The Bear Mountain Boat Shop

I did my primer coat and glass today. There are a few wrinkles that I just could not get rid of... any ideas on how to repair or smooth them if possible?

thinking about outfitting it with rod holders for salmon or trout trolling and a removable pulley for hauling up crab traps

The bow and stern are taking shape and the hull is getting sanded with 40 grit with an orbital sander

strips on the inside from gunnel to gunnel is an interesting idea... kind of like invisible ribs

Most of our paddling is in the ocean and some rivers and lakes. The ocean (Puget Sound) is just down the street from our home. No portaging, but lots of loading and unloading from the car and hauling it down to the water's edge. My father and I used to spend a week in BWCA every summer (that was in ...

The Chaa Creek Expedition is a really big boat. Should I add an extra layer of glass on the bottom of the hull? I am worried about it being stiff enough, especially when people step in and out.

What is the best way to fill cracks in the hull? On a kayak, we used wood dust and epoxy. Can I use non-epoxy wood filler, like for furniture, since it's going to be encased in epoxy anyway?

Is it best to pour on the hull after mixing in a cup then roll it out or to use a tray like for painting?

Spreader or roller for spreading epoxy when it's time to glass? I had a teacher recommend spreader and that is how we did the kayak.

I had a few staples break off and I was not able to grab them with pliers to remove them. Any ideas about what to do?

planking complete, staples removed, bow and stern rough trimmed

getting the centerline nice and straight

late nights at the BARN wood shop

chiseled and hand planed the centerline of the bottom of the hull

closing up the hull