Building Vardo

[Kudzu]

I just started building my latest design, a 17' skin kayak named Vardo (a Gypsy wagon). This design is larger and very stable boat with enough volume for to comfortably carry camping gear.

http://www.kudzucraft.com/designs/vardo/vardo_linesplan.jpg


Once the design was finalized I created a set of offsets for the frames and draw them out on some cardboard. I don't draw out the actual frame, just the the critical points so I can visualize the frames better. It helps me spot mistakes to see them all lined up.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day1-1.jpg

I take the cardboard sketches and layout the frames on some cheap plywood. Even after doing this many times it's still takes me a while to do this. Much of this is just done by eye as I go.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day1-2.jpg

Once the frames are laid out I usually cut them in smaller pieces and take them to the bandsaw. I can do a much better job with the band saw than the saber saw.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day1-3.jpg

At the end of the day I have the outsides cut pretty close to size. I will go back and sand these and do some work with the rasp also. Still a good bit of work to have the outsides finished before they are finished.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day1-4.jpg

Tomorrow I start cutting the insides of the frames.

[DGentry]

That process looks vaguely familiar . . . .:D

[Kudzu]

Can't imagine why Dave?? :confused:

[Kudzu]

Several days to catch up on here. Going to skip ahead some.

DAY 4

First order of business was to layout the bow and stern pieces. Pretty straight forward stuff. Got these made and put them in palace on the boat to 'eye-ball' them and make sure they look good and they do. But I am not sure I am happy with them. I keep looking the the photo and thinking I could improve it.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day4-1.jpg


Here is the frame temporarily assembled. Everything looks good at this point.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day4-2.jpg

Next step is take everything apart to make the final frames. I had two that changes. So I made the new ones and called it a day. Next step is run the stinger through the shaper to round over the edges and cut out the new frames and pattern route them. Then we start assembly. I need to settle on a what skin I want on this one.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day4-3.jpg

[Kudzu]

DAY 5

Spent a few minutes cleaning up the edges of the patterns first thing. Then I laid them on out of the good ply and started cutting out the final frames. Once that was done I attach the patterns to the blanks and headed to the router and cut them to size. Here they are routed and ready to be separated from the patterns.


http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day5-1.jpg


After that I take the time to set up the router with a round over bit and ease the edges of the frames. Doesn't really do much but it makes them look much better. No one but me ever see's most of them though.

Next I need to finish up the stringers. I clean up the scarf joints before I run them though the shaper. Once that is done I like to round over the edges of the stringer. It makes a smoother looking boat and since I routed the frames I don't have to square up the corners.

With 18-19' foot long stringers it takes a lot of space to run these. I am so glad it is warm enough to still open the shop door!

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day5-2.jpg

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day5-3.jpg

Once all that was done the day was pretty much gone. OK, there was time left, just wasn't much of me left. I was pooped! But I did press on for another hour or so. I wanted to mount the frames to the strong back before I quit. Then I called it a day!

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day5-4.jpg

[donald branscom]

Thanks for posting the photos!
Good workmanship too.

[Frank R]

Nice four foot Delta shaper. Not too many of them around. Nicely restored too.

[Kudzu]

Going to high jack my own thread. I guess that is allowed?

Here is a before shot of the shaper. I found basically a small cabinet shop of machines, all stored for 25+ years and looked about this bad.

http://www.kudzupatch.com/woodshop/shaper/day1_02.jpg

[Kudzu]

Day 6

Not that much to see but I did get a good bit done. I have all the frames in place and ready to be lashed. I have the bow and stern pieces cut to shape. I will wait till the all the frames are lashed and then I I make the final cuts and fit them in place.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day6-3.jpg

I lashed a few joints but I spent a large part of the afternoon shooting a new lashing video.


http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day6-2.jpg

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day6-1.jpg

Not much to see but it's starting to look like kayak frame.

[Kudzu]

DAY 8

Well, lets start with another mistake. (Yes, I make lots of them!) I had the frame assembled and was working on the bow stem and something just didn't look like right. I keep looking down the stringer and they just were not looking like I expected they would. So I went back to the computer and checked the model. Nope, that is now what my boat looks like.

After a lot of looking and messing around I finally decided I had made a mistake lofting one of the frames. Of course it was the frame I had mounted to the strong back!! I lashed up to that point so I could take the frame out and it not fly apart on me.

