From: Steve Killing
Date: Wednesday, December 08,
1999
Time: 04:46:39 PM
To plot the offsets for a kayak, the baseline (which will eventually be the top of your building strongback) is the common reference. Plot the values from the table of heights below the baseline (assuming you are viewing the boat right way up for now). The half breadths are measured out from centerline. All units are feet-inches-eighths (+ = sixteenths).
Because the offsets are listed to the nearest 1/16 of an inch, a smooth, fair line may not pass exactly through each point. The correct shape could be 1/32” away from each point, so your job as the ‘loftsman’ is to judge the fair line. Full size plans are available from this [ed note: 'this' referes to the www.bearmountainboats.com] web site if you wish to bypass the lofting process.
When you plot the hull and deck sections you will notice that they cross each other at the sheerline. The point at which they cross is the sheerline for the mold stations. The line for the hull continues up to the finished sheer height and the line for the deck carries out to the final finished sheer width. I have attached a sketch that shows the lofting of station 8 for the Endeavour as an example.
Note: Unfortunately in the printing of KayakCraft the labels 'sheer' and 'profile', for the deck offsets only, have been reversed.