See full version: Bending cedar planking
The planking I am using is 1/4" western red cedar. I have a deep double concave coming out the tail and my tests for bending the cedar into the concaves have been somwhat promising, but also have me a bit worried. This is by far the deepest bottom contours I have attempted. Previous contours were things like 1/8" single concaves with slight vee in the tail, etc.
I am building a board that is plywood frame with a cedar skin.
Looking at my planking, however, I realized that the glue joints may present an issue. here
A wooden kayak will last longer if you leave the hatch covers off when ashore. Your editor prefers to buy hatch rims and covers from a kayak store and fix the rims to the deck with rivets or bolts. See Hatches. It is possible to make hatch rims the same way as you make a cockpit coaming, below, and to make a hatch cover the same way you might make a sprayskirt, but make sure it will stay on if a heavy wave drops onto your deck. See Hatch Covers. [links]
You can keep moisture at an acceptable level with paint, varnish or oil. For the perfectly smooth, even coating you might see at a boat show you need an epoxy base layer and seven coats of linear polyurethane spray. Some feel that a wooden boat is a wooden boat, there's enough plastic in the world already, and a few irregularities, dents and stains give a nice patina. Like lichen on an old stone house or scuffs on a favorite pair of walking boots. [links]
Now tackle the cockpit coaming, seat, bulkheads, hatches and trim. See Completing Your Wood Kayak. more
This is sometimes known as WEST system ("wood epoxy saturation technology"), a trademark of the Gougeon Brothers who sell their epoxy formulations worldwide. Interesting people - they also build wooden boats of all kinds and they like sailing canoes. Another big formulator of marine-grade epoxy resins is SP Gurit, formerly Structural Polymer Systems. Both of them have interesting websites. See Retail Outlets.
In other words, make about 10 or 15 formers, each in the shape of a cross-section of the hull of the kayak.
If cost is not much of an issue for you, you may prefer to cut up a half-sheet of plywood into a series of egg shapes of slightly different sizes, according to a designer's pattern, and glue them together, stacked one on top of the next. [links]
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Castin' Craft clear polyester casting resin will do a good job for you. It's available in most craft stores such as Michael's or on line from Dick Blick. I use it for a wide variety of things such as filling checks or worm holes or other insect damage that one encounters in native wood. I've carved quite a few pieces from red cedar and used the resin successfully in filling the many checks common to that wood. Since it is a clear material it ends up appearing as part of the finish. I also use it for glue regularly in attaching tips to sticks.
I found another polyurethane glue that is specially made for impact resistance, is waterproof, holds up under both cold and hot weather conditions, is non brittle, will sand, accept paint or stain, and sets up quickly. It sounds very good.
I do have the capability or cutting, grinding, sanding, and polishing stone to fit the need.
A couple of other thoughts on fillers. I've used plain old bondo as a filler as long as you are painting it,,otherwise its pink in color. Another thing that seems to glue most anything together and act as a great filler is PC7. That's the sample you see in stores of a soda bottle with leather,wood,stone,steel and all sorts of things glued to it with this stuff.These might be worth looking into.