Why Fairing and Staining a Kayak Hull Is the Most Satisfying Part of the Build

Sat, 23 May 2026 12:00:52 +0000

Before the epoxy goes on, the hull has to be right. Not just structurally right, but truly, honestly fair. In this video I take you through the fairing and staining of the hull of my Little Auk kayak build, a process that sits somewhere between woodworking and sculpture and asks as much of your hands as it does your eye.
As a sculptor, fairing has always felt like familiar ground reading a surface with your fingertips, listening to what the material wants to be, coaxing a form toward something that feels inevitable rather than imposed. I take you through the full process, from the first passes with the plane through to longboarding, sanding, and the constant conversation between tool and wood that fairing really is.
Then the stain. I'm using an alcohol-based stain here, chosen specifically because it plays well with epoxy, it penetrates the wood cleanly, locks in beautifully under the epoxy coat, and brings out a warmth and depth in the grain that a water-based product simply can't match. Watching the color come up on a faired hull for the first time is one of those quiet, satisfying moments that reminds you exactly why you build by hand.
If you're building a kayak, thinking about building one, or just love the craft of working wood into something that moves on water, this one's for you.

“If you’re going to make it, make it beautiful.”
Bob Emser

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