Stripped Freedom ( Boat got Slimed) | SouthernPaddler.com

Stripped Freedom ( Boat got Slimed)

Darrells

Well-Known Member
Oct 19, 2008
336
0
53
Lorena,Texas
I have been admiring the looks of the Freedom for awhile. I ordered a set of plans for the 15 footer and got to looking at them. The short while I have been messing with wood boats I have always really liked the stripped kayaks. I contacted Matt and after alittle (alot)redesign work I have a set of plans enroute for a stripped Freedom II (III) :lol:. Gotta love Matt he'll do anything you want (within reason). :shock:
 

JEM

Well-Known Member
Concept Sketch

StripFreedom.jpg


Same overall dimensions of the stitch and glue 15' Freedom. Darrel requested a little bit larger cockpit.
 

Darrells

Well-Known Member
Oct 19, 2008
336
0
53
Lorena,Texas
This should be a pretty long thread. I plan on posting all aspects of this build, all the way from station construction to varnishing and also the running cost of the build. So far I have ordered the cove and bead router bits which were $30.00. I called and got the price for 1x6x16 western red cedar which is $87.00 for seven boards which should provide enough strips for the build. I plan on cutting the stations hopefully today and will start posting pics as soon as something actually happens.
 

Darrells

Well-Known Member
Oct 19, 2008
336
0
53
Lorena,Texas
I got started today by buying a sheet of 3/4 MDF to build the stations out of. Before I started this Matt recommended some books to read. One of them is a book by vaclav Stejskal who owns One Ocean Kayak. In it he recommends to build your stations from MDF rather than plywood because MDF is less prone to warpping. Instead of cutting the idividual pattern from the plan I spray glued the entire sheet to the MDF.
newboat004-1.jpg


Once the glue dried I took the jigsaw to it and cut in patterns out, leaving plenty around the lines to be brought into shape on the disk sander.

newboat005-1.jpg


newboat007-1.jpg


After a little careful sanding I have most of the patterns ready. I will cut the remaining tomorrow.

newboat011.jpg


This is what your work bench looks like after sanding with no vacuum system. :lol:

newboat012.jpg
 

Lazyriverguy

Well-Known Member
Nov 9, 2006
180
0
Eureka,Florida
Darrells
We have a freedom and Just love It. It is one built by Chuck and given to Val (chuck had to make more room in his garage for his canoe) I started paddling it but once Val sat in it it became hers.
100_1519.jpg

As you can see she likes it. It handels well and is very sea worthy. I have used it several times if you paddle in skinny water it uses very little to float. You do have to make turning decisions well in advance as it steers slowly.
All in All great Boat
Joe
 

JEM

Well-Known Member
dangermouse01 said:
Wouldn't the forms be easier to line up if they each had a center line run top to bottom that was perpendicular to the water line? Or do I just not see it?

DM

I noted that in the thread in my forum. Dropped the ball on that one. :oops:

I've already updated the drawing on my end. Advised Darrel to draw them before going any further.
 

Darrells

Well-Known Member
Oct 19, 2008
336
0
53
Lorena,Texas
I finished cutting and sanding the forms today. I hope to get the stiff back built tomorrow.

newboat1001.jpg


After all of the dust I had to clean out of the shop today I devised a redneck dust collector. :lol:

newboat1002.jpg
 

hairymick

Well-Known Member
Dec 8, 2005
2,107
2
Queensland, Australia
LOL,

Seriously, I have found a reliable supplier of quality Surian timber. This is an Indonesion red wood, very similar to our Western Red Cedar.

Have been toying with the idea of having another attempt at a stripper of some sort for a while now and this boat looks very close to what I would like to build.

Will be talking to him soonish about the possibility of him ripping down a bunch of strips for me.

Matt, I think your venturing into this area is a very good idea. I see little practical benfiet in a stripper over a S&G boat but some of us just love the elegent beauty of strippers and the challenge of a more advanced build. Bloody well done mate. 8)
 

Darrells

Well-Known Member
Oct 19, 2008
336
0
53
Lorena,Texas
I think this build will go pretty easy if I ever get the stiff back level and square and no twist and no hump and no dip and ............ :roll:
Darrell
 

Darrells

Well-Known Member
Oct 19, 2008
336
0
53
Lorena,Texas
OK got the problems with the stiff back sorted out. I changed the way I was trying to mount them. I found a straight 2x4x14 and cut it to fit between the Bow and Stern and then cut a hole in the forms to run them over the stiff back.

newboat2003-1.jpg


newboat2002-1.jpg


This seemed to work a whole better than the way I was trying to do it. i was trying to build an individual stand for each form and it just was not working for me. it did not take long with this method and I had all of the forms on the stiff back. At this point they are not leveled or fastened. I am going to use wood wedges to level all of the forms before screwing them to the stiff back. I also built several stands down the length of the stiff back to stop any swaying or sagging.


newboat2005-1.jpg



newboat2004-1.jpg