I was hoping to have the new kayak complete for a week long kayak trip to Cape Lookout National Seashore starting on June 1st. That doesn't seem possible now. I had some delays because of uncertainty in the construction process.
The problem I encountered was that I took the hull off the form before starting the deck. I thought that I would be able to build the deck to the shear line I drew on the forms. I realized too late that I would never be able to accurately do this. So I put the hull back onto the form to use it as a guide. The hull fits loose on the form so accuracy is still a concern. However, I think I can manage any inaccuracies.
I have the hull built and fiberglassed. Its weight is low enough that a 41 pound total completed weight is very possible. I can easily portage 41 pounds.
The first one of anything is always the hardest. Now that I better understand the process, I will build another kayak as soon as I finish this one. The next one should go much faster. I would also like to build a light weight small kayak for doing day trips on Lake Erie.