The weight savings is from glassing, the outside of the canoe. The weave is buried. so no fill coats required. The weight savings is from not needing extra epoxy, to fill the weave.. So I need to be more clear. Here is a simple test. Take a piece of cloth, lay it on some plastic, or wood...

So lately, I finished up another Composite canoe. Where I use a stripper as a Male mold. After I varnished the inside. It Dawned on me. Why did I use Fill coats, two of them, to fill the weave of the fiberglass cloth ? If I would have used a Saran Wrap type plastic, over the Wet out coat ? I...

Bead and Cove, helps in the entire process. It reduces the amount of sanding, due mostly to excess glue, and misaligned strips. It also saves time in assembling the hull. Butt joints are easier with bead and cove also. To Me ? It's a No Brainer ! I built my first few canoes, by hand...

Twice over the years, the double layer would have been the "Stitch in Time" Once, on a friend's canoe, that developed a small split, in the keel. This was in the BWCA. Duct tape got him home. The other time, was a guy, that decided to climb into one of my Wee Lasse strippers, while sitting on...