Adventures in a Mill Creek 16.5

  Well, it's done. I have now fitted all the hardware: -  Stainless steel padeyes fore and aft for attaching a line. -  Bungee stays for the toggles  - Maroske-style where the bungee goes through a plastic tube glued inside the boat. -  Stays to hold the back of the seats up. -  Bungee cords to hold the deck hatches from the inside. -  Deck hatch handles made from paracord (also through Maroske-style fittings). -  Footrests. I just need to figure out how to fit some water/beer bottle holders!! I am hoping for a first voyage sometime this month, or maybe early April (with some promised help from my Sister and Nephew).

  Well, I have finished a primer and two coats of gloss on the hull, Three coats of varnish on the deck and a primer and two coats of gloss in the cockpit.  It's not perfect (or even close) but I am pretty happy with it as it stands. The desk hatches are also varnished on the top and painted underneath. So left to do... Fit the bulkhead plugs, pad-eyes and deck hatch seals and fittings. Install the footrests. Then, with a bit of luck I maybe able to carry out the first launch in March...!

  The hatch covers fitted perfectly without any further messing about (this was more by luck than judgement), but this meant I could move onto painting the hull. I have started with a coat of primer/undercoat, applied with a small foam roller. This wasn't absolutely necessary as its going onto epoxy, rather than bare wood, but I'm pleased I did it as it's given a very nice surface to paint onto.

 It's got up to about 15 degrees centigrade in the garage so it's time to get going on the kayak again. The hatch covers didn't fit properly - I think I forgot to allow for the springiness of the plywood. I chiseled off the cross braces, then used a violin-makers plane and a scraper to finish the job. The new cross braces have a smaller radius than required and I am hoping that that they will now fit correctly. If not, I can shave away some of the cross brace wood (like tuning a guitar belly) until the curve is correct. I have started with the smaller forward hatch, and I will see how it goes before tackling the rear one.

I turned a couple of toggles on my lathe, and then (with some help) moved the boat into the shed for the time being. I need to sand the epoxy flat and varnish the deck, and also paint the hull and cockpit.

 When I coated the deck with glass fibre and epoxy, I think I made a mistake. As far as I  know, epoxy must be added to a previous coat before it has cured completely so the two layers can bond chemically. Alternatively, the previous coat can be sanded to give it a 'key. if it has already cured. I was aiming for the first scenario, but for whatever reason the top coat did not stick. I had no choice, really - I had to scrape and sand down to a solid base (the glass fibre in this case).  I have completed this, sanded with 60 grit and recoated with (hopefully) a final coat of epoxy.