This is the result, below the story of how this was made.
Start of the build
I started building the LPB in December 2019. Fortunately I made a greenland paddle during the summer, so I knew where to buy good wood. Due to the limited availability of time the progress of building is less than I hoped for.
Making deck beams and coaming
After sawing all the party, the first step to really make something: the deck beams.
The coaming is not an easy thing to make. I had to buy oak that was less dry. After that I could succesfully make the coaming. I used the spare part of oak immediately to make a second coaming for my next boat.
With the deck beams and the coaming ready, I can’t resist to put the spreader forms in place.
Time to make mortises and tenons and to put things together.
Following the instructions, it proved easier than I had expected. Next thing: the ribs.
(March 23, 2020) It was not easy to bend the ribs, due to the quality of the oak. Good quality for making furniture (dried oak), but not for bending ribs. At the woodstore I had to ask for ‘construction oak’, I found out. Of the first batch of ribs (the good quality oak) more than half broke. The ribs made of ‘construction oak’, significantly less dry, proved much easier to bend.
(March 29, 2020) Today I finished the frame. It really starts to look like a true kayak. Time to order the skin, scoop and other stuff to get to the next stage.
(April 11, 2020) Quite difficult in these days to find ballistic nylon skin. In the mean time I put some oil on the frame and started making a paddle.
Skinning the boat
(April 24, 2020) The ballistic nylon I ordered from www.extremtextil.de proved to be very good, a little bit elastic, but not to much. I can recommend this fabric. Meticulously following Brian’s instructions I managed to skin the boat in one day.
The next day I put the colour on it. After ironing the deck, the skin became pretty tight. A day later the skin felt really like a drum. Wondering if this is not too tight, we’ll see.
Coating the LPB
(May 3, 2020) For the coating I used Coelan, a single-component and easily applied varnish for marine use. I intended to use the two part urethane system as recommended, but unfornately skinboats.org did not respond on my order. Coelan does the job well. The first layer I made use of a small squeegee, don’t know if it what I supposed it would do, I just did. The first layer I coated the whole boat, waited for a couple of hours (night) and then I turned it over each time. In the end there were 5 layers on the bottom and three at the top. For the second layer I used a brush but that made no difference from using a roller. To get a shiny result it proved more important to use more paint.
Almost done
(May 8, 2020) Now a few things were left to be done: putting the stringers on and the deck lacing. To put the stringers proved to be less easy than I expected. Could be because I used a 6 millimeter drill instead of a 1/4 inch drill. Only a difference of 0,34 millimeter, but still.
The deck lacing on the other hand was really easy. Final thing to do today was to put some Aquaseal in the holes made during skinning the boat. My tube ended filling up the front deck. For the holes at the back deck I have to find another solution: there are to many small holes, probably because I had too little overlap in the skin. Somthing to remember next time.
Some weeks ago I made a greenland paddle already, so the only thing was now to put the Thermarest seating in and get to the water.
Maiden voyage
(May 9, 2020) A Saturday morning, around 20 degrees Celsius (68F), that just an ideal situation to try the boat. Because I was used to another boat, with more primary stability, I had to get used to the boat for the first few minutes. But I also know that from other boats, that is nothing to worry about and after ten minutes I already mastered the boat well enough to go faster. Because it was one of the first really nice days this season, there was already a lot of pleasure sailing on the water. Exactly what I hoped for: many small waves on the canal that keep bouncing off the wall side. An excellent test for how the LPB behaves in the sometimes somewhat unpredictable waves. And I must say: excellent! The secondary stability is superb. The speed is also good: it took me 59 minutes to get from my workshop to the canoe association, a distance of 7.8 kilometers.
The first kilometers have been canoed, many will follow this season. And of course also practice with safety and how to roll the kayak.
May 18, 2020
Hi Berend! Your kayak looks very nice. Good that it behaves well too. I’m living in Sweden and buliding a F1 model and I’m also having trouble getting in touch with skinboats.org. So I’m considering using fabric from extremtextil and the Colean coating. Regarding the coating, where did you order it from, and how much would you say that you need?
