Boat building and Sea Kayaking clips by Nick Schade of Guillemot Kayaks - www.guillemot-kayaks.com/
I started building boats around 1980 starting with a crappy little raft for a race on the Connecticut River. It fell apart before completing the race. Since then I continue to try to figure out how to makes better boats. I never build boats exactly the same way so don't take anything you see here as the only way to do it.
I started kayaking in about 1972 after my father built a kit he found in the back of some magazine. My brother was older so he always claimed dibs on the kayak. Time in kayaks now compensates for any resentment I had for him using the kayak when I wanted to.
A follow up question to your response to @cgsathome, What do you like about the Rigid oscillating belt sander that makes you to continue to stick with it knowing it is cheaply made rather than spending the money (crying) once for a better quality model or brand? I accept that spending more money does not guarantee a longer lasting tool/equipment nor makes it a better tool/equipment worth spending twice the money for it. Love the series. Thanks for sharing.
Miss the links you provided in the description for to the tools you used in the particular episode. Hope you continue this practice in your future build series. Very helpful tips in episode. Thanks for sharing.
My sister is a fisherman, mostly salt water. Therefore when I build a boat for her I am thinking of modifying one of your designs into a Hawaiian outrigger style. That way she won't capsize while she is reeling in a fish. Thanks for sharing.
I like your method to rid the paint brush of loose hairs. Wonder if applying some CA glue where the metal band is but inside the brush will do any better or just a waste of money using CA glue? Thanks for sharing a great video.
Great idea! What material do you usually cut? Does your saw get bogged down or have issues when wood wants to twist? I need to cut a million strips of 3/8” x 1-1/4” hardwood and I’m trying to come up with an easier method!
Liked the tip about using colloidal silica to lighten the sawdust color. Enjoyed your humor editing when the mic wiring interfered with the sound track. There are many similarities in your sanding philosophy that parallel with the sanding philosophy with the autobody repair industry. I understand using alcohol based stain has certain advantages. Did you consider a stain gel and what were the reasons you opted for the alcohol instead. For wood with color variation using stain gel aids the user to achieve a more uniform color and less bleed out into areas you don't want stained. Would like to hear your thoughts. Thanks for sharing.
Really appreciate the list of tools in the description. I am sure it helps the viewers and reduces the amount of repeat request for this information in the comments.
Good video. Even if I've been doing this for decades, it's always good to watch a video from someone who knows more. Good tip about replacing sandpaper. Over the years I find that I buy a lot more 60 80 and 100 grit than I do 150 220 etc. Dust collection also helps sandpaper last long by not clogging it up. Especially sanding epoxy and varnishes. And the lower grits are where the vast majority of my time is spent. Might be good to talk about how long your rasp plane lasts. I've got tools like that that I'd just kept using for years without realizing they weren't working all that well. When I built my first kayak I was also obsessed with learning how to sharpen my tools better. I settled on Scary Sharp. What I noticed was that after 45 minutes planing western red cedar strips (what could be softer?) if I took my plane's blade out and touched it up with the higher grits I noticed a difference. It wasn't enough to say it had been dull. Soon I found that just overnight in my outside shop my chisels and plane blade didn't get dull... but had lost just a bit of sharpness. I like step drills a lot. I had to turn a square hole into a 3/8" round hole in the metal bracket for a deck light on my sailboat. Usually a twist bit will grab and try to rip the part out of my hand. The step drill? No problem. Seconds. I also drilled a bunch of 1" holes in a plexi shelf for my fridge. I got one crack, but the other 20+ holes were just fine. I also like tapered screw starter bits.
It is always good to know a variety of methods to do a sequence of steps. After all one size does not fit everyone. The availability of tools, time constraints, type of boat, etc will be factors in deciding which method the builder choses. Thanks for sharing a variety of construction methods to build the various phased of the boat build.
7:55 I applaud the way you simply accepted the reality of the strip breaking at the joint and simply showed us how to fix the situation. Well done. Thanks for sharing.
Agreed, not a great series but not terrible either. In one episode they are dragging Nick’s boat on the sand. I am cringing from all the scratches it must be getting. My question is what happened to the boat after the series was filmed. I hope it is being treated with care.
Nick, thanks for your videos over the years. Since getting your books and watching the videos over last 12-14 yrs, I have built 12 kayaks and baidarkas, I never get tired of building and have developing new boats. Thanks again for getting me started many yrs ago.
hi Nick, I'm re-watching this but now for different reasons. I'm started, building a Somes Sound 12 1/2. It is a glued lapstrake construction and I will be needing to cut laps and gains. I thought at first to look for a rabbet plane but am now confused with shoulder planes and can't decide which would be best. The planks will be made of hydrotech marine plywood (3/8). What are your thoughts, please? thanks, Chuck
I don't end up cutting gains so I'm not necessarily the best qualified. You probably want to use a tool that matches the size of the gains you are cutting. A shoulder plane is a form of rabet plane (rabet planes have blades that extend to the side of the plane) and I would think a shoulder plane sized slightly bigger than the needed gain would work nicely, but any rabet plane would get the job done. I'm sure some folks just use a sharp chisel.
