I had started this one about a year ago. The frame sat out in the winter and finally I decided to make it complete with a new skin. $43 later and a bolt of ripstop nylon under my arm I was on my way. I soaked it in a bucket of water to expand it so it would shrink in the heat after I had sown it.
It took one long night to get to this point, including sitting outside in the bugs with a headlamp until around midnight. The next day during my lunch break I applied the first coats of polyurethane. There were a couple of places where the extremely hot day had shrunk the nylon to the point of tiny rips appearing, but that is what the polyurethane is for.
I have always loves how the ribs show through a nylon skin.
This is with a cockpit rim made from a plastic garden edging. Since it wasn't long enough it was two pieces that I had to wire together with a piece of wood and it hinged in an odd but good way.
After an overnight backpacking trip I finally got to launch her. This is with the green land paddle I use.
I paddles some of the bay and pulled up on a beach further along to assess how everything was holding up. Basically for a 12'6" boat with a narrow 22" beam it handled pretty damn well. Like the previous kay from whom I had stolen ribs it was tipsy but didn't want to flip me and the waves always tried to turn me into them, which is good. If I am not paying attention it will prevent getting broadsided. And when the waves were following it kinda surfed which I need to explore more. I am looking forward to learning this boat and its character.
The mini bottle of Maker's Mark which I used to christen it. I am very happy with it overall. I need to paint a cool design on it and add a couple of rub rails and some more polyurethane to protect it but I think I will have a lot of fun in it. No fishing though, a solid hook on a powerful fish could flip me in this.
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