JEM Watercraft

I am thinking ahead to possible future projects and I am interested in some designs which utilise the strip plank method, mostly suggested with red cedar.

I have been searching for resources on this technique but few have well detailed instructions. There seem to be many books on the subject but I am in the middle of moving house so I would have to wait. Some give info on how to fix the planks but few tell you how to finish off each end, they talk through assuming one would know....

Can anyone give a good online reference on how to strip plank.

Much appreciated

Matt

Some strip plans use a stem piece. Others you have to blend the strip to make a nice rounded shape. I'll see if I can locate a picture for you.

Anyone else please feel free to jump in!

G'day Gaffers,

I started a stripper canoe build several years ago. (it is still on the racks waiting to be finished.) I have since discovered the joys of stitch & glue ply boats and I am not sure now if I will ever finish it.

The book I had was by Gilpatrick with a range of very good looking canadian canoes. A couple of them were similar in form to Matts beautiful Sasquatch.

Anyway, all the plans called for a strongback build with a temp frame for each stem. A strip was bent around the station in place and then tacked directly onto the temp stem frame and the excess was just cut off. The opposing strip was then bent round the frames and and likewise tacked onto the stem piece and the waste cut off.

When all the strips were in place, the stems were sanded round and then epoxy/fibreglassed over to hold them in place.

The stripes were glued with quality PVA glue and stapled together. There were hundreds of them (staples) to remove from the hull before sanding and fibreglassing, and If I remember correctly, over 160 strips to span the hull.

There are some very, very good strip kayak builders here,


http://www.westcoastpaddler.com/communi ... highlight=

With much refined techniques.

Personally though, unless you plan on spending an unlimited time building one boat, I see little benifiet in stripper building over some of the beautiful S&G boats available today.

S&G is easier, quicker and cheaper for a boat that looks darn near as good I think, and performs just as well or so close to it as to make no difference.

Matt has plans for some very good boats that perform very well for just about any concievable purpose. His plans are clear, concise and easy to follow and there is some amazing advice readily available right here, should you strike any problems. I don't think it can get any better than that.

I would agree that matts plans are excellent. Its just I am into bigger boats and I am looking building a 20'+ sail boat. I know the S+G can go upto this size (i am currently building a 11' dingy with this method) for bigger boats I would like the peice of mind and the strength of the strip plank.

That link is excellent many thanks, I think I may have to wait to geta good book, any suggestions?

If you are going for a book, I can recommend the ‘The Strip-Built Sea Kayak’ by Nick Schade. But searching Amazon brings up many other fine books on the strip plank subject.

There are several ways to finish the stem, but basically you set up a strong back with a permanent stem piece or you finish the stem afterwards. Personally I prefer to finish the stem afterwards, thus building the stem piece on a template. Please see images below.





Finishing the stem piece can be done arbitrary complicated. Personally I prefer the easy method; applying a large epoxy fillet inside and then fibreglass tape and fabric, done

Mortens diagrams are very similar to those dpicted in the build instruction of Gil Gilpatrick.

If you are building a bigger boat, you may like to check out ATL Composites web site. They are state of the art with build technology and darn good people to deal with.

http://www.atlcomposites.com/