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Build a Greenland kayak part 6

by nativewater on December 26, 2007

Table of Contents

Build a Greenland kayak part 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Intro: Build a Greenland kayak part 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 1: Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 2: Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 3: Drill lashing holes in the keelson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Step 4: Center the keelson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 5: Lash the keelson to the ribs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Step 6: Cut the hull stringers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Step 7: Position the hull stringers on the ribs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Step 8: Cut hull stringers to length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 9: Shape ends of the hull stringers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Step 10: Drill the hull stringers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Step 11: Lash the hull stringers to the ribs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Step 12: Lash the hull stringer ends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Step 13: Install the rear deck stringers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Step 14: Install the forward deck stringers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Step 15: Install breasthooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Step 16: Drill holes for your deck lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Step 17: Add a pulley for air bags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Step 18: Varnish the frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Step 19: Make a cockpit coaming bending form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Step 20: Cut and taper the coaming blank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Step 21: Bend the coaming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Step 22: Bend the coaming rim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Step 23: You're done with the frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Greenland-kayak-part-6/
 Author:nativewater author's website
skin on frame kayak builder since 1987

Intro: Build a Greenland kayak part 6

In part 5 of the Greenland kayak construction Instructable you installed the ribs. In this instructable you will lash the keelson and the hull stringers to the ribs and also add
deck stringers and drill holes for the deck lines. The frame will be completed. And you will be making a coaming although you won't install it until after the skin is on the
boat.

Step 1: Materials
2 hull stringers 3/4 x 1 inch in cross section, 16 foot long.
Deck stringers 3/8 x 1-1/2 inch in cross section, 8 foot total.
1/4 inch dowels
Lashing twine - nylon mason's line

Step 2: Tools
Drill and 3/16th inch drill bit for lashing holes
15/64 inch drill bit for drilling doweling holes
hammer for pounding dowels

Step 3: Drill lashing holes in the keelson

Drill a 3/16 inch lashing hole in the keelson wherever the keelson intersects a rib.

Image Notes
1. drill the hole through the middle of the keelson centered on the rib.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Greenland-kayak-part-6/
Step 4: Center the keelson
Measure the distance from the keelson to the gunwales in a few places to make sure that the keelson is centered. Then go to the end of the boat and sight down the
keelson to make sure it is straight.

Image Notes
1. The keelson should be centered and straight. You can make final adjustments after you're done lashing it.

Step 5: Lash the keelson to the ribs

Lash the keelson to the ribs with the nylon mason twine. Cut a piece of twine the length of the boat.
Tie off the line at the bow and start lashing in the direction of the cockpit. You will get somewhere in the vicinity of the cockpit. Clamp off the loose end of lashing twine.
Cut another piece of lashing twine the length of the boat. This time start lashing at the stern. Lash in the direction of the cockpit. Tie the two loose ends of the lashing
together where ever they meet.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Greenland-kayak-part-6/
 Image Notes
1. We're lashing from righ to left here. The string goes under the rib, through the
hole, around the rib on the other side, then under the keelson back to this side,
over the rib and on to the next rib. Image Notes
1. Here's a view of the lashing pattern from the inside. Lashing direction is
right to left.

Step 6: Cut the hull stringers

Hull stringers are 3/4 x 1 inch in cross section and 16 foot long.
16 feet is longer than you need, but you will be trimming them to the exact length that your boat requires.

Step 7: Position the hull stringers on the ribs

The function of the hull stringers is to hold the skin away from the ribs at the sides. The keelson holds the skin off the ribs in the middle.
Hull stringers should run roughly parallel to the bottoms of the gunwales getting about an inch closer at the ends.

Image Notes
1. the hull stringer follows the line of the gunwales, being about an inch closer
to the gunwales at the ends than in the middle.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Greenland-kayak-part-6/
 Image Notes
1. The wider apart the stringers are, the wider the bottom and the more stable the
boat. However, the stringers can't go out too far or they will start going around the
bend of the ribs where they will no longer hold the skin off the ribs.

Step 8: Cut hull stringers to length

Trim the hull stringers so they overlap the stem and stern boards by about two inches.

Image Notes
1. The hull stringer should overlap the stem and stern board by about 2 inches.

Image Notes
1. Here we have a little more than 2 inches of overlap.