@@NickSchade thanks Nick! I think, based on what I can gather, is that one or the other has a lower blade angle and I'm thinking that this might be more suited, especially based on how thin the material is that I'll be using.
Great video Nick. I built a Chesapeake 17 a couple years ago and I bought the kit as I was pressed for time. They put together such a superior product! I can only imagine what a kick it is for you to be partnered with them and have your own design, offered as one of their kits. Super cool! Super Cool!
Bill and I built this kayak in about 21 days, stretched over the period of about 6 months. We averaged about 4-5 hours in the shop each day. The kit from CLC probably saved a week or so of work. Capturing it all on video probably almost doubled the amount of time it took to build. For more information about building this kayak yourself, visit: Petrel Play SG Plans: guillemot-kayaks.com/catalog/stitch-and-glue/sea-kayak-recreational-kayak-solo/petrel-play-sg Petrel Play SG Kit at @CLCBoats1 : bit.ly/46LoS3O
Dear Nick, I would like to ask for your advice on the best method of cutting paper drawings when they are being transferred to plywood. Should we use a jigsaw, band saw, or some other tool? Thank you for your assistance in this matter. Best regards, [Viktor Gunkov
@@NickSchade I have pasted the drawings onto plywood and would like to inquire about the best method of cutting them out. In some instances, on certain models, it is necessary to create corners for precise alignment.
Hi Nick, what a lovely boat/design/build/work of art! I would be interested in buying if I could afford her, and if she could survive transport to New Zealand...(sob)
Hi I would like to say that I know nothing about kayaks or boats but I watched this series and this is one of the few scenes that I rewinded many times, to understand the allegory, and to look at this beautiful kayak. Then after I finished the series while at work,I kept remembering this scene and I just had to search it on the web and then came to your video. I'm surprised that Nick from Groton is a real person but that's just a beautiful piece of work, looks like you really put in the time.
Having previously watched the Petrel Play and MicroBootlegger play lists allowed me to really understand the finer details in this montage for the Mystic River Tandem canoe. The montage (for 2020 I believe) has a better viewing vantage point. For this build is it better to use bead and cove or the robo-bevel method used for the Petrel Play? Looking forward to your next build series. Thanks for sharing.
As of Sept 15, 2024 there are only 101 days until Christmas. Time to start my Mystic River Tandem Canoe build now that I have all the tools and wood. Hope the glass and resin gets here in time. Great montage thanks for sharing
Hey Nick I knew that was your creation the moment I saw it. What a beautiful build indeed. It was a pleasure to meet you at Canoecopia this year. My son and I appreciate what a great teacher you are.
This kayak, used in the filming is available. The current owner is seeking a buyer. Let me know if you are interested. woodenkayaks.com/available-hand-made-wood-kayaks/
Wife and I were watching it a few nights ago. I immediately paused it and told my wife, "that's one of Nick's boats!". Recognized that backrest immediately. Loved the "Nick from Groton" part. Nice that they included that. I remember many years ago Rob @ Laughing Loon made a boat for a movie that ended up not getting used. Nice to see this made the final cut. Congratulations!
Yeah, I had that same thrill. Recognized Nick's work immediately, and then the mention! This is also a key moment in the series. Nick's Micro Bootlegger is used as a counterpoint to the selfish uselessness of the 'Perfect Family'. The loan the loser son needs is to cover his cryptocurrency losses. Absolutely fake value versus absolutely real value. In about 2008 I was told that an ad agency was looking for wooden kayaks that could be rented for a day's photography. I sent them photos of my Great Auk (strip built). Yes. Then they asked me about myself and for my photo. Then they asked if I could model (I'm almost as pretty as Nick, so.....) I tidied up my Great Auk and drove up to a reservoir lake. They were okay with my shirt but gave me some cargo pants to wear. I stood my 'yak on end on the dock and they took a bunch of photos that I never saw. Here's the kicker. The ad was for Barclay's Bank, to be sent to people with $250 million or more to investment. Nick's design? Absolutely. Makes sense. But cargo pants? and me??
Thanks for another great build series. All the extra efforts of filming and editing, let alone just building the boat, as well as having an extra person in your shop space, are very much appreciated. I saw some footage of you and Bill doing the test run(?); the boat looks great and Bill looked pretty happy to be in it.
kayaked this today on a much less suitable kayak. went under going west at slack (tho i thought it was before slack) and then 1 hr later it was like fighting a river to try to go back east under the bridge. had to bail and beach it. was kinda scary! getting spun in a kayak is harrowing!
