Category Archives: Boat Construction

Scheherazade under sail.

Scheherazade Update

Courtesy of Hodgdon Yachts

Above: Scheherazade is a 155′ Bruce King-designed ketch built by Hodgdon Yachts in Boothbay, Maine and launched September 27, 2003. Photo by Onne van der Wal.

Epoxyworks #23, Spring 2006

Cover Photo: Scheherazade, a 155′ Bruce King-designed ketch. Image by Onne van der Wal.

Hodgdon Yachts of East Boothbay, Maine launched the 155′ ketch, Scheherazade. She is a beautiful union of wood/epoxy technology, elegant design, and superior craftsmanship. Continue reading

Seaworthy Kayak

Building a Guillemot Kayak

By Jason Havel

I am a Captain in the Air Force and was stationed in Wichita, Kansas, in October 2002 when I purchased a book about building a strip kayak. After the first chapter, I was sold. I ordered the full-size plans for the Guillemot kayak. While on vacation in Texas, I spent about $300 on the western red cedar, purpleheart, and yellow heart, then discovered I was to deploy to Saudi Arabia. In the evenings prior to the deployment, I machined the cedar into ¼” strips and put the bead and cove on them using a router table. It was during the process of setting up my table saw that I realized how clear D-grade pine can be. I accidentally bought a few long boards of it to build an extra-long table saw fence for ripping the cedar.

The stripping of the Guillemot kayak's hull with Western red cedar is completed.

The stripping of the Guillemot kayak’s hull with Western red cedar is completed.

I was amazed at how little grain was visible. That’s where the idea of the lighter-colored deck came from. I got 6 or 8 strips on the mold before I left for my deployment.  While I was gone, the confrontation with Iraq began. What was supposed to be 3 months turned into 5 months. The air war ended and I came home and was informed I would be moving from Wichita, Kansas, to Altus AFB, Oklahoma. I knew it was only 300 miles, but I wasn’t about to bring a couple of hundred strips of cedar and an unfinished boat along for the trip. I spent every spare moment finishing the boat. I finished stripping in June, laid the fiberglass in July, and moved in August.

The inside of the Guillemot Kayak's hull is glassed with 6 oz fiberglass cloth. Havel used 105/207 to wet out the cloth in temperatures over 100 degrees F.

The inside of the Guillemot Kayak’s hull is glassed with 6 oz fiberglass cloth. Havel used 105/207 to wet out the cloth in temperatures over 100 degrees F.

I used 6 oz cloth with 105 Resin/207 Special Clear Hardener and was very impressed. Since July in Kansas is typically over 100°F, I was a little hesitant pouring epoxy. When I did all the epoxy work, it was 108° to 112°F. I could thoroughly mix the epoxy, lay it down, brush or squeegee it out, and make it look perfect. Ten minutes later, it started to harden. There were no issues with sheeting or running. In fact, I never saw any anime blush and had zero bubbles. Believe me, I looked for amine blush since every piece of the literature mentions it. After an hour or two, I brushed on the next coat to fill the weave and add a nice smooth surface for the varnish. Since the epoxy wasn’t fully cured, I got an excellent chemical bond. I can’t say enough about how great the 207 Hardener worked at over 100°F. I coated everything with epoxy, including the deck fittings, before I fastened them to the deck. I sanded the hull with 150-grit sandpaper on a random orbital sander and finished it off with five coats of Z-Spar™ Captains Varnish. Z-Spar also works great at 100+ degrees.

guillemot kayak detail

Guillemot Kayak detail: Everything is coated with 105/207 and finished with 5 coats of Z-Spar Captain’s Varnish.

Purpleheart provides a nice contrast for the outline of the deck design and deck hardware on the Guillemot Kayak.

Purpleheart provides a nice contrast for the outline of the deck design and deck hardware on the Guillemot Kayak.

I’d do it again in an instant but next time it will be a canoe since my family will soon be a total of four plus our dog. Even though the kids will be small, it’s tough to stuff them and my wife in a single place kayak and expect to get anywhere.

The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction

The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction, 5th Edition

Epoxyworks Special Edition

Cover Photo: The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction, updated and revised in 2005.

The 5th edition of The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction comprises a thorough review of best practices, 20% new and updated material, and a revised layout for easier navigation. Each chapter was reconsidered in terms of evolving technology, new techniques, and the successes and failures of over thirty-five years of experience. We believe that the updates and improvements will enhance the value of this reference text for amateurs and experienced professionals alike. Continue reading