Thread: Geodesic airolite skiff

Hi SinJin, OK, so the steak was burnt and we missed Clark & Daw, and I got in trouble - but it was a great chat I'll hold you to that coffee at next year's AWBF......

A couple of things we didn't cover and answers to those questions raised above.....

The Dacron is supposed to shrink up to 15% - I have no idea what that means in real life except to say that you're only shrinking enough to make the skin taut and to remove any wrinkles and I've never reached the point where I've run out of "shrink".

Huon Pine steam bends as you look at it - (almost as good as Silver Quondong ) Celery is good for the stringers. My current build is Swamp Gum/Tassie Oak for keelson, Celery Top for Gunwales, rub rails, cutwaters and keel strip, Huon for the rest including the inwales. I'm happy that that gives me strength and hardness where I want it balanced with the look I want. I'll do a Huon/King Billy version at some point.... I use a pretty rudimentary steam box - a piece of 6" poly pipe, a kettle and a soaked rag. Bear in mind that at these dimensions I'm only steaming a rib for about two - three minutes.

The bit I didn't cover when talking coatings - the water based urethane floor finish I'm using on the frame dries over the Huon in a couple of hours - not a couple of weeks like Spar Varnish. You can use lots of different waterproofing finishes on the skin - the most basic rule is that varnishes will "yellow" the skin, water based urethanes such as I use keep that nice clean look......

I was hoping you were talking about my canoe at the last Wooden Boat Festival.......maybe not?