Hey Rod.   Good for you!!!!   I have been wanting the Wood Duck-12 WITH the Sapele deck and FINALLY placed my order last Friday.  CLC did not give me any delivery time.  Did they provide you with any tracking information????   I too, think I'll have as much fun building DAFFY DUCK as I will paddeling her.   My next boat will be the Passagemaker Dinghy, IF I can bring myself to being able to cut her apart.  I might have to fly John Harris out here (San Francisco Bay area) to do the deed.  

I will take photos but, at 61, will NOT be setting up any blog site...CONGRADULATIONS.   I'm looking forward to following your process....    ~TUGBRUCE~

You guys are going to have a blast. There'll be some difficulties, of course, but just remember that you're not alone and that you can always call the CLC support line or come back here to post any questions. And if you come up with any neat tricks, post them here to share with the gang.

What's even better than the construction, is that once you're done wit the fun of building, you're going to have one of the best (and best-looking) recreational kayaks out there. My WD12 has been a real joy to paddle and it's been my magic carpet taking me to hidden places that I'll remember for the rest of my life.

So have fun,

Laszlo

Good morning, Laszlo...  Thank you for the great thoughts.  I have built several large boats and many dinghys, some stitch and glue.  The reason for telling this is that I COMPLETELY agree with you that the WD-12 (DAFFY DUCK in my case) is, without a doubt, the BEST looking kayak I have ever seen (GREAT work, Erick). and I am so looking forward to  not only enjoying her myself but fielding questions and comments once she is finished.  Also, I want to personaly thank you, Laszio, as reading your postings and viewing your photos and documentation of your building process contributed to my decision to finally commit the hard earned funds to make it happen.   Tugbruce <-(Former tugboat Captain and a guy named Bruce...LOL))

Thanks for the encouragement.  I ask CLC when I ordered the boat about delivery time.  They said approx 10 days and it was delivered in 9 days.  I did get tracking info once it was shipped.

The biggest help so far has been the DVD "The Zen of Wooden Kayak Building" featuring John Harris of CLC.  I got the video about 2 months ago and watched it 3 times before ordering the Wood Duck.  Once I got the kit I have watched parts of the video 3 more times.

 The CLC tech support line has been very helpful.  Matt and Joey have helped clear up some the instructions.  This builders forum has also been helpful.

Using BLOGSPOT.COM, building a blog was very easy.  I added more pics to the blog last night.  I have not figured out how to add pics to the builders forum.  It looks fairly easy and I will be out of town this week, I 'll take my computer and figure out how to add some pics to this site.

Yes, I have made a couple of mistakes so far but no Viking funerals planned just yet.  I beveled the wrong side of the first bottom panel.  I was leaning towards painting the bottom and this just clinched the deal!  A little epoxy and wood filler and paint no one will know but me!!  I also put a little too much epoxy on the cockpit floor, my first experience with the glass and epoxy.  I am glad that this will be under my creature comfort seat.  I have some small bubbles(floated the glass a bit).  I plan on light sanding and another coat of epoxy to fill the weave that is viewable in most of the cockpit.  Any ideas to avoid this on the hull?  I think I just need to be more patient and use less epoxy.  In the beginnig it did not seem to soak into the cloth and I probably put on more epoxy before I gave the initial coat time to soak into the cloth.

So far so good,  using Jimmy Buffett's, Build a Boat song to start the day in the shop has also been helpful!!

Rod

You have already learned that anything you do wrong can be fixed. You do need to cut back on the epoxy though. It's expensive and heavy and adds no strength beyond the minimum needed. Try applying it with a thin foam roller. Now - what's your next boat going to be? -Wes

Rod,

I have been watching your blog and you are doing a great job !!!  Keep up the good work.

You are less than an hour away. Stop by  any time.  Michigan has some of the best kayak waters on the planet.

Wes is right,  you need to start planing your next build.

Lou

Good morning, Rod...  When you apply epoxy, it REALLY helps to have the temp high, around 80 plus if possible.  Apply it THINLY, then when finished allow the temp to DROP.  No lower than 65 but having the temp decrease will GREATLY help omit the "fish-eye" effect.  Also, you really want the fibereglass cloth to be satyrated with epoxy BUT no so much that the cloth "floats" in the epoxy, meaning to raises a bit and no longer makes contact with the hull or deck.

As for the bottom, I intend to coat the bottom of my Wood Duck 12 with epoxy and graphite.  It results on a much greater protected surface and the black coating is a GREAT contrast with the varnished sides & sheer panels.    "Carry on thru the fog...."   ~Tugbruce~ 

Thanks Lou, Tugbruce and Wes for all the encouragement and ideas about the epoxy. 

 Lou, my schedule is pretty busy thru Thanksgiving.  Maybe the week after Thanksgiving I could run up and see your Wood Duck and talk construction techniques?

I am off to Florida until Saturday and then hope to spend some time fixing my interior epoxy errors and get ready for glassing the outer hull.  While in Florida I will try to figure out how ro post pictures on this forum.  

I am already thinking about the next boat.  One kayak seems pretty lonely.  With adult children nearby and a 3month old Grandson I am thinking about a Wood Duck 10 to add to the family.

Rod

To Rod and anyone else building a hybrid kayak for the first time:

I built a wood duck 10 hybrid last winter and spring.  Building the hull was challenging, but nothing compared to the cedar strip deck.  There were times when I wanted to blow up the whole project.  However, with patience and persererance, I finally finished.

 I made lots of mistakes along the way, and parts of the deck (especially the sheer planks did not come out the way I wanted, which was upsetting.

But since I first launched in mid-April, I have had hundreds of compliments:

beautiful boat, sweet, very pretty, did you have it custom made, and on and on.  I was even stopped by the police in a seatbelt check. I expected him to cite me for no front plate.  Instead he said: nice kayak man.

And here's the cool part: nobody ever mentioned the flaws in my build that I found so offensive.  Rather, it has been a real ego trip in addition to being a great boat!.

So, for those of you cursing the chall;enging deck build, keep the faith: it will be well worth your effort.

Rich