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Kayak and Canoe Design Bulletin Board
Design and Strip Layout Tool
Posted By: Mike Allen
Date: Friday, 21 May 1999, at 6:05 p.m.
A few months back when I was in the final uncertain stages of an initial design for a kayak, Paul Jacobson suggested building a model to investigate some characteristics. Well, a model takes time and really who wants to play with toys when you're close to the real thing!
However, a short time later one friday night, I broke down and built a simple, quick (3-4 hrs) 1/4 size model using a stick strongback and doorskin ply for the forms. I put on 4 little stringers - 2 for the shear lines and 1 on the centreline top and 1 on the bottom. Over this I ironed on model aircraft fabric covering(real quick). Voila - done!.
Now what this gives is a provocative looking skin on frame kayak following the exact curvature of the design. The real bonus is that each form and its effects can be clearly seen.
Now as a design tool I must say that there is nothing like holding your design in your hands - looking this way and that - and thinking of what to do next and what a change in curvature will do here etc etc etc. It is of amazing help. I have already built 4 ( ie successive revisions and 2 offshoots ) and more are on the way. I watch tv and roll it around in my hands. Initially, I drew with felt pen on all the areas that I wished to revise. The fabric is similar to a rough paper. So in a way it becomes a 3d working drawing.
Secondly I took the model of the design I'm going to build and spray painted it with white paint. I then took a washable erasable pen and drew on a strip layout idea - didn't like it so wiped it off and again etc etc. Finally something comes thru that may be ok and you can easily see the result and also where any tricky areas are. Very useful.
Now I can't say that my design(s) or strip layouts will be any great shakes compared to what I've seen here so far, but I can easily say that they are infinetly better than if I hadn't used this tool!
-Mike
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Kayak and Canoe Design Bulletin Board is maintained by Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks with WebBBS 5.12.
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