Once I got it out and measured it and I was right, I was wrong. ;)

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day8-1.jpg

With that done I was able to replace the frame with no drama, exploding stringer and as if by magic, everything lined up looked like it was supposed too.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day8-2.jpg

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day8-4.jpg

Most of the last two days have been spent lashing the frames together. One of my goals after the last frame was to skip the epoxy and lash everything. I was gluing the stingers in place instead, but this frame will 100% lashed. I should finish the assembly of the frame tomorrow.



http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day8-3.jpg

[Kudzu]

Day 9

Have not worked on the boat much the past few days. I bought some new computer tools (toys) and been busy with those. I have my CAD software and just got my plotter. I have been drawing all the frames for VARDO as practice.

I have them drawn full size and wanted to try out the plotter. So I printed a big sheet with all the frames on it. I took it to the shop and laid my patterns over the sheet to compare them. That is sort of humbling. :o I was a draftsman for years and years and I thought I was pretty darn good at lofting. But lets say I see room for improvement.

On one frame the keel slot was slightly off center so I decided to remake it and try one of my full size patterns.


http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day9-1.jpg

First step was to rough cut the frame out and glue it to the plywood.


http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day9-2.jpg


I then just cut to the line and was pleasantly surprised. Beat the heck out of pattern routing! Quicker and much less messy.


http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day9-3.jpg

I took it to the drum sander and sanded it to the line in a few places and it was done. Removed the old one and replaced it with the new. Then removed it from the strongback.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day9-4.jpg

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day9-5.jpg

[Paul Pless]

Cool thread, nice tools!

What material do you use for those lashings?

[Kudzu]

Everything is lashed with artificial sinew. Wonderful stuff for this application.

[Steve Lansdowne]

From the photo I see there are no ribs, which is different than is shown in various traditional Greenland kayak building books. Of course, folks long ago didn't have plywood to make the various supports shown in the photo! Care to comment on the pros and cons of each method? Your method looks much simpler.

[Foster Price]

Nice work !! Could you please tell us a little more about the "artificial sinew" - trade or brand name and material ??

Thanks

[boylesboats]

Really,... I thought this thread is about gypsy's vardo (http://gypsywaggons.co.uk/)...

Nice kayak project, thou...

[Kudzu]

Care to comment on the pros and cons of each method? Your method looks much simpler.

Let me start by saying I have never built a traditional boat. It looks very interesting and fun to build though. My methods are not new, just look at the old Popular Mechanics plans and you see similar methods. Tom Yost did a lot to make this method regain popularity and often gets credit for the idea but it has been around for many years.

There are two reason I really like it. Well three.

They are simple to build. Just some basic woodworking skills and tools is all you need. I lash mine together so you don't even need to buy epoxy.

One of big things I like better is that you have control over the hull shape. I design mine on the computer and now I can print out full sized plans of the frames, so I don't have to loft them. Assuming I don't make a mistake, the boat will turn out very close to what I designed. I have learned that wood will not always hold the shape I design so there is some variation. With the traditional methods there is a lot of building to eye. Bending the ribs to the proper shape leaves room for differences from boat to boat. With a good builder the difference will be minor and probably won't matter, but coming from an engineering background it bugs me that what I build may not be what I designed.

My favorite reason is the finished product is so light. My personal boat, a 15 footer of my design weighs 32 lbs. A similar plastic boat weights in around 50 lbs. At the end of the day I just dump out any water, pick it up and walk to the truck while everyone else is taking turns helping each other carrying their heavy plastic boats.



Nice work !! Could you please tell us a little more about the "artificial sinew" - trade or brand name and material ??

I buy mind from different places and have no idea the manufacture. It is commonly used in Native American crafts and historic reenactments. Just Google artificial sinew and you find lots of places that sell it including EBay.

It is just a polyester or nylon strands with a wax coating of some kind. I have tried lashing with a couple of other cords and I come back to this. I am not sure why but once you pull it tight it seems to bind to itself. When you relax the tension it doesn't loosen up if you have a few lashes in place. It makes tying off the end very simple. No struggling to keep it tight. It's just very easy to work with.


Really,... I thought this thread is about gypsy's vardo (http://gypsywaggons.co.uk/)...

Nice kayak project, thou...

Glad someone caught the name. ;)

[Candyfloss]

I built a Vardo once. An interesting project.

http://pic50.picturetrail.com/VOL458/12377907/22018525/378695948.jpg

No, that's not me, it's the guy I sold it to.

