1/8 scale Endeavour 17 kayak [COMPLETED BUILD]

[François]

A few years ago, a friend gave me a set of plans to build a 17 foot cendar kayak. Althougt l'm a pretty good wood worker, I'm not about to build a full size kayak. Especially not with the price of lumber these days. Besides, you kinda need a lake or a river to use one which I don't. So the logical (and fun) solution is to build a scale version. The nice thing about the drawing I have is that it's already 1/8 scale. Should be interesting...

 

[Uwek]

This will be interesting to follow - and maybe in some future - the original in 1:1

 

[Gilles Korent]

Congratulations for taking on such a project.
Kayaks are fun to make...
G.

 

[François]

Started the fabrication today. Contrary to a more regular model ship building method where the planks are glued to a wood skeleton, here the skeleton acts as a mold. The planks are glued to one another around the mold. The skeleton is then removed and you are left ( in theory) with the hull or the deck depending on the stage of the build. The hull can then be fitted with the foam partitions, rudder pedals and whatever else is inside a kayak before being joined to the deck. Sounds simple and easy...yeah, right...
Here are a few pics

Cutting of skeleton forms

All parts cut and ready for final sanding

Keel lamination

Skeleton dry fit



More to come soon.

 

[François]

The mold is done and ready for planking, that should be interesting! In french we have a saying that goes like this " à la grâce de dieu " . Roughly translate it means " good luck dude, you'll need it"

 

[Gilles Korent]

Good start...
If I may suggest, I would make the construction base (clamp in his case) more solid and extended to cover both ends.
It will prevent the ends of the kayak from bending sideways when planking: even if you work by alternating sides installing each strip, the structure may curve laterally.

Bon début...
Puis-je me permettre une suggestion? Je vous conseillerais d'utiliser une base de construction plus solide pour couvrir la longueur du kayak: d'une extrémité à l'autre. Cela evitera la possibilité d'une courbure latérale: même en alternant la mise en place de chaque virure d'un côté à l'autre.

G.

 

[François]

Bonne idée, merci Gilles.

 

[PeterG]

You could get really ambitious…..



Regards

PeterG

 

[François]

Thanks PeterG but not really my cup of the.
I did as sugested by Gilles and added stiffeners to both ends of the mold. Not my best work but doesn't matter since it's only the mold.
I also machined the planks out of sapelli, some leftovers of the full size Shark 24 I did in 2012.

1/16 × 1/4 planks ready for ripping to 3/16

Very thin kurf (.067 in) blade mounted on my large table saw with custom table insert

Set up to rip planks from 1/4 to 3/16

 

[François]

Mold ready for planking with all edges taper over so the planks won't stick to it.

And as a side note, I received one of my futur projet today, Airfix 's 1/12 Bentley Blower. This model simply cries out for scratch built modifications. Should be a ton of fun!!

 

[François]

Well, I started the planking but after 3 rows, decided I had to scrap what was done and start again. At 3/16 wide, the planks were a bit to stiff. I re-ripped then at 1/8. I also modifier the mold by adding some guide for the first plank. Since the first plank is only glued to its extremities, it needed more support.

First plank before mold mod

and with mold modified

 

[Martin0]

Kayak is looking good.
I built the Bentley kit when I was about 12, 50 years ago and it's still in production!
Not a 'blower', but this was at Saltburn hill climb.

 

[François]

Martin, Bentley actually built 12 Blowers in 2020 from the original plans. I started a built log about this model in the Historical cars section.

 

[François]

The hull is all planked and I started sanding it, should look pretty good once all sanded. I'll start on the interior fittings soon, foam partitions, pedals, seat...


pedal design

Thanks for looking

 

[François]

A bit more done, hull full sanded and pedals done (and functional). Next up, the seat, the foam partitions, the deck, the rudder...
Thank you for your interest.

 

[François]

So, deck planking done but not sanded yet. Pedal and cable assemblies installed alors with the foam partitions. Next up deck sanding and seat fab.




Thank you for your interest

 

[François]

Deck sanded, not final but close. Cockpit opening cut and seat done. Still to come: halves glue up, coaming fab, rudder fab final sanding, varnish and deck rigging. I'll finish off with à transport Dolly of some sort.

 

[François]

Ok so here's what been done since my last post.
1- halves glued
2- coaming done
3- final sanding done
4- varnish done
5- bow and stern hatch lids done
6- bow and stern lift handle fabricated and installed
7- rudder fabricate and installed with working rudder lift mecanism
8- deck fitting fabricated and installed
9- Dolly designed and fab started.

1, 2, 3 and 4

5 hatchs

6 lift handle (notice small tubing in hull)

7 the rudder
the sketch

The fab

The result

8 some deck fittings




8 the dolly

So far

Next up, the bungee cords, the paddle and finishing the dolly witch should pretty much complete this build.
Thank you for watching

 

[Uwek]

Very good work - clever idea with the template and the holes for the clamps

 

[François]

Well, like the great Freddy Mercury once said, ''Another one bites the dust''.
The kayak is done. Here is what was done to complete it.
1- Bungee cords for hatchs
2= fabricated and installed keel skid plate
3- finished the buggy and attached the kayak to it
4- did the paddle

1-Bungee


2- skid plate
from a brass tubing to a strip


3- Buggy


4- Paddle

Pictures of finished model on next post.