>> This past Friday I went to a wooden boat show in Portland, ME USA and they had a couple of what I would guess (having never seen one before) were wood strip kayaks. Wood strips running lengthwise with a thin dacron (I think) covering. They looked so fragile but were probably very strong although I would guess they flex a lot over swells. I would be afraid to step into (through) one and would constantly worry about ripping the shell. How do you beach them? I'd probably do a wet exit to keep from damaging them when landing. I paddle Maine with lots of rocks so I prefer a tank :-). >> ************************************************************************** * A woodstrip kayak, like a woodstrip canoe, is made by gluing strips of wood (usually cedar) to each other edge to edge on a form. After the last bit of glue has dried, the hull is sanded smooth and covered by one or more layers of fiberglass and resin. The fiberglass is then sanded smooth and varnished with a marine spar varnish. The hull is then removed from the form and the inside is glassed and varnished. When this is done properly, the outside fiberglass is invisible, and the hull looks like it was made of just wood and varnish. What you probably saw were fabric-on-frame kayaks, otherwise known as skin boats, made in the native style. Though I have never made or used one, I understand that because they flex, they are quite impact resistant, and easier to repair than a plywood kayak. Chuck Holst *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Mon Mar 23 1998 - 12:59:56 PST
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