[Kudzu]

DAY 10

Finally received the skin for VARDO so I have been back in the shop. I was thinking I had left it ready to skin. But I quickly realized I still had some thing I needed to do. I needed to install the foot rests and I had to lash a couple of places that I could not do while it was on the strongback. And I needed to oil the frame. I don't know why I had done all this while waiting on the skin?

I spent the day working on the frame prepping it for skinning. I got the foot rests installed but I am having second thoughts. Once I flipped the frame over and looked at it I think my mounts place it too high in this boat. I am going to have to take them out and come up with a new way to mount them lower.

http://kudzucraft.com/designs/vardo/development/day10-1.jpg


http://kudzucraft.com/designs/vardo/development/day10-2.jpg


http://kudzucraft.com/designs/vardo/development/day10-3.jpg

[StevenBauer]

Looking good, Jeff. I'm looking forward to seeing the skin go on.


Steven

[PeterSibley]

Looking good, Jeff. I'm looking forward to seeing the skin go on.


Steven

Me too ..this is very interesting .:)

[Kudzu]

I think it's ready to skin except for 4 screws in the footrests. I ran out and need to pick up some. Where I live marine supplies are in short supply, but at least Lowes has them even though they are high priced.

Thinking I may start skinning this afternoon.

[Bill R]

Late coming to this thread.

Fascinating. Thank you for putting this up.

[Kudzu]

VARDO * Day 11

This morning I started the skinning process. I am using a 7 oz nylon fabric. The first step was to drape the fabric over the upside down frame and center it.

http://kudzucraft.com/designs/vardo/development/day11-1.jpg

Once the skin is center over the frame I stitch a pocket around the bow of the boat. You have to be careful the way the fabric lays on the boat so you make sure you can stretch the fabric properly and end up with wrinkles.

http://kudzucraft.com/designs/vardo/development/day11-2.jpg


I then move to the other end, I mark the end of the boat on the skin. I go back to the bow and unhook the pocket I have just sewn from the boat. On the stern I move forward from my mark about 2 1/2” (3 fingers width) and sew a pocket on that end.

http://kudzucraft.com/designs/vardo/development/day11-6.jpg


Then the fun. You put your foot up on frame, grab the skin and pull and stretch and groan and holler and tug for all your worth and stretch the skin over the boat. Hooking the pocket you have sewn back over the frame. It doesn't take but once to figure out that you want to sew that pocket over the top any more than you have too!

http://kudzucraft.com/designs/vardo/development/day11-4.jpg

http://kudzucraft.com/designs/vardo/development/day11-5.jpg

Once that is done I take a break and catch my breath and get a cup of coffee. It's time to flip the frame and star sewing up the seam down the deck.

http://kudzucraft.com/designs/vardo/development/day11-7.jpg

I finished up the afternoon stitching the seam down the deck. By this point my feet are hurting and I ready to call it day.

[boylesboats]

mighty tug-a-war going on... look cool thou

[PeterSibley]

Thanks Jeff , watching with interest .

[Kudzu]

Day 12

Maybe I should call it day 11 1/2 because I had to work on some other things and only got to spend about half a day on VARDO today. I started out by sanding and rounding over the edges of the coaming getting it ready to go on the boat. Oh yea, and drilling all those holes. Since I am using a Polyurethane for the finish I just oiled the coaming and will coat it with the skin.

Here is is in place just before I started sewing it on.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day12-1.jpg

I clamp the coaming in place with a strap so that the coaming is pulled down out of shape. I like to pull the fabric up and clamp it in place to get an idea of where it goes. Then I trim it with a hot knife and pull it in place and put on some spring clamps.


http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day12-2.jpg

Then it's just a matter of pulling the skin in place and working out wrinkles as I sew twice around the coaming. Once it is sewn in place and you release the strap the coaming will snap in place under tension.


http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day12-3.jpg

Once the coaming was done it was time to finish up the sewing. I trimmed the excess skin and started doing a whip stitch down the deck. I still need to do the front and then it will be ready for dying and finishing. Oh yea, I also need to stitch a rope lip onto the coaming.


http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day12-4.jpg

[outofthenorm]

Superb build and a great thread - and an excellent moaning chair!

http://kudzucraft.com/designs/vardo/development/day11-1.jpg

[Kudzu]

:D Thank you! That moaning chair has history. My parents got it when I was young. Mother always had it at her house and it was my favorite chair to sit in and just rock. When she passed it was on of the things I wanted but we had no place for it and I hate the upholstery anyway. So for now it serves as a very comfortable to sit and moan while I figure out my next step

And it is age matches all my old machines. ;)

[PeterSibley]

Thanks Jeff , still watching .
I'd like to ask about the various available SOF fabrics and their different applications but maybe a separate thread would be better .

