Boatbuilding Tips
Our vast collection of boatbuilding tips, drawn from decades of experience in supporting backyard boatbuilders.
Bungie Knots
Here's a great knot for connecting bungee cord deck rigging. Find bungee cord options here and deck rigging hardware here.
Bungie Knots
Here's a great knot for connecting bungee cord deck rigging. Find bungee cord options here and deck rigging hardware here.
Bow and Stern Rubstrips
Years of hard beachings can gradually abrade the bow and stern of all kayaks, wood or otherwise. A couple of layers of ordinary fiberglass will hold out for most paddlers,...
Bow and Stern Rubstrips
Years of hard beachings can gradually abrade the bow and stern of all kayaks, wood or otherwise. A couple of layers of ordinary fiberglass will hold out for most paddlers,...
Stitch-and-Glue Boat Maintenance
That FIRST scratch. You have to get that first scratch. Then it’s just a nice boat and you can get on with enjoying the water. Kayaks and small boats will...
Stitch-and-Glue Boat Maintenance
That FIRST scratch. You have to get that first scratch. Then it’s just a nice boat and you can get on with enjoying the water. Kayaks and small boats will...
Staining Your Kayak
Want to add a little extra color to your boat? Here's an essential introduction to working with stain by kayak builder and designer, Nick Schade: There is no accounting for...
Staining Your Kayak
Want to add a little extra color to your boat? Here's an essential introduction to working with stain by kayak builder and designer, Nick Schade: There is no accounting for...
Sanding
You are sanding. It's been a half-hour already but there's still four yards of hull to go. The garage is filled with a choking, gritty mist of epoxy particles, and...
Sanding
You are sanding. It's been a half-hour already but there's still four yards of hull to go. The garage is filled with a choking, gritty mist of epoxy particles, and...
Refinishing Your CLC Boat
We’re often asked what sort of ongoing maintenance CLC boats require. Here are some thoughts on the life of your paint and varnish. How often will I need to refinish...
Refinishing Your CLC Boat
We’re often asked what sort of ongoing maintenance CLC boats require. Here are some thoughts on the life of your paint and varnish. How often will I need to refinish...
Painting with Marine Polyurethanes
Painting a boat used to be so easy. All you needed was a can of exterior enamel from the hardware store, a clean brush, some masking tape, and a clear...
Painting with Marine Polyurethanes
Painting a boat used to be so easy. All you needed was a can of exterior enamel from the hardware store, a clean brush, some masking tape, and a clear...
Painting Over the Deck
An attractive way to finish a kayak is to bring the hull paint an inch or so onto the deck. The trick is to make a neat and even line...
Painting Over the Deck
An attractive way to finish a kayak is to bring the hull paint an inch or so onto the deck. The trick is to make a neat and even line...
Mastering Marine Varnish
By John C. HarrisCongratulations! You've just finished the assembly of a wood-epoxy composite boat. Note the qualifier: "wood-epoxy composite." All of Chesapeake Light Craft's designs are built of wood, strengthened...
Mastering Marine Varnish
By John C. HarrisCongratulations! You've just finished the assembly of a wood-epoxy composite boat. Note the qualifier: "wood-epoxy composite." All of Chesapeake Light Craft's designs are built of wood, strengthened...
Marquetry Inlays and Onlays
One of the reasons we build boats is because there’s so much opportunity for personal expression. Joinery details and paint schemes can be artful and highly individualized. One especially interesting...
Marquetry Inlays and Onlays
One of the reasons we build boats is because there’s so much opportunity for personal expression. Joinery details and paint schemes can be artful and highly individualized. One especially interesting...
Don't Over-Sand
People complain about the amount of sanding required to make a stripper. A really good finish does require a fair degree of sanding. However, there are some things you can...
Don't Over-Sand
People complain about the amount of sanding required to make a stripper. A really good finish does require a fair degree of sanding. However, there are some things you can...
Applying Decorative Fabrics
There's nothing new under the sun, whether it's boats or anything else. Surfboard builders have been incorporating colorful fabrics into their boards as long as fiberglass existed. Boatbuilders have been...
Applying Decorative Fabrics
There's nothing new under the sun, whether it's boats or anything else. Surfboard builders have been incorporating colorful fabrics into their boards as long as fiberglass existed. Boatbuilders have been...
