Kayak Building

Hi all,

Linked below is a survey on paddling; it's for my A Level (like SATs for the UK) Design Engineering research since I'm looking to make something that solves a problem within paddlesport. It would be great if you could fill it out for me - it takes less than 2 minutes to complete, and every piece of data is super helpful for me.
A bit of context on me - I've got my paddlesport instructor, but am primarily a dinghy instructor, so please excuse me if some of the questions are slightly odd for paddlesport!
If you have any feedback, please leave it below

A few of you old timers will remember a time back when I used to post stories in the Trips Forum, that’s the one which now dwells in the Archives. I posted something like 30 stories, including the one about my near-drowning up in the Canadian Rockies. Well, I got a request from my olde buddy, Ken Sutherland, that I get back into writing these stories again. In fact, I met an old acquaintance last Sunday who asked me if I was still writing…told him no…he was disappointed.

As a freshman of kayaking, I was wondering which soft roof rack to use when I go out for kayaking?
Does this soft roof rack good enough?
https://amzn.to/2JKVci1

I could use a little help building my bow end form for a Great Auk.  In the picture, how do I attach the side form as positioned to the bow end form?  Do I cut out the middle portion of form 1 and glue the sides to the end form, or is it better to notch a section from each and slide it on?  Do I position the side form to line 2 or line 3 in the picture?  Finally, I will cut off the dotted section of the form to use as a template for my internal stem, but am I supposed to remove the dotted section along line 1 too?  Thanks a ton for your help....its my first time.  I finally finished attachi

Has anyone built a kayak using pawlonia as the main building material? I found a source here: http://clearwoodpaddleboards.com/surfboard-grade-paulownia-planks/. They have  6 x 3/4 x 8' planks. It appears to be plain-sawed lumber, with various grain.  I know I'll be making a lot of scarf joints on a 15' kayak. How is pawlonia to work with?

I’ve just started building a guillemot, using the info in Nick Schade’s book. I have a query on the end form lines as the keel depth on the end forms is deeper than it is on either of the forms against which it comes up against. What is the purpose of this edge or should I be planning it off so that it match the adjacent forms?

Any help/suggestions gratefully received

Never again!  I can't tell you how many times those words came out of my mouth when working on this boat.  This one is pretty special in the fact that it took over twelve years to complete and how close it came to scrap many times over those years. 

I was wondering if many are using a laser level in forms setup or at any other time  in strip building.  I have always used the traditional methods, eyeballing and string, but perhaps it is time to upgrade as my eyes get older.  

I see many inexpensive levels for sale on line.  Is there anything I should look for, or a particular one you are happy with? I would appreciate any advice.  

Thanks,

Ralph  

Because of my glass/epoxy problem in a different thread I decided to paint the lower part of the hull of the Pygmy Tern 14 I just completed. My first paint job, no idea how it will hold up or even if I use an acceptable paint. So, I said to myself, maybe we could have a thread where we discuss the pro's and con's and do's and don'ts of painting. I personally like the looks of hull painted kayaks with varnished decks.