auk 14

Any one have any experience/tips for building this boat?

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RE: auk 14

A friend of mine built one last year, after building five other strippers and two skin boats. He said it was no fun and was the most difficult build he had tried. I spoke with Eric Schade about this yesterday at the Maine Boatbuilders Show and he admitted that this design requires some heavy bending of strips because of its short length. -Wes

RE: auk 14

I built the 11"ft Auk from plans.  I obtained the wood locally & milled the strips.  It was my first boat - stripper.  If I did it over again I wouldn't use "aromatic cedar" with cove & bead.  (the wood was free ) I would spend more time planning my inital strips along the waterline & sheerline to reduce the amt of bending.  Then filling in with the rest of the strip keeping them as horizontal as possible. Its amazing how much you can bend these strips with a little heat and water.  The smaller boats are easlier to handle, but the shorter lengths require more bend in the strips.

What you get for your trouble is a wonderful little kayak.  It is very light & handles well in the water.  I use mine in small streams & lakes. It is very stable, easy to paddle, & I plan to fish out of it this year.  My first paddle of about 12 miles with one of my daughters we saw deer & eagles along the way. It was a great day. Worth all of my trouble.

RE: auk 14

thanks for the feedback. I'm finishing up my shearwater 17 and thinking of the next few projects. I think I'm probably going to do another long hybrid for my wife, but was thinking about a smaller stripper for the lakes around here. We have a couple of plastic Necky 13s, which are fine, but I was thinking of replacing them with a smaller stripper for the lakes around here.

btw, here's a pic of my first paddle of the season. We're in Portland . Or. visiting to daughter and grandson and are staying right on the Willamette. Went out in a rent-a boat yesterday

RE: auk 14

oops... i need to fire my editor ;-)

RE: auk 14

Just finishing up a 14' auk. This is my first build and it has been challenging but deffinetly do-able. Next time I would start out with narrower strips on the sheer line of the hull and deck. I used lots of masking tape to hold the strips together while building (and staples over the forms). I used the rolling bevel technique instead of B&C. I should be fiberglassing next week. can't wait to do another!

RE: auk 14

I built an Auk 14 last year from plans purchased from Guillemot. This was the 3rd kayak for me, two canvas on frame and then a door skin on frame that was a complete disaster. The Auk build did not seem to difficuft. I did the cove and bead style which I milled myself out of western red cedar. My most difficult area was around the chine where I remilled a few full lenght pieces to  3/8 inch to make that transition. The boat turned out fantastic and at a weight of 43# easily car topped.  The major problem is that it became my wifes before it was finished. It is a pleasure to paddle, it's maiden voage was it Bodega Bay Ca. in 6-8 ft swells. I am currently building the Great Auk for myself (forms from CLC)which I hope to have finished in a month or two.   Good luck on your build.

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