During today’s build we broke out the PINK duct tape and began laying down the deck. Alex took on the role of “tape master” and did a fabulous job. We started at the bow and stern where the float bags helped to provide the desired curve in the deck. Once past the float bags we decided to string basic duct tape between the stations to help maintain the curved contour.
The mid-section of the deck went down without much trouble. We decided to keep things simple behind the cockpit and just lay the tape straight across. In front of the cockpit we installed an additional strut that we bent with the heat gun in order to lift the deck up. This feature would double to provide room for the paddlers legs and help to shed any water that comes up onto the deck over the bow. The result was a “smart” looking craft worthy of the cause!
The remainder of the build session was spent tying up some loose ends. This included installing the carbon fiber seat (generously donated by Nick DelPrete of Coastal Kayak Educators), laying down the seam tape, and adding a pair of PVC toggles for show!
Now for the BIG question: Does it float??? Check back soon for the much anticipated result of our float test!
-Kayak Dave
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