Step 9: Shape ends of the hull stringers

As the stringers twist around the hull they end up at about a 45 degree angle with the vertical. Shape the inside edge of the stringers where they intersect the stem and
stern boards so they will lie flat against them.

Image Notes
1. Mark the stringers. The wood on the inside of the marks will be removed so the stringers can sit flush against the stem board.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Greenland-kayak-part-6/
Step 10: Drill the hull stringers
Drill a 3/16 inch lashing hole in the stringer at every rib to stringer intersection.

Step 11: Lash the hull stringers to the ribs

Lash the hull stringers to the ribs using the same lashing pattern you used for the keelson.
If you have any gaps between the stringers and the ribs that are greater than 1/4 inch, add a shim between the stringer and the rib.
When you're done, double check that the keelson is centered and that the hull stringers are equidistant from the keelson to either side. Although the keelson and stringers
are lashed, you can move them around some if you are persistent.

Image Notes
1. Here's a shim inserted between the rib and the stringer because the gap
exceeded 1/4 inch.

Image Notes
1. We're lashing from righ to left here. The string goes under the rib, through the
hole, around the rib on the other side, then under the keelson back to this side,
over the rib and on to the next rib.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Greenland-kayak-part-6/
Step 12: Lash the hull stringer ends
Lash the hull stringer ends together so they are in contact with the stem and stern boards.

Image Notes
1. A few turns of string hold the stringers together at the ends. A notch in the stringer keeps the lashings from sliding forward.

Step 13: Install the rear deck stringers

Cut rear deck stringers to span from deck beam 7, the backbrace, to deck beam 8. Position the deck stringers so they are parallel to each other and about 8 inches apart.
Dowel the deck stringers to the deck beams using 1/4 inch dowels.

Image Notes
1. Rear deck stringers are parallel to each other and spaced close enough so that
you can sit on them comfortably as you slide into the cockpit.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Greenland-kayak-part-6/
Step 14: Install the forward deck stringers
Cut the forward deck stringer to span from deck beam 6, the knee brace to deck beam 4. Position the deck stringers so they are about 4 to 6 inches in from the gunwales.
Dowel them to the deck beams using 1/4 inch dowels

Image Notes
1. Front deck stringers run roughly parallel to the gunwales.
2. position the fronts of the stringer so you have a place to put your feet
comfortably. If your feet go to the outside of the stringers, put the stringers closer
together.

Image Notes
1. these stringers are run all the way forward to deck beam 3 to give the feet some
more room at deck beam 4.

Image Notes
1. The stringers are far enough to the inside to make room for the feet at the
outside.

Step 15: Install breasthooks

At both ends off the boat where the tops of the gunwales intersect the stem and stern pieces, there will be something of a gap. Breasthooks are small pices of wood
doweled on top of the gunwales that bridge the gap and make for a smooth transition of the gunwales into the stem and stern boards.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. The breasthook bridges the transition from the gunwales to the stem board. 1. The breasthook is recessed into a notch cut into the top of the gunwales and the
stem board.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Greenland-kayak-part-6/
Step 16: Drill holes for your deck lines
You won't be installing the deck lines until after you have put the skin on your boat, but it is best to drill the holes now so the sawdust from drilling doesn't end up inside
the hull. Besides, it is easier to measure the position of the holes before the skin is in place.
Drill two holes in the gunwales 4-1/2 inches apart and six inches forward of deck beam number six.
Holes start at the outside edge of the gunwale and are drilled downward at a 45 degree angle. See the picture below for how this looks.
Drill two more sets of holes spaced 4-1/2 inches apart and six inches back of deck beam number 7.
Drill another pair of holes near the bow and another near the stern. Drill them at the point where gunwale separation is about 6 inches.

Image Notes
1. Measure the position of the lashing holes. Image Notes
1. drill holes for the decklines into the outside edge of the gunwales. Drill down at
a 45 degree angle.

Image Notes
1. This shows how the decklines are strung. Separation of the lines is 4-1/2
inches. We have to pull the lines again before putting on the skin.
Image Notes
1. The deck line is tied off on the inside of the gunwales. This is the start of the
line. It goes through the gunwale, over the top to the other side, through the
gunwale, out again, over the top to this side, then off to the right where it's tied off
to a rib.
2. the end of the deckline is tied off to a rib in the cockpit area. This makes it easy
to adjust line tension.

