[paperairforce]

For the most part they went on well enough, that is, if they were glued in the middle, level, then the ends would extend to properly cover the dashed lines (found at the ends and middle of each strake) on the ends. In a few cases they fought back and needed pushing down to sit outside all along the previous strake – and not revert to climbing up and sitting on top instead. They also needed strong clamping at the ends, and they wanted to come up. I used epoxy wherever a good grip was needed, but the resistance was so strong in some places I’m a little surprised it is still holding! In particular pushing the strakes in at the bow and stern to conform to those frames required serious clamping and strong glue – not sure that would have been necessary if I had done it one by one as the kit indicates. Also, there probably would be much less resistance if the strakes were thinner, perhaps by half, but since I used 1mm card they were very stiff.

Epoxy – I learned something about epoxy that surprised me! After using it for various purposes for many many years, my impression has been that 5 minute epoxy will set up in about 10 mins, and even with a bad mix, is gripping like a bulldog after about 20. At that point, you can generally let it go! Nevermind the “reaches full strength in one hour” in the directions for use. I’ve never had to wait an hour. But, so stubborn were the strakes, even after one hour if I removed the clamps I would come back the next day to find they had slowly escaped their bonds and still connected by little hardened towers of epoxy, now finally brittle. I learned that it can take many more than one hour for that stuff to really harden to full strength! This happened with many perfect looking mixes and brand new epoxy, as well as older stuff of different brand, so I don’t think it was that. I guess I’ve just never needed to use it under such pressure as these strakes offered. Huh. It’s a good thing I plan to cover the whole bottom with a slower cure epoxy to water proof it, as that should also help lock it all in place in case it ever wants to come back up!

It’s hard to tell if some of this is the result of the kit design, or my enlargements amplifying any original problems (that otherwise wouldn’t have been problems), or especially my chopping into 3 pieces and reconnecting the strakes back into a whole potentially causing slightly wrong curvatures. I did notice that comparing some port and starboard strakes back to back, many didn’t exactly match – indicating I probably did something not quite right. Some of those I actually fitted to “wrong sides” if they had a better fit that way. Some though were actually wider (top to bottom) than others by 1 or 2 mm – and I don’t think that was me - I think more an amplification of mistakes in the die cut process. Same with the “dash” lines – some were higher or lower than their counterparts, and that didn’t help. But overall the job was able to get done. I’m really very pleased that the strakes got on there and that the kit produced that sleek Viking hull that transitions from a narrow wave cutting shape at bow and stern, to a wider “canoe” shape in the middle.

One complaint – I noticed after examining some of the Oseberg or Gokstad ships, and other images – the strakes appear to be folded inside the keel at fore and aft – which this model’s is not. On this one, it is just attached to the outside of the keel. I did find one or two examples of reproductions or later day boats that were done this way – so perhaps it is not incorrect. But it seems obvious that the epitome of Viking design is that they should be inside the keel. It makes sense too – I can only imagine each ocean wave the ship would encounter pounding into the holes in the front between the strakes – no amount of tar and animal hair would withstand that for long! So inside the keel is where I guess they should be. It seems an easy fix taking a knife and just going straight down the keel edge to chop them all off, then epoxying them inside the keel. But, I risk that not working quite right plus I can’t be certain the leftover will successfully come off their joints without leaving a mess behind. So I guess I will leave it for now and assume some were built this way!


Many strakes wanted to go their own way, possibly due to being wrong angle from my up-sizing process – and had to be clamped overnight with epoxy to keep them in place. In this case, a chip clip to keep them together and a can of Don Pepino’s pizza sauce (it’s the best ready made NY style pizza sauce, imo!) to keep some down pressure on the strake while it sets.