I finished this afternoon!!!
Hopefully it gets wet in the next 3-4 days!
This is my first build and I had a great time with it.
Don
Can’t see the pics.
Here’s another picture I hope!
Very nice job!
Well done, Don! I think you're going to enjoy the paddling at least as much as the building. I had mine out yesterday in chop with whitecaps and it took everything that was thrown at it, grinned and asked for more. Just be sure to allow yourself extra time at the landing for all the onlookers' questions. When they see the nice job you did, they'll be wanting to talk to you about it all day. Don't forget to post some shots of the launch.
So what's going on behind the hatch? Is that a skeg? If so, I think you might be the first builder to put one on. Let us know how it works out.
Have fun,
Laszlo
Yes, it's a skeg. I thought I might need all the help I can get paddling. Any ideas about attaching the bungie and line besides knots?
Don
Nice varnish job, Don. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how well the WD12 tracks in no-wind and light wind conditions. You probably won't be needing that skeg at all until it starts getting quite breezy.
I had mine out Saturday and there was enough wind that it kicked up foot-high chop with whitecaps. Then it was weathercocking. It worked out well going into the wind, the bow stayed facing the chop and the Duck rode over or sliced through most of the waves. Every now and then a bigger one (usually a motorboat wake) would break over the bow and the water rolled back over the deck, splitting and running off the sides well before it got to the coaming. Coming back with the wind behind me, the Duck surfed the waves nicely, but it was a constant effort to keep it aligned so that it wouldn't broach. Then a skeg would have been nice. Let us know how it works for you.
I can't think of anything that'd work better than knots for bungee cord. You can't really splice the stuff and seizings and hardware just add complexity without increasing security.
Have fun,
Laszlo
It looks nice Don. I have lots of dust specks in my varnish-I didn’t try to build a tent over it. I plan to launch my WD12 this Saturday, it has been done for several weeks.