Not tiny house..........tiny boat

[Kayak Jack]

Thanks, Joey. I have some wood that could be out in the weather, and had applied linseed oil. Your mix sounded better than just the linseed.
BTW, would this be a good thing for axe handles? Or, would it be slippery? The grain on the hickory axe handle is a lot tighter than your plywood.
Thanks for any thoughts you have on it.

 

[jdupre']

I think it would be perfect for an ax handle. I sinks into the wood so you still feel the grain. I think any wood that plain water soaks into, would do well with this finish. It's hard to describe. I think Scandinavian style furniture has a similar type of finish on it. Not shiny, but you can tell there's some kind of protection there.

To give you an idea, I mixed about 2 oz. each of the mineral spirits, boiled linseed oil and spar varnish. I applied it with a squirt bottle and a rag. The two outside side panels and the outside of the two stems absorbed almost all of that. So, all that protection had to go SOMEWHERE.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Thanks, Joey. Wood is a living medium, and it's all interesting. Fair weather and tail winds to you and Joy.

 

[jdupre']

"Preciate that, Jack. I figure two more applications of the "brew" will just about do it. Think about that. 3 coats of finish.........no sanding between coats, no- brush streaks, stray brush hairs, runs, dry areas, too wet areas, dust, dead bugs, brush cleaning . Applicator........1 piece of old towel or t shirt about 10" x 10". First application took 10 minutes...........walked away and didn't look back. Simple. If I have to clean it up and spend another 10 minutes to splash on (yes- splash on) another coat in a year , I'm good with that.

 

[jdupre']

Check out this for convenience. I put on another coat on the outside, waited 10 minutes and wiped off any excess. I grabbed the just-finished sides and turned the boat right side up. I sanded the inside a bit more and then blew out the debris with air. I mixed 12 oz. of the finish and spent 15 minutes flooding the whole 12 oz. over the inside. Their were tiny bits of wood and dust that appeared from the cracks...........disaster for a varnish job. No problem with this method. The finish sunk in and left the wood bits loose on the surface.

 

[Kayak Jack]

I wonder if Seedtick uses something like this on his dugouts?

 

[jdupre']

That's possible. I remember them not being shiny but having some kind of finish.

 

[seedtick]

half boiled linseed oil and half mineral spirits

 

[Kayak Jack]

Thanks, Jules. Makes sense.

 

[jdupre']

This is 12 oz. of the "brew" soaked into the inside. No sheen yet, but you can tell it filled some of the grain. Probably another couple of coats and let her dry for a few days.

I have less than $60 in her so far..............lotta bang for the buck.

I brushed up on my buoyancy formula. She should draw a little less than 3 inches. With 9 3/4" sides, that'll be plenty of freeboard for sheltered waters.

 

[Gamecock]

Hey Joey, that's a good looking boat and handy. If I wanted to use the finish you used on a boat and wanted to add color to it. How would you suggest mixing it? If it could be done. Dave.

 

[jdupre']

Dave, I think you could just add whatever stain you want to the mix, a little at a time , and apply that as a first coat. I would think you wouldn't want to keep adding coats of the stain mix for the following coats. It would probably just keep getting darker. Just use the standard mix for the last 3 or 4 coats. I mix enough of the brew for one application in a squirt bottle. It goes fast. Squirt a puddle in a foot square area and mop it in with a rag.

By the way, Dave, this is an experiment. I'm in no way advising anyone to use it. I'll know better how it works after a couple of months of use. But, this is basically the basic mix that is used in deck stain. It's not made to act as sealed coating. According to the deck stain people, you just have to wash and dry the wood and reapply. I like the "no sanding between coats- no sanding when reapplying". Not looking for show quality. After all, it's a $60 boat.

 

[Gamecock]

Hey Joey, I heard that , esp. that last part about not sanding. I'm thinking a mud color with no shine for gunnin ducks. Hey if it don't work , there's always paint. Thanks. Dave.

 

[jdupre']

She's done. Just waiting for the finish to cure.

Specs: length - 8 ft. ....... max bottom width - 27 1/2" .......... max. beam - 36 1/2" front rake - 3 1/2" ......... rear rocker - 1" ............ weight - 39 lbs.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Looks jnteresting. Better guard that boat closely, Joey. Bob Williams will be growing ocra in it.

 

[jdupre']

Jack, we'll see how it works out. If it doesn't , I might be planting okra in it.

Not much more than a box with a little rake in the front. It might be just the ticket for the fishing I have planned.

 

[Wannabe]

Neat looking little boat Joey. I have used that finish quite a bit in the past. I used it to finish lathe turnings,carvings, ect. I sanded some dings and scratches out of an old .22 rifle stock and finished it with that mix. Good stuff.
Bob

 

[jdupre']

Thanks, Bob. Well, I couldn't wait the extra day! I just put in the bayou behind the house for a quick trip. It floats nice and high. Pretty stable to stand up and move around in. I tried paddling with the bow up a bit.........not good. It weaved from side to side............slowly. I shifted my seat forward so the bow stem just cleared the water and the stern was just barely in the water. That was much better. It definitely will not be a 1 mile tripper, but should work fine for what I want it for.

 

[jdupre']

I went back out for 20 minutes and experimented with seat height. Sitting on a kitty litter bucket, I was quite comfortable with a 12" seat height. MUCH better fishing position than in the kayak or pirogue. My initial impression is that I probably could have made the front rocker/rake a couple of inches larger and the rear rocker 1 " more. She'll do an easy walking speed, but hits a wall if you try to push any faster. She'll swap ends with one long sweep of the double paddle. Paddling forward, the bow bobs back and forth a few degrees............entirely manageable.

I brought it down to the water, boat in one hand and paddle and seat in the other. Can't get much better than that.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Try taping a strip along the middle of the outside bottom as a keel? May calm down the adverse yawing some. If it works, screw it on. Probably cant glue on top of the oil finish? It would also be a stiffener for the large bottom. (BOAT'S large bottom, not paddler's).

Keel probably would not have to be full length? But, start out that way, then trim shorter to test effectiveness.. Maybe, trim first from one end a foot or two. Then, separately, trim off other end a foot or two.

That oughta keep you out from under Joy's feet for a while. You can tell her that she's welcome. ;-)