Sunday, April 29, 2018

Chesapeake Light Craft - Sassafras 12 Canoe Project

Day 2 – 2 Hours


I finished gluing the remaining planks and outwales tonight. These scarfed joints are not as easy to connect. They seem to leave quite a gap or they overlap too much and aren't as flat as I would like. It would be nice to have the completed dimensions for each plank so you could position them more accurately. One of my bottom planks (plank 1) had quite a rough joint. I filled it with some additional epoxy to smooth out the transition. Since I plan to paint the outside of the hull and the seat will cover the inside seam, I don't think it will be a problem. Both # 1 planks are exactly the same length.

CHESAPEAKE LIGHT CRAFT - SASSAFRAS 12 CANOE PROJECT

I spent the rest of the time tonight cutting wire and making the staples for the assembly. I had kept the gig I used on the last project (a 2x4 with a hole ½ inch from one edge) and it worked quite well.

CHESAPEAKE LIGHT CRAFT - SASSAFRAS 12 CANOE PROJECT

Day 3 – 3 Hours


Started sanding the planks tonight. I was able to find an adaptor for my shop vac so I could attach it to my orbital sander. Saved a big mess. The rabbits were another situation. They were quite rough. I found a sanding sponge worked great and made short work of it. Sanding a taper at the end of the rabbits was another story. I had purchased the Riffler Rasp 8 piece set from CLC and they worked great. Last thing tonight was to glue one of the inwales to a # 5 plank. Didn’t have enough clamps for both.

CHESAPEAKE LIGHT CRAFT – SASSAFRAS 12 CANOE PROJECT

"The most important things are length, width and weight," Kitt says. "You have to get the right boat for the right job. The main difference is distance. You have to determine how far you want to paddle. A longer boat goes farther with less effort".

Chesapeake Light Craft, Chesapeake Light Craft Wooden Boat Kits

Sassafras 12 Canoe

Saturday, April 21, 2018

CHESAPEAKE LIGHT CRAFT - SASSAFRAS 12 CANOE PROJECT

This will really be a challenge since the space I have available is limited and I will not be able to complete the project in the same room as I am getting started. My long room, necessary for joining the planks or "strakes" is carpeted and I will not be able to do any sanding there without greatly upsetting my domestic relations. I will therefore be starting the project in one area and completing it in another, uncarpeted (and smaller) area. This second area also has a “straight shot” out of my basement when the project is completed.

Day 1 – 4 Hours

I started by reading the instructions! The layout is a little complicated but with a little time, not difficult. Using the provided charts, you lay out the planks with the correct offset and glue them together. The biggest difference I noted from the last project's instructions is that they had you align one of the two plank sections to join and then, by covering them with plastic sheets, you build the second one on top of the first. This solves the problem of the dissimilar pieces as I had with the last project.

The epoxy with this kit is also quite different. In addition to wood flour they provided silica powder. If you have not used this before, experiment with your mix prior to making any large batches. A little silica goes a long way.

You will notice in the photos that I taped all my surfaces to minimize the staining from the epoxy. I haven’t done this before and I am really hopeful that it will reduce the sanding necessary later.

Again, my work surface limited my activities so I was only able to join the lowers three “strakes” and two of the four inwales or outwales. I will do the rest tomorrow if all goes well.

Well, all for tonight. Time - approximately 4 hours of prep and the initial gluing.

[caption id="attachment_2179" align="alignright" width="600"]CHESAPEAKE LIGHT CRAFT CHESAPEAKE LIGHT CRAFT[/caption]

"The most important things are length, width and weight," Kitt says. "You have to get the right boat for the right job. The main difference is distance. You have to determine how far you want to paddle. A longer boat goes farther with less effort" Read More Kayaking CNY

Sunday, April 15, 2018

The least expensive kayak is the "right" kayak!

When I first opened I had a customer who bought a kayak. The next year he came back and got a better one. The same happened the next year and the year after. The lesson I learned from this is to make sure you have room to grow as a paddler. Had this customer bought a better right kayak the first year he might not have ended up with a garage full. ( This is a little tricky since if you get a kayak that is too advanced you could become discouraged.) TJ.



Ask the dealer! Most dealers will have sold hundreds of kayaks and gotten feedback from their customers. Any reputable dealer will recommend the right kayak he/she thinks is best suited for your enjoyment. After all, do you want to take advice from the most knowledgeable person in the room or the least knowledgeable? LM.



Test Paddling - As a rule, I think test paddling is not a good way to choose your next purchase.Some times I insist the customer tests the kayak first especially if I think the kayak is too advanced for them, but usually beginners who test paddle will under buy. They buy the right kayak they feel comfortable in today and a month later regret buying such a basic boat. I can't tell you how many people have come into my shop after buying a totally inappropriate boat for what they want to do and tell me I test paddled it and it was stable. If you do test paddle, listen to the Pro. They have seen hundreds of beginners and if they say you can handle a more advanced kayak you most likely can. After all they don't want to sell you some thing you are going to be complaining about. TK.



Paddling Festivals/Shows - If you have never been to one I highly recommend going. There are usually dozens of manufacturers reps there and these shows are a good source of information. Now for the bad part, the vast majority of shows are put on by one store. When you get there it looks like a bunch of competing dealers, when in fact there is only one. It doesn't matter which kayak you buy it all goes in the same cash box. Some shows like the East Coast Canoe and Kayak Fest have competing dealers. I really like these shows as you can get some seriously good deals at them. CF.



