I should probably rename this blog - "Building stuff while stuck at the dock!" I feel like an old sailor who can't get a berth onboard any ships and instead spends his days sitting on a bollard wittling away at scraps of wood, making a pile on shavings and yarning away whether anyone is listening or not. Building a surfboard is something I've been thinking about for awhile. Besides there's not enough snow to go skiing yet. I was going to give it a try using foam but I've got a stack of ready to go bamboo splits so what the hell. If it weighs a ton or is all wonky I can turn it into a piece of decorative art or a picnic table. As you can see from the photos below, I now have the bottom mold set up. The plan is to make a 1/2 template (oops forgot that before I bent the 1/2 particle board, cover the mold in plastic and then lay up bamboo strips longitudinally. When I built my Ulua I pre-planed all the pieces. Good idea but some spots are a little thin. This time I'll do them full thickness (6 mm)and shape them afterwards. I'll get better results, be able to fair in the tail hollow and won't have to do any filling afterwards.
If I pick up some glue today I should be able to hammer it out. I've got most of it figured out in my head but the actual construction method and sequence I'll make up as I go.

I've finished what I can on my Ulua this fall/winter. I can't paint or the likes as its too cold. No fear of solar damaged to the epoxy this winter and all the bits and pieces are done so I've moved the boat the edge of the shop and have started a new project - building a bamboo surfboard. I want to get a sense of how lightis possible and develop some techniques I've been thinking about for surfboard building. I'm building a 7'-6" plank as it fits in the shop with all the other stuff that goes in there. Besides I tired of living with two bikes in my office that I constantly trip over.

Even though I've put my outrigger aside doesn't mean it won't get on the water. It's pretty deary right now in Seattle but the first good day I'll get it out on the water. I still need to take it for a sail.

I have finished up my simple rudder set up. Everything is lightly glued on with 5 min epoxy so it'll be easy to remove if it came to that. It tested out great in the water so I think it is pretty successful. All it is is a Wharram style "stiched" on rudder to a skeg, fishing line from a small hole in the aft top of the rudder leading forward on the outside of the hull to two small holes near the gunnel that cross under the rear seat go through two rope fairleads and on the the rudder bar. THe rudder bar is held in place with top lines at the ends and a center pivot line. It works amazingly well!

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day with little wind. Lise and I went for a long paddle, broken by a stop for fish tacos midway. The new rudder I've installed works great. I need to improve the control bar - I have some low tech ideas. I'm hoping that tomorrow can be a sailing day!

I took a whole sequence of photos showing how I added a skeg to my Ulua and mocked up and built a rudder but I had forgotten to put the memory card in the camera so no photos of that. Here is the mocked up rudder and the final install. It's glued on with 5-min epoxy so I can remove it easily if it doesn't work. If you look carefully you can see a piece a monofilament which will run on the outside up to two small holes in the hull sides and then to a control bar at the stern seat. The photo sequence shows the rudder operating. I used the attachment method that James Wharram uses on his boats, a figure 8 lash, that keeps the rudder aligned with the skeg. It's tied on with monofilament which I tightened a fair amount so that the rudder naturally returns to a middle position. The next task is to flip the boat and install the control bar then a water test.

Fixing where the deck split from the hull


Cleaned up and ready for a light sand and glazing coat



Capping the ends of the bamboo mast


I rigged the sail(s) on my Ulua yesterday - temporarily and forgot to take pictures. I say sails as I've made a small jib that I may use as a way to balance the rig when sailing and possibly lighten the work of steering. This is the stage of boat building that goes on forever. Many small projects. I glued the blade into the steering oar, made a wave dasher for the fore deck, tacked a small skeg onto the stern rise to help with steering when paddling amoungst other things. I have ideas on how to add a Wharram style rudder to the skeg if that make sense. It's all little moves. I won't be putting any paint on until spring at this rate. Anyway there is so little sunlight around at this time of year that the epoxy won't be harmed.

We figured out that the middle seat, installed per design, isn't great for 6' tall paddlers. Your reach is too long so you strike the front iako with your blade. I moved the seat back 3 inches. That should be just right. The sternsman will still have room to paddle without hitting the bow person in the back. Of course this may change how the boat sits in the water, stern down, requiring a sandbag in the bow but as Gary Dierking notes it's better to build light and add ballast than to sail around in an overweight boat.

I've been working on other stuff too. I modified a tramp from another boat to go between the iakos for sailing and have an idea for a safety ama that is inflatable so it can be easily stowed when not sailing. If I rig the boat again today, I'll remember to take some photos.

Rigging up the ama.


Iakos sticking way out past the hull.


Iakos cut down to length. Note blue tape - I blew out a hull-deck seam this morning and quick fixed it with 5 minute epoxy and tape.


Stern iako-wae detail.


Bow iako-wae detail. Note mast notch.


Iako pylon detail - I made them look like little submarine conning towers!

Lise and I went for a two hour paddle this morning. She claims I can't paddle and Ulua isn't fast but then she's the racer, paddles all the time and is use to 20 lb OC-1's and OC-6 full of burly women paddlers.

We tried out a number of different setting for the iakos and ama until it all felt right. One concern is with steering while paddling. This boat spins fast without a rudder/skeg which is a good thing unless you want to go straight and have both paddlers paddling. In the end we got things set up pretty well but I'm going to try adding a small skeg with an adjustable trim tab on it and see if that helps.

The waves were running 1 to 1.5 feet so we took on water going into the waves. Adding a splash board as shown in the plans should help some. When we got back to the launching ramp, I got out my Japanese pull saw and cut the iako's down to length. That will help with paddling on the side opposite the ama. I also think I'll move the bow seat (really closer to midships) back three inches. That will let us 6' tall paddlers with long reaches paddle without striking the forward iako with our blade.

Next on the list of activities will be getting the rig set up for sailing; after all if there's wind why not use it.

Rachel pours coconut milk on the bow

Ulua is light, an easy carry for myself and Rachel 9 yrs old

All together now using NRS cam lock straps

4 parts make a boat
Building a boat is an ever expanding series of smaller and smaller tasks that take more and more time. Detailing. The beginning is composed of big bold moves. Things move fast and then it all comes to a steady uphill grind. After yesterday's impromptu burst onto the water for a quick test, I spent today detailing the pylons that have now been glued to the ama and are held in place, hopefully at the right angles by the iakos which are strapped to the hull. It's all outside, today being ok weather and with me, a farmer's watchful eye to the sky hoping the rain will hold off long enough to get the harvest in the barn before it pours. I should be cleaning up the garage but instead I'm helping my daughter sew a stuffed toy of her invention - we are a project family. All good but will the epoxy cure enough such that I can take the boat apart and keep the bonds in place. I wait for rain, many small details drag on awaiting completion.