[DGentry]

I'll jump in about that - here's a link to a good overview about various skins and coatings. It's in the summer 09 Masik, the online newsletter at qajaqusa.com, starting around pp.44: http://www.qajaqusa.org/newsletter/Masik_Summer_2009_082809.pdf

The boat is coming along nicely, Jeff. From what I can tell, the stern has come out significantly different than the software pic - by intent?

Dave Gentry

[Kudzu]

The boat is coming along nicely, Jeff. From what I can tell, the stern has come out significantly different than the software pic - by intent?

Dave Gentry

NO, more by mistake. ;)

I cut the guwale shorter than I meant too. But I was thinking the skin wouldn't put up as tight as it did. I should have known better. Knowing what I know now I would have just scarfed on a piece and recut it close to the stern. I just wasn't thinking about the deck seam being so close and pulling the skin 'up' as much as id did. But it is just cosmetic and the underwater parts are right.

[Kudzu]

Thanks Jeff , still watching .
I'd like to ask about the various available SOF fabrics and their different applications but maybe a separate thread would be better .

Dave linked to a good article. Basically there are three choices. Cotton Duck/canvas. Nylon and Polyester.

Cotton is harder to work with and it rots in fresh water so I have never used it.

Nylon is stretchier and probably the toughest fabric you can use. But when it gets wet it relaxes and you boat can become a baggy wrinkle. Good thing is after a while it gets less and less so. Finally to a point you can't see it relax. At least that's my experience.

The polyesters I have used are a loose weave and harder to sew. You get pull holes very easy. But it shrinks like crazy with some heat so you can sew it on rather loose and shrink to fit. The loose weave is harder to seal though. Lots of tiny pinholes in it.

If it going to see rough use I like nylons. But I am really leaning towards the polyester for a boat that is not going to see much abuse. I am still looking for a perfect fabric but I don't think it is out there.

[PeterSibley]

Jeff , thanks for answering anyway ! :)
I have a look for that link .

[PeterSibley]

I'll jump in about that - here's a link to a good overview about various skins and coatings. It's in the summer 09 Masik, the online newsletter at qajaqusa.com, starting around pp.44: http://www.qajaqusa.org/newsletter/Masik_Summer_2009_082809.pdf

The boat is coming along nicely, Jeff. From what I can tell, the stern has come out significantly different than the software pic - by intent?

Dave Gentry

Thanks Dave ...excellent !:)

[Kudzu]

DAY 12

When I left the shop last the boat was pretty much sewn up. All that was left was to finish the bow with a whip stitch. That only took an hour or so and it was done. I ended up with some pull holes even in the nylon. I guess that is just going to happen on any fabric. Maybe in a year of two I will be an expert and won't have them, (said very tongue in cheek). At least they are easy enough to repair.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day13-1.jpg

With the stitching done I had to take it outside and shoot a few photos. There are some wrinkles in the skin that should be shrink out no problem.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day13-3.jpg

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day13-4.jpg

With the stitching done it was time to do the one job I always dread. Dyeing the skin! I have never had great luck with this so I always dread it. This time I tired a different method and I like it. It turned out better but I still have some work on my technique but I think I can get to where I don't dread this nearly as bad.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day13-5.jpg

I stopped long enough to take a photo an I realize that was a mistake. This needs to be done as fast as possible and don't stop to take photos! :-)

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day13-6.jpg

Overall it came out pretty even. if you don't apply the dye perfectly evenly your will end up with blotchy finish. The thing is you can not put it on perfectly even. There is going to be some uneveness, that's just part of it. So the idea is to work fast and carefully and keep it to a minimum. This side looks good.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day13-7.jpg

This is what happens when you stop to take a photo. If you let the dye puddle or stand in one area to long it dyes that area darker. So I ended up some dark spots. But I know what I did and I am sure I can do better next time. And, no you can not touch it up. I tried it one one and just ended up with a worse mess. The only thing you can do at this point is to tint the polyurethane, it will help even it out but it will never hide it. So I have learned to just live with it.

