Boat Building Forum

Find advice on all aspects of building your own kayak, canoe or any lightweight boats

Peter Van Dyne did this 30 years ago
By:Craig Bumgarner
Date: 9/12/2001, 11:51 am

Peter Van Dyne of Annapolis, MD built a number of sail boats from 16 to 40 foot using this same method. He used polyurethane (PU) foam ripped to 1" x 1" x 8' long and laid them up over a hull form just like strippers use only bigger. He used toothpicks to "nail" each strip to the previous one. Faired them out and lightly and carefully glassed them inside and out. (Peter is the guy who taught me that you NEVER need to sand the glass itself if you perform your layups carefully). His methods produced very light boats but not real durable. The ones he built using 2 pound density refrigeration foam (green) where feather light but had delamination problems because the "edge strength" of the foam was not high enough. Even the 4 lb denisity foam (reddish pink) boats had problems, but that was because they were so lightly glassed and were easily holed or dented. If you took care of them though, they were and are great boats. Very light, high performance even though many of his designs were throw backs to old fashion designs. It was such a gas to watch his little Tancook Schooners wipe up on big racing boats. Peter was an excellent designer/builder, way-way-way ahead of his time. He got bored with boats in his old age and went in experimental aircraft design and building. I think his foam strip & glass method would translate perfectly from wood/glass to foam/glass construction. The right foam to use is an important question. I'd consider using a 4 lb PU foam like the white stuff that is used to make surf boards (what we used to call Clarke Foam). This is available in sheets of various thicknesses from the aviation supply companies like Wicks Aviation. 3/8" sounds like about the right thickness.

Messages In This Thread

A new method to build a kayak.......???
Mark F -- 9/8/2001, 1:26 am
Great idea for a fast sit-on-top kayak
Paul G. Jacobson -- 9/9/2001, 11:05 pm
Re: A new method to build a kayak.......???
John Monfoe -- 9/9/2001, 8:09 am
Use thin foam and leave it in place.
Paul G. Jacobson -- 9/9/2001, 11:37 pm
Re: Foam & glass Website
Dave Houser -- 9/10/2001, 3:04 pm
Re: Another one
Shawn Baker -- 9/10/2001, 3:34 pm
Why not ;) stripper with strips cut from foam :b ? *NM*
risto -- 9/10/2001, 12:40 pm
Peter Van Dyne did this 30 years ago
Craig Bumgarner -- 9/12/2001, 11:51 am
so, nothing new under the sun :) !
risto -- 9/13/2001, 10:27 am
Re: A new method to build a kayak.......???
tg -- 9/8/2001, 11:39 am
Re: A new method to build a kayak.......???
Mike Scarborough -- 9/8/2001, 3:17 pm
Re: A new method to build a kayak.......???
Tapio Manner -- 9/8/2001, 3:23 pm
Thanks everyone I've had this idea for years...
Mark F -- 9/8/2001, 11:09 pm
Re: Thanks everyone I've had this idea for years..
100GRIT -- 9/9/2001, 7:34 am
Re: Thanks everyone I've had this idea for years..
Rehd -- 9/9/2001, 12:05 am
Re: A new method to build a kayak.......???
Tapio Manner -- 9/8/2001, 4:11 am