Boatbuilding Tips
Our vast collection of boatbuilding tips, drawn from decades of experience in supporting backyard boatbuilders.
Wooden Vee-Blocks
Our rudder kits, like most kayak rudders, come with a black plastic vee-block. It holds the rudder in the centered position when raised on-deck and locks the footbraces. Several of...
Wooden Vee-Blocks
Our rudder kits, like most kayak rudders, come with a black plastic vee-block. It holds the rudder in the centered position when raised on-deck and locks the footbraces. Several of...
Glass-Bottomed Mill Creek
Want to see the fish and other marine life under your kayak? Add a plexiglass window on the bottom of your Mill Creek. The sketches below show how.
Glass-Bottomed Mill Creek
Want to see the fish and other marine life under your kayak? Add a plexiglass window on the bottom of your Mill Creek. The sketches below show how.
14: Deck Rigging & Fitting Out a Stitch and Glu...
Part 14: Installing deck and rigging and fitting out our Chesapeake 16 stitch & glue kayak.
14: Deck Rigging & Fitting Out a Stitch and Glu...
Part 14: Installing deck and rigging and fitting out our Chesapeake 16 stitch & glue kayak.
13: Learn to Varnish like a Professional Boatbu...
Part 13: Learn to varnish like a professional boatbuilder!
13: Learn to Varnish like a Professional Boatbu...
Part 13: Learn to varnish like a professional boatbuilder!
12: Sanding & Prepping a Stitch-and-Glue Kayak ...
Part 12: Sanding and prepping the Chesapeake 16 stitch-and-glue kayak for varnish.
12: Sanding & Prepping a Stitch-and-Glue Kayak ...
Part 12: Sanding and prepping the Chesapeake 16 stitch-and-glue kayak for varnish.
11: Fabricating Hatch Covers on a Stitch-and-Gl...
Part 11: Fabricating hatch covers on a Chesapeake 16 stitch-and-glue kayak.
11: Fabricating Hatch Covers on a Stitch-and-Gl...
Part 11: Fabricating hatch covers on a Chesapeake 16 stitch-and-glue kayak.
10: Installing Cockpit and Hatches on a Stitch ...
Part 10: Installing the cockpit coaming and hatches on a Chesapeake 16 kayak.
10: Installing Cockpit and Hatches on a Stitch ...
Part 10: Installing the cockpit coaming and hatches on a Chesapeake 16 kayak.
09: Fiberglassing the Deck on a Stitch & Glue K...
Part 9: Trimming the deck and fiberglassing the deck on a stitch and glue kayak
09: Fiberglassing the Deck on a Stitch & Glue K...
Part 9: Trimming the deck and fiberglassing the deck on a stitch and glue kayak
08: Putting the Deck on a Stitch & Glue Kayak [...
Part 8: Putting the deck on a stitch and glue kayak
08: Putting the Deck on a Stitch & Glue Kayak [...
Part 8: Putting the deck on a stitch and glue kayak
07: Fiberglassing a Stitch-and-Glue Kayak [video]
Part 7: Fiberglassing a stitch-and-glue kayak
07: Fiberglassing a Stitch-and-Glue Kayak [video]
Part 7: Fiberglassing a stitch-and-glue kayak
06: Sanding, Smoothing, and Prepping for Fiberg...
Part 6: Sanding, smoothing, and prepping for fiberglass
06: Sanding, Smoothing, and Prepping for Fiberg...
Part 6: Sanding, smoothing, and prepping for fiberglass
05: Epoxy Work - The Gluing Part of Stitch & Gl...
Part 5: The Chesapeake 16 is epoxied together
05: Epoxy Work - The Gluing Part of Stitch & Gl...
Part 5: The Chesapeake 16 is epoxied together
04: The Stitching Part of Stitch and Glue Boatb...
Part 4: The "stitching" part of "stitch and glue" boatbuilding.
