Today we are going to install the deck beams and bulkheads. The deck beams came pre-built in my kit. If you are going to build from scratch, it's not hard to do.
It is important to lay out the placement of the beams using the plans for rough placement, clamp them in position, then lay the deck panels one top to make sure the cockpits cutouts and coaming ring align with the beams. I had to make a small adjustment to one of the beams position. When you are sure everything is going to fit, check it two more times and then mark for the holes.
Now you have to "fit" the beams. First cut them slightly oversize for their placement and then adjust the ends to fit to the sheer clamps. I used my plane, wood rasp, chisel and sander to get this right. When you get this right, the beams will fit snugly in place.
Next, pre-drill the holes. You will need to countersink the heads of the screws a little so than you can fill over them with thickened epoxy and have a nice smooth hull. Mix up some epoxy and glue and screw the beams in place. Be sure to coat the screws with a little epoxy to make them go in easier and bond into place. Fill over the screw heads and you are finished.
Now you don't have to wait to go on to the construction and installation of the bulkheads!
The kit comes with 3" thick foam to be used for bulkheads. I liked this for the forward one because it is hidden from view. But for the visible one behind the rear cockpit I used a scrap of mahogany plywood (picked up at a local lumber store for $5.) This gives the boat a better look, I think.
To make the bulkheads, first build them out of cardboard to get the correct fit, then cut the foam with a bread knife and glue it in place with "3M Marine Adhesive Sealant 5200". This goop is very sticky, so wear gloves and work as clean as possible. It takes forever for this stuff to set up, so don't move the hull until it is cured ( 3 days or more if cold ) or you will have the sealant fracture where the bulkhead meets the hull. ( I had to re-coat the edges because of this. )
The rear bulkhead was actually easier since it was wood. I cut it to shape, sealed it with epoxy and then attached it just behind the rear deck beam. This is great since you can glue it to the deck beam and it will not want to flex or move, ever. Route the cable housing for the rudder through the bulkhead, seal around the edges with 5200 and you are done, just wait for the 5200 to cure before moving the hull!!!
I have also decided to use the adjustable footbraces in the forward cockpit so different sized paddlers can be comfortable. ( *** Footbrace placing is one of the most important parts of your kayak fit as you will be transferring your paddling energy through them to move the boat forward. I highly recommend that you use the adjustable ones so that you can maximize your efficiency. $30. is a small price to pay for easy adaptability they give. Just try removing and re-epoxying rigid braces! *** ) They will match the adjustable rudder controls in the rear. The instructions call for drilling holes through the hull and attaching the footbrace rails with large screws. This is very common in the kayak industry with fiberglass, plastic and wood boats. I just could not bring myself to drill holes in a hull I had worked so hard making smooth, I just feel that any "Lump" would detract from the nice clean lines that CLC have designed into the boat. So, I came up with an alternate way to mount the rails.
I took some clear 1/2" X 3" Hemlock and cut 4 pieces 15" long. Just 1" longer than the rails. Then I planed the backs of each piece to match the inside curve of the hull where they would be mounted. I drilled and countersunk holes in the back of each piece to fit the large screws that would usually go through the hull, and then sealed the pieces with a good coat of epoxy.
After the epoxy cured, I applied a bead of "3M Marine Adhesive Sealant 5200" (included with the kit for gluing in the bulkheads) to the back of each rail, put "LockTight" on each screw and attached the rail. Then I filed the protruding threads out of the rail track. This gave me a nice mounting surface of 45 sq.in. to which I applied a generous amount of thickened epoxy and clamped them into position. When the clamps were removed the next day, I had my braces mounted and NO lumps on the outside of the hull. ( I am quite pleased with the results, even though it required a fair amount of time.)
NOTE: Even if this fails, I can still go back and drill through the hull and mt. them as instructed.
I have also decided to route the rudder control cables differently than CLC suggests. They bring them out of the top of the rear deck. Again, I just do not like the idea of plastic tubing jutting up out of the deck. I want a cleaner look, so I have glued a 1"X 3" scrap of 1/4" plywood just below the sheer clamp on the inside of the hull 3 feet form the stern. ( Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of this, and now the deck is on and it is hidden. ) I will drill a 1/8" hole just below the rub strip and line it with 1/8" hydraulic tubing and route the control cable through it. This will leave the top of the deck cleaner and keep the cable below the deck level.
While I was playing with the rudder, I came up with a better way to rig the cables to the sliders and the rudder wings. Using some assorted bicycle brake parts and some stainless steel tandem brake cables I have eliminated the "loop/clamp" attachment system suggested in the instructions. My system allows easy replacement of a worn cable or quick adjustment for length if necessary. ( I will show pictures of this arrangement when I install the rudder and deck fittings later. ) Of course, this is just my natural tendency to find a better/different way. ( 28 years of repairing bicycles for a living has caused this quirk! )