"The most important things are length, width and weight," Kitt says. "You have to get the right boat for the right job. The main difference is distance. You have to determine how far you want to paddle. A longer boat goes farther with less effort" Read More Kayaking CNY

Saturday, April 14, 2018

Zegul Arrow Play HV Kayak

Zegul Arrow Play HV Kayak




About Zegul Arrow Play HV Kayak



Zegul Youtube Videos

Zegul Arrow Play HV is the highest volume version of the Arrow Play kayaks.


It is a performance sea kayak for maneuvering and playing in the sea. Play HV’s hard chine hull has a high degree of rocker and a high volume bow. The mid-section has a slightly rounded hull profile, making it very smooth form edge to edge. It is an excellent kayak for day trips and longer overnight getaways.





Features
































Material Composite
Length 514 cm (16′)
Width 54 cm (21¼”)
Capacity Approx 156 kg (344 lbs)
Cockpit 82,5 x 42 cm (32½” x 16½”)
Weight A-Core 25–27 kg (55–60 lbs)
Weight 3D C-Core 20–22 kg (44–49 lbs)
Weight Rock Solid 25–27 kg (55–60 lbs)
Weight Full Carbon 18–20 kg (39–44 lbs)
Storage: Front 24 cm (10″)
Storage: Day hatch 20 cm (8″)
Storage: Mini-box 15 cm (6″)
Rudder/SKEG Skeg
Purpose play boating
Sprayskirt size L: 87.5 x 51.5 cm (34½" x 20½")

Zegul Arrow Play MV Kayak

Zegul Arrow Play MV Kayak




About Zegul Arrow Play MV Kayak



Zegul Youtube Videos

Arrow Play MV is a performance sea kayak, developed specially for maneuvering and Playing in the sea. It is also an excellent kayak for day trips and longer overnight getaways. The hull has significant rocker and volume in the bow to avoid diving when riding down the wave. The mid-section has a slightly rounded profile making it very smooth form edge to edge. This combined with the hard chines make the Play a joy to paddle whether you enjoy the rough stuff or just want a sea kayak that responds instantly to your moves.



We have spent hundreds of hours with development, research and testing the Play MV model. Now the Play has proven to be very popular sea kayak over Scandinavia. We have redesigned the deck and bow making the deck look smoother with softer lines; especially the front deck has a lower appearance and will catch less wind. The deck line outfitting has been made more practical and the overhang in the bow has been lowered and extended. The key selling point for the Play MV is versatility – it fits wide range of paddlers in almost all skill levels. It is stable without sacrificing maneuverability and speed. Storage capacity, then gave it a keyhole cockpit for easier entrance and exit.





Features


































Material Composite
Length 517 cm (17′)
Width 53,5 cm (21″)
Capacity Approx 150 kg (331 lbs)
Cockpit 81 x 41,5 cm (31½” x 16¼” )
Weight A-Core 23–25 kg (51–55 lbs)
Weight 3D C-Core 19-21 kg (42-46 lbs)
Weight Rock Solid 23-25 kg (51-55 lbs)
Weight Full Carbon 16–18 kg (35–40 lbs)
Storage: Front 24 cm (10″)
Storage: Rear 44 x 26 cm (17″ x 10¼”)
Storage: Day hatch 20 cm (8″)
Storage: Mini-box 15 cm (6″)
Rudder/SKEG Skeg
Purpose play boating
Sprayskirt size L: 87.5 x 51.5 cm (34½" x 20½")

Zegul Arrow Play LV Kayak

Zegul Arrow Play LV Kayak




About Zegul Arrow Play LV Kayak



Zegul Youtube Videos

The LV is a smaller version of the Zegul Arrow Play MV. It is a sleek and elegant performer with excellent maneuvering and playing capabilities.


The Play LV gives the smaller paddler a tighter fit resulting in high control over the kayak. The hull has a high degree of rocker and a fairly high volume in the bow. The mid-section has a slightly rounded hull profile making it very smooth form edge to edge. This combined with the hard chines makes the Play LV a joy to paddle. The edge is rock solid and the Play LV has a very nice glide though the water.


The most important keywords describing Zegul Play LV is versatility and fit – it fits the smaller or athletically built paddlers of almost all skill levels. It is stable without sacrificing maneuverability and speed.






Features


































Material Composite
Length 509 cm (16’8″)
Width 53,5 cm (21″)
Capacity Approx 145 kg (320 lbs)
Cockpit 81 x 41,5 cm (31½” x 16¼” )
Weight A-Core 23-25 kg (51-55 lbs)
Weight 3D C-Core 19-21 kg (42-46 lbs)
Weight Rock Solid 23-25 kg (51-55 lbs)
Weight Full Carbon 16–18 kg (35–40 lbs)
Storage: Front 24 cm (10″)
Storage: Rear 44 x 26 cm (17″ x 10¼”)
Storage: Day hatch 20 cm (8″)
Storage: Mini-box 15 cm (6″)
Rudder/SKEG Skeg
Purpose play boating
Sprayskirt size L: 87.5 x 51.5 cm (34½" x 20½")

Zegul Arrow Empower Kayak