Cutting & Shaping Hull Panels

Stanley Block Planes

My dad always called himself a Jack of All Trades, and he had an extensive tool collection to support that statement. When he passed, most of these tools came to me, including a great set of Stanley block planes. "The New Kayak Shop" makes a point of noting how enjoyable it is to shape the parts of your boat with a sharp plane, this enjoyment was compounded for me by using these inherited tools. The hull shapes are drawn onto the wooden panels, then these shapes are cut slightly oversized with a jigsaw, and a sharp block plane is used to cut them to the exact size and shape. The two hull bottom panels and the two side panels are each clamped together in pairs and shaped with the plane.

Hull bottom panels are clamped together and shaped with a sharp block plane to make sure they match each other.