Building the Pygmy Coho

[Doug]

Building the Pygmy Coho from the WestCoastPaddler.com site

http://www.westcoastpaddler.com/buildin ... =12&page=1
(I want one)


Doug



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[Glen Smith]

So why don't you build one? Better yet, build a Bear Mountain stitch & glue kayak!

[WestCoastPaddler]

Hmmm... missed this thread. That's my Coho in the link that Doug posted.

As it turns out, my next boat building project will be a Bear Mountain stitch and glue. I'm quite looking forward to getting started.

[RonMc1954]

Hey Dan, I was going though your pics and I am trying to figure out how your hatches work. I love the look and how you made those pieces by using a broom stick. I saw the pic with the straps attached but I did not see how they worked together. Do you have another pic with the hatches straped down?
Sorry Doug, I don't mean to change the subject of your thead. It is a great looking boat!!!
Ronmc1954

[WestCoastPaddler]

I'll try to take some better photos in the next few days that clearly show how the hatch system works. In the meanwhile, here's a couple of shots of the hatches with the straps tightened down tight.

The first image is of the rear deck rigging, the second is a closer shot of the rear hatch:

[RonMc1954]

Now that I like!!! So are the deck lines bungee cords? Also do you seal where the straps go through the deck?
It's a really nice look.
Ronmc1954

[WestCoastPaddler]

Now that I like!!! So are the deck lines bungee cords?

The deck lines are not bungees -- they're black non-stretch cord with a white filament running through the inside -- it's awful stuff to get a good clean end on unless you use a heat blade (we have one where I work) -- I looped the deck rigging through the soft padeyes and used a knot (sorry, don't know the name) that wraps around itself but slides with a bit of effort to tighten or loosen the deck lines -- the knot works particularly well with this cord.

Also do you seal where the straps go through the deck?

I do. The "soft padeyes" were first done by Joe Greenley of Redfish Kayaks -- these are a variation of his method. Joe builds some of the most beautiful kayaks I've ever seen - he's a true craftsman and has a fabulous eye for good design. If you're ever in Port Townsend, Washington, I highly recommend that you stop in at his shop -- you're bound to be impressed.

The padeyes that I used were made with a red cedar backing plate. A nylon web strap was inserted through the slot and stapled to the bottom. I then prepared some epoxy in a small tray and dipped the padeye until the backing plate was fully submerged, excess epoxy was cleaned off with a brush. The nylon strap will wick some epoxy so I had to be careful not to get epoxy above the backing plate or the webbing above the deck could become stiff as a board. For some of the padeyes, I made small loops for the deck lines to run through -- see the middle hatch straps on the photos in the previous post.

A description of how I cut the padeye slots in the deck starts on this page of my build journal.

Once the padeyes and slots in the deck were all prepared, I did a test fit for each of them before applying a product called Marine Goop to the top of the backing plate -- it's very similar in appearance to silicone sealer but with a bit less viscosity. Unlike silicone sealer, Marine Goop doesn't break down in salt water or create problems with some brands of varnish. It can be removed later with a bit of effort. The padeyes on my Coho haven't leaked a drop so far.

Here's a photo of the padeyes after dipping them in epoxy:

It's a really nice look.

Thanks. The soft padeyes definitely give the rigging a cleaner look.

I think the black rigging is a nice accent to the dark colour of the sapele and jarrah. I should point out that I specially ordered some black anodized cam buckles from Current Designs instead of using the stainless steel silver cam buckles that come with the Pygmy kit.