Gluing Up Puzzle Joints
Chesapeake Light Craft’s precision CNC cutter creates “puzzle joints” to add necessary length to plywood panels. These joints must be glued up prior to assembling your project. On a flat...
Gluing Up Puzzle Joints
Chesapeake Light Craft’s precision CNC cutter creates “puzzle joints” to add necessary length to plywood panels. These joints must be glued up prior to assembling your project. On a flat...
Cutting Sheer Clamp Bevels
The Mill Creek designs require bevels where the sheer clamps meet at bow and stern. Here's an easy way to mark and cut them. First wire the side panels together...
Cutting Sheer Clamp Bevels
The Mill Creek designs require bevels where the sheer clamps meet at bow and stern. Here's an easy way to mark and cut them. First wire the side panels together...
Fillets
An epoxy fillet coves out the inside corner where two plywood panels meet. Applying fillets to join plywood panels in a boat is the "glue" part of "stitch-and-glue" construction; the...
Fillets
An epoxy fillet coves out the inside corner where two plywood panels meet. Applying fillets to join plywood panels in a boat is the "glue" part of "stitch-and-glue" construction; the...
CNC Basics
What is CNC? CNC stands for computer numerical control. This is a large machine that moves a high speed router head or a laser to machine parts from plywood. Why...
CNC Basics
What is CNC? CNC stands for computer numerical control. This is a large machine that moves a high speed router head or a laser to machine parts from plywood. Why...
Quick Bonding and Emergency Repairs
On Saturday morning, you eagerly enter your shop, all set to make great progress toward finishing your boat, only to find that you forgot to glue one critical part last...
Quick Bonding and Emergency Repairs
On Saturday morning, you eagerly enter your shop, all set to make great progress toward finishing your boat, only to find that you forgot to glue one critical part last...
Safe Boatbuilding (Part 2) by Dave Carnell
These are the general rules for keeping out of trouble with hazardous chemicals. Let's take a look some specific materials, their hazards, and procedures for using them safely; Epoxy Resins...
Safe Boatbuilding (Part 2) by Dave Carnell
These are the general rules for keeping out of trouble with hazardous chemicals. Let's take a look some specific materials, their hazards, and procedures for using them safely; Epoxy Resins...
Preventing Epoxy Bubbles
Have you ever coated bare wood with epoxy or varnish in the morning, then returned in the afternoon to find thousands of little bubbles on the surface? As the temperature...
Preventing Epoxy Bubbles
Have you ever coated bare wood with epoxy or varnish in the morning, then returned in the afternoon to find thousands of little bubbles on the surface? As the temperature...
Epoxy in Cold Weather
In many parts of the country there comes a time in the Fall when there aren't enough layers of neoprene and fleece in the world to make the local waters...
Epoxy in Cold Weather
In many parts of the country there comes a time in the Fall when there aren't enough layers of neoprene and fleece in the world to make the local waters...
Epoxy Basics
Stitch-and-glue boat building must be done with marine epoxy adhesives. Other resins such as polyester or vinylester are simply not strong enough to hold the panels together. You'll use epoxy...
Epoxy Basics
Stitch-and-glue boat building must be done with marine epoxy adhesives. Other resins such as polyester or vinylester are simply not strong enough to hold the panels together. You'll use epoxy...
Conserving Epoxy
Many first time boatbuilders use more epoxy than is required. Epoxy is both expensive and heavy, so here are some tips to help you use less epoxy, spend less money,...
Conserving Epoxy
Many first time boatbuilders use more epoxy than is required. Epoxy is both expensive and heavy, so here are some tips to help you use less epoxy, spend less money,...
Assembling a Boat Kit: Stitch and Glue Construc...
Stitch-and-glue boat building, along with the development of epoxy and modern mahogany marine plywood, has revolutionized and revitalized wooden boat building. This method of boat building is not only stronger,...
Assembling a Boat Kit: Stitch and Glue Construc...
Stitch-and-glue boat building, along with the development of epoxy and modern mahogany marine plywood, has revolutionized and revitalized wooden boat building. This method of boat building is not only stronger,...
Premium Epoxy in CLC Kits
In June of 1995 we began including complete epoxy kits with every Chesapeake Light Craft kit. But which epoxy? By then we'd already helped thousands of people build their first...
Premium Epoxy in CLC Kits
In June of 1995 we began including complete epoxy kits with every Chesapeake Light Craft kit. But which epoxy? By then we'd already helped thousands of people build their first...