Yup, that’s from my website.
1 Like
That boat is a petrel play from Guillimont
The question is about a boat, a winter project being built next to a green land paddle.
Riot 12,
It is a Guilemot Kayak, Petrel Play. I got the prints (black lines) from Petrel "Play" | Guillemot Kayaks.
As said by others GPs are often built to personal requirements. I do mine by a combination of power tools to rough in and hand tools to plane out the shape and grip. I do mine to what feels right. Unlike the traditionalist I make mine thin-ish and cover with fiberglass and varnish instead of oil. Its like the boat.
That would make a lot of sense. My Riot 12 took a lot of damage on the bottom as Scotland’s shorelines are mainly rocky and lots and lots of submerged rocks that come as a surprise.
1 Like
I coat mine with thickened and tinted epoxy. It’s a sacrificial layer that has to be renewed periodically. I experimented with different thickening agents and have settled on fumed silica (a.k.a., “Cabosil”). It makes the tips a bit more difficult to sand, but that’s because they’re more abrasion resistant, which is the point.
2 Likes
@bnystrom Have you applied a penetrating epoxy as a base under the thickened epoxy? I’m considering that on a new storm paddle that is mostly complete.
I apply un-thickened epoxy first, which soaks into the end grain at the tips quite well. Nothing I’ve seen about “penetrating” epoxies leads me to believe that they have any real benefit for this application. In order increase penetration, they add solvents, which evaporate as the epoxy cures, leaving behind porous epoxy. While this may provide an significant structural improvement for stabilizing rotted wood - the intended use for these products - it’s not likely to provide any benefit over regular epoxy for use on paddle tips.
For best results, use a slow-curing epoxy and apply the first coat, adding more as it soaks in. When the wood will no longer accept more epoxy, allow it to cure partially (what’s know as the “green” stage), but not fully, before adding the thickened epoxy. That insures that you get a chemical bond between the layers, rather that a purely mechanical bond.
Thanks
I’ll need to get the epoxy warm before I give that a try.
Well, it took me over a year and a half to get around to finishing it, but I did finally complete my Greenland paddle. I did start it shortly after I originally started this thread, but I ended up putting it aside for months at a time at several points along the process.
I haven’t had a chance to actually try using it yet, but I still thought I’d post an update and some pictures. I definitely really enjoyed the process of carving it and learned some new things. It’s not at all perfect, but I think it’s pretty decent.
Before this, the only time I’d used a plane was a block plane to shave a corner of a sticking gate.
During the project, I also picked up a bench plane and a spokeshave. I learned to sharpen the irons and to do a bit of work tuning the planes as well.
This was always intended as a practice/first attempt, so I didn’t use nice cedar. I found a 2x8 that had reasonably verticle grain (not perfect, but decent I think.) Once I started carving a couple of
the knots were bigger than I’d initially thought, but I decided to finish it anyway.
In the end, my “splurge” was to pick up some blue finish that’s a very close match to my kayak. I know it’s not at all traditional, but I like it. It’s Rubio Monocoat brand “Hybrid Wood Protector” which is one of their exterior products and I think it’s mainly linseed oil. I decided not to do any epoxy or anything on this one, but I do plan to carve more of these in the future. I’ve already picked up a clear piece of shorter western red cedar to try a storm paddle, so maybe I’ll try epoxy on a future one.
4 Likes
Congrats! I hope you like using it.
They are not so hard. And you don’t have to be a cabinet builder to make one. I made this one with a hand held jig saw, a plane and a rasp. I like it.
1 Like
I’ve made half a dozen. Started by laminating WRC 1"x6" boards from HD. Use 2x4 or 2x6 now.
If I’m real motivated, I can have one ready for finishing in 3-4 hours.
PS , I think small knots add character.
Mine is made f two 1x4 pine boards. A knot on one has good wood backing it up on the other. I have paddled it hard, pushed off rocks and sat on it during entries. No worries.
One day I may make another out of better wood. 
1 Like