Step 17: Add a pulley for air bags

Your kayak should have airbags for floatation. Getting an airbag into the bow of your boat is difficult so it is handy to have a rope and pulley to help you pull the bag
forward.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Greenland-kayak-part-6/
 Image Notes
1. This end will clip to the airbag so we can pull it forward.

Image Notes
1. A continuous loop of 1/8 inch rope run through a ring at the bow lets us pull
airbags forward.

Step 18: Varnish the frame

Varnish the frame with your favorite sealant. I favor exterior polyurethane varnish.

Image Notes
http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Greenland-kayak-part-6/
 1. The frame is done and getting a coat of varnish.

Step 19: Make a cockpit coaming bending form

You won't need the cockpit coaming until the end of the skin sewing session, but it's a good idea to start it ahead of time.
The bending form should be an oval hoop of 3/4 inch plywood. The rim of the hoop should be 2-1/2 inches wide.
Length of the form should be the distance between deck beams 6 and 7 plus 1 inch. The width of the form should be somewhere between the width of your hips plus 1
inch and the width of the kayak minus 2 inches. For a kayak with a 21 inch beam, 16 to 18 inches is a good width for the coaming

Image Notes
1. the rim of the coaming form is oval and about 2-1/2 inches wide to allow us to clamp the coaming blank to the form with a clamp that has a 3 inch jaw opening.

Step 20: Cut and taper the coaming blank

The coaming blank should be 12 inches longer than the circumference of your bending form. It should be 1/4 inch thick by 1-1/2 inches wide in cross section. Taper the
last 12 inches on each end down to 1/16th inch thickness. This will make for a smooth overlap.
Soak the blank in water for 3 days before bending.
Also cut a coaming rim 1/4 inch thick by 1/2 inch wide and 2 inches longer than the coaming blank. Taper the last 12 inches on each end as you did with the coaming
blank

Image Notes
1. Taper the coaming blank down to 1/16th inch at this end.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Greenland-kayak-part-6/
Step 21: Bend the coaming
When the coaming is done soaking, clamp one end to the back center of the bending form. Run hot water over a bit of the coaming blank at a time. Water should be too
hot to hold your hand under. When the wood is hot, after about 2 minutes, bend that section around the form and clamp it. Then heat the next section, bend it until you
are all the way around the form with the tapered ends overlapping at the back end of the form.
Lash the coaming ends together at the end so they don't spring apart.

Image Notes
1. Clamp the coaming to the form so the overlap will be toward the back end
of the coaming.

Image Notes
1. Run hot water on the coaming blank for about 3 minutes, then bend the
coaming around the first bend or however far you've been able to heat the wood.
Then clamp and heat the next section.

Step 22: Bend the coaming rim

Using the coaming as a bending form, bend the rim around the top edge of the coaming. Position the overlaps of the rim ends at the left side of the coaming.
When the coaming rim and coaming are dry, dowel the rim to the coaming every two inches using barbecue skewer sized dowels.
Drill 3/16 inch lashing holes in the coaming spaced 1-1/2 inches apart and halfway between the bottom of the rim and the bottom of the coaming. You will be using these
holes to lash the coaming to the skin.

Image Notes
1. Small dowels spaced 2 inches apart hold the rim to the coaming. The rim keeps the spray skirt from slipping off the coaming.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Greenland-kayak-part-6/
Step 23: You're done with the frame
You're done with the frame!
Admire its beauty. It's almost a shame to cover it with skin which will be the next step.

Related Instructables

Build a
Greenland
Build a kayak part 7 by
Greenland
Build a nativewater Build a
kayak part 4 by Build a
Greenland Build a Greenland
nativewater Greenland Greenland
Kayak by kayak part 2 by
kayak part 5 by Kayak Part 3 by
nativewater nativewater
nativewater nativewater

Comments
2 comments Add Comment

movieman1500 says: Apr 4, 2010. 4:54 PM REPLY

I was wondering Do I remove the spacers that the keelson rested on once the Stem & Stern boards are on?

GorillazMiko says: Dec 29, 2007. 10:46 AM REPLY

Yay, part 6!! :-)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Greenland-kayak-part-6/