Kind regards
John
May 18, 2020
Hi John,
Thanks for your compliment! Nice to hear that you are building an F1. I used two cans of 750 ml Coelan and one can of 350 ml. I put 5 layers on the bottom and three on top. Don’t be scarce with Coelan on the last layer, that will make it shiny. Probably you have some Coelan left, use that for covering the small holes that were caused by stitching the skin. There you can use really thick (but small) layer, that will do nice. I bought Coelan at this shop: https://www.verfschilderen.nl/coelan-blanke-lak-aflak-hoogglans-375ml-750-ml-of.html Hope they will sent it to Sweden as well.
I had trouble with skinboats.org as well, and I heard the same from another kayakbuilder in The Netherlands.
Kind regards, Berend
October 3, 2021
Hi Berend. Lovely looking Kayak. I’ve just built a canoe and am waiting to cover it in Coelan. Would it be possible to talk to you about the application on what’s app or something please. Thank you John
October 22, 2020
dear Berend,
I am just starting to build to F1’s. Found your very nice build.
Would you mind if I contacted you for some addresses and details for all the gear and materials I need?
Alvast bedankt, Wim van Velzen
October 22, 2020
Nice to haar you are building a F1. You can contact me by mail.
Groeten, Berend
November 16, 2020
Hi Berend,
what did you use to color the nylon? I left my F1 white since I could not find the dye Brian uses in Germany.
Thanks,
Franz
December 6, 2020
Hi Berend,
I bought the same fabric from extremtextil.de. Did you sew your nylon fabric wet or dry? Can you please tell me a little bit about that process?
Bedankt, Markus
December 6, 2020
Hi Markus,
I sew the nylon fabric dry, following Brain’s instructions. Sewing did cause holes that were quite large in my opinion (5 mm), but it all worked out in the end. After coating I put Stormsure glue on it, and that fixed it.
After sewing the fabric, I put the color on it, also following Brian’s instructions, and ironed the deck. The fabric then felt like a drum, really nice to see.
All the best, Berend
December 6, 2020
Thanks, Berend, maybe he now believes me. We had some email conversations about that. 😉
December 7, 2020
Thank you Berend and Franz! Its allway a good thing to hear more opinions of experianced people! I was a little bit unsertain, because Brian advises to wet every other nylon except the one from skinboat.com!
March 30, 2021
Hi Berend!
I have to agree, your LPB looks great! Maybe a little bit early yet, but how is the one part Coelan/nylon combo holding holding up so far?
Or anyone else who tried it?
March 31, 2021
Hi Daniel,
Thank you for your compliment! The Coelan/nylon combi holds good. I applied Coelan on advise of another dutch builder of skin on frame kayaks (he does not build models introduced by Brian Schulz though). That gave me the confidence to use it, and I am not disappointed. I have not detected anything wrong so far.
May 24, 2021
Hi all – Just another comment on contacting skinboats.org…. You really have to give him a call.. He wont ever answer an e mail….
Also : I am also in the middke of building a F 1 Kayak. And i contacted Anders from Kayakspecialisten.no to get a Kit with his 40% Nylon/ 60 Polyester cloth.. He is also very nice and definately an option to get material ( The skin he sells in Kits is 1.22 m wide, but he may also be able to send double wide material…
May 25, 2021
Hi Uwe, I have seen the YouTube films Anders applying the cloth he uses. It seems that you need a lot of force getting the skin on the frame. How did you handle that?
May 25, 2021
I am not there. – Yes he stretches his cloth by 30 cm…thi is extreme, but brian also memtions in a video, that it is possible to stretch the nylon by this amount…he just dont think it is necessary…. I plan to use the material from andrs, but stick with brians recommendations…mybe a little more. – Still i thought it was impressive, that the kayak from anders holds while being so brutal…..
May 24, 2021
Fantastic build, I’m also thinking of building a F1, I ‘ve in Amsterdam. Would be great to contact you for advice on sourcing here in Netherlands. Like Wim I’d like to contact you but could not see your mail address. Mine is daniel@dtn.net if you do not mind reaching out.
May 25, 2021
I am happy to help you put with some practical issues.