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Re: Stitching??
By:Brian Nystrom
Date: 9/29/2009, 8:38 am
In Response To: Stitching?? (Kudzu)

: Brian or anyone else. Is there something somewhere that shows how to make
: that stitch? I would like to know how to make that one. It looks better
: than anything else I have seen.

This was Bill Low's method and I agree, it's the nicest looking stitching pattern I've seen, though it's not exactly "traditional". I'll warn you that it is a very time-consuming process compared to other stitching methods, but the results speak for themselves. Bill closed his operation (Willow Kayaks) a few years ago and his website has been down for quite a while, but I have the web page and the jpeg files that go with it. Email me and I'll send them to you. One of these days, I'll have to contact Bill and ask him if I can add his page to my paddle book site.

One thing to keep in mind is that all of Bill's boats had a stinger down the center of both decks, which is absent in most Greenland-style boats. Having the stringer as cutting guide is a huge help with this stitching method. As a substitute, I clamp a piece of 3/4" x 1/8" x 8' aluminum (available at hardware stores and home centers) to the deck beams in several places. It works perfectly and really makes straight stitching possible. Just make sure that you unclamp it as you go, as removing the clamps after the boat it skinned would be a bear! I would start with the aft deck, since it's simpler to do while you're getting the method down.

Messages In This Thread

Skin-on-Frame: Best way to attach deck lines
Peter B -- 9/27/2009, 5:50 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Best way to attach deck lines
Brian Nystrom -- 9/27/2009, 8:28 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Best way to attach deck lines
Peter B -- 9/27/2009, 8:34 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Best way to attach deck lines *LINK* *Pic*
Brian Nystrom -- 9/27/2009, 9:44 pm
Stitching??
Kudzu -- 9/29/2009, 8:04 am
Re: Stitching??
Brian Nystrom -- 9/29/2009, 8:38 am
Re: Stitching??
Kudzu -- 9/29/2009, 1:07 pm