04: The Stitching Part of Stitch and Glue Boatb...
Part 4: The "stitching" part of "stitch and glue" boatbuilding.
03: Beginning Assembly of a Stitch and Glue Kay...
Part 3: First steps in assembling a stitch-and-glue kayak
03: Beginning Assembly of a Stitch and Glue Kay...
Part 3: First steps in assembling a stitch-and-glue kayak
02: History & Basics of Stitch and Glue Boatbui...
Part 2: John Harris outlines the history and basics of stitch-and-glue boatbuilding.
02: History & Basics of Stitch and Glue Boatbui...
Part 2: John Harris outlines the history and basics of stitch-and-glue boatbuilding.
01: Introduction to Building a Stitch & Glue Ka...
Part 1: An introduction to the Chesapeake 16 kayak.
01: Introduction to Building a Stitch & Glue Ka...
Part 1: An introduction to the Chesapeake 16 kayak.
Wood
Most stitch-and-glue boats should be built from marine grade mahogany plywood. There are several types of mahogany plywood that may be used, but okoume, a plantation grown African mahogany, is...
Wood
Most stitch-and-glue boats should be built from marine grade mahogany plywood. There are several types of mahogany plywood that may be used, but okoume, a plantation grown African mahogany, is...
Stitching Options
Stitch-and-glue boats are assembled by drilling small holes in two adjoining panels, inserting short pieces of copper wire through the holes, and twisting them to hold the panels together until...
Stitching Options
Stitch-and-glue boats are assembled by drilling small holes in two adjoining panels, inserting short pieces of copper wire through the holes, and twisting them to hold the panels together until...
Solid Wood for Boatbuilding
Have you looked for good, clear lumber lately? You're apt to be frustrated. I'm continually grateful that stitch-and-glue boats like CLC's are mostly plywood, because it's harder every year to...
Solid Wood for Boatbuilding
Have you looked for good, clear lumber lately? You're apt to be frustrated. I'm continually grateful that stitch-and-glue boats like CLC's are mostly plywood, because it's harder every year to...
Working with Cyanoacrylate (CA) Glue
An introduction to working with Cyanoacrylate glue by expert kayak builder and designer, Nick Schade: To hold together puzzle joints, seams, and other parts before they are epoxied, I use...
Working with Cyanoacrylate (CA) Glue
An introduction to working with Cyanoacrylate glue by expert kayak builder and designer, Nick Schade: To hold together puzzle joints, seams, and other parts before they are epoxied, I use...
Tapered Rubrails
Rubrails are a traditional way to emphasize the fine sheerline of your boat. However, they can look a little bulky on the slim hulls of kayaks, so use your block...
Tapered Rubrails
Rubrails are a traditional way to emphasize the fine sheerline of your boat. However, they can look a little bulky on the slim hulls of kayaks, so use your block...
Straps for Installing Decks
Cambered decks on CLC boats are easiest to install if an assistant holds the deck in position while you fasten it down. But what to do if you're working alone?...
Straps for Installing Decks
Cambered decks on CLC boats are easiest to install if an assistant holds the deck in position while you fasten it down. But what to do if you're working alone?...
Sawhorses and Slings
There are an infinite variety of sawhorses (or "sawbucks," "boat stands", or whatever you prefer to call them). For boatbuilding classes, and for our own use, we need lots of...
Sawhorses and Slings
There are an infinite variety of sawhorses (or "sawbucks," "boat stands", or whatever you prefer to call them). For boatbuilding classes, and for our own use, we need lots of...
Sanding Cockpit Coamings
All stitch-and-glue style kayak cockpits look about the same right after they've been glued together: an uneven, rough assemblage more likely to maul the crew than accommodate them comfortably while...
Sanding Cockpit Coamings
All stitch-and-glue style kayak cockpits look about the same right after they've been glued together: an uneven, rough assemblage more likely to maul the crew than accommodate them comfortably while...