A few coats of sealer and a little rigging and she will be ready for the water.

[PeterSibley]

Jeff this has been an excellent education ...I'll continue by reading your site .

[PeterSibley]

I've been thinking about the sewing process .How would I go making up simple patterns for the choosen material ,probably polyester ,out of light material from the fabric shop ...or old bed sheets.Therefore getting the shapes pretty right then doing the maximum amount of sewing on a sewing machine ,probably a heavy industrial one using a rolled seam but off the boat ?

[getthemack]

Thanks for a great thread Jeff...I learned A LOT!
Bob

[Kudzu]

I've been thinking about the sewing process .How would I go making up simple patterns for the choosen material .....

I don't think it would be a good idea. Just sounds like it would create more work and with no real gains. Besides if you have sewn up a skin off the boat, how would your get it on the boat?? You would still have to hand sew up at least one seam on the boat to get it over the frame. So your only cutting the hand sewing in half, if that.

I am sure it could be done but I don't see any advantage and I see some problems. If you did it from multiple pieces that is just more seams to leak and more high spots to run and get worn.

[DGentry]

I agree with Jeff here, that machine sewing is not particularly practical. However, there is an easy way to avoid 9/10ths of the sewing, if you prefer.
For an example, my latest SOF, a short, stable recreational kayak (constructed just like Jeff's), the hull is one piece of fabric, the deck another. They are joined at the gunwales, with ss staples, and this seam is later covered with a rubrail. The only sewing is the few inches along the stems. This is, to me, much less tedious than sewing a center seam - though not necessarily much quicker as you have to fabricate, fasten and finish the rubrails, which takes time.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/alias1719/deck.jpg
That's not completely fastened, yet, but you can see the process - and how little sewing is required.

Here's the same, finished, with rubrail:
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/alias1719/Recreational%20Kayak/boatstuff262.jpg

Sorry if this is thread hijack. Jeff, I like the blue!

Dave Gentry

[Kudzu]

Not at all Dave.

I am working a decked canoe design right now for some flowing river fishing and I am going to staple it and use the rub rails.

I am also thinking on a Rec Kayak design very similar to yours. Something easy and cheap to assemble and stapling would be much more appealing to most people than sewing. Add a bow strip and no sewing would be required at all.

[PeterSibley]

Thanks Dave , thanks Jeff .That would be a much better idea .I don't have much confidence in doing a sewing jub that I would be pleased with .

[Kudzu]

DAY 14 * Finishing up!

The last big project was to coat (waterproof) the skin. There are a few different things you can use but I like ZAR Exterior Polyurethane. It just works well and the price is lower than a lot of other options. Best of all, it's easy to apply. I chose to brush it on but it's hard to put on evenly. So I will go back to spraying it, it just looks better than brushing it on does.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day14-1.jpg

Once coated, the only thing left was rigging it out. I decided to try something different on this one. I laminated up a my coaming without a lip on it. So I drilled a series of holes and stitched on a 5/8" dia. piece of rope for the lip.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day14-2.jpg

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day14-3.jpg


I put in a Redfish seat and one of my backbands. Added some bungee's on the deck and a couple of paitners and she was ready for the water.

Here she is ready for her maiden voyage sitting next Randy's 21' Looksha II

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day14-4.jpg

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/day14-5.jpg

[DGentry]

Looks good, Jeff. Fat, but good:D. How does it handle? Were there any wind or waves?

[Kudzu]

Looks good, Jeff. Fat, but good:D.

Doesn't it! I looked at those photos and thought the same thing! I think it's just that skinny long legged Looksha next to it. :rolleyes: I mean how can a 24" wide boat compare to a 20" x 21 FOOT boat? ;)

We had some wind before the day was over but we don't have much in the way to waves to deal with here. Just an occasional boat wake. Not a hint of weather cocking but I want to check it in stronger wind just to make sure.

We spent 5-6 hours out paddling and I am pretty impressed. The cockpit is a bit larger than I prefer but that was on purpose. Lots of foot room and it was nice to be able to move my legs around and stretch. While it sure isn't a racer it wasn't slow feeling like I expected it to be. I think this is going to be a good all purpose boat for the average paddler.

Here are a couple of photos with Randy paddling.

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/finished1.jpg

http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/designs/vardo/development/finished2.jpg