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Desperation is setting in. The boat is in France, we are here, and a long hot summer is forecast.

We have in mind to resume our sea kayaking interest but not in those dreadful plastic or glass boats produced here - the very fact that they all come with rudders indicates what badly designed kayaks they are.

I have built (from Gulliemot plans) the odd long and skinny Greenland style kayak using cedar strip planks over a set of temporary transverse bulkhead type MDF molds, the hull then glassed inside and out and then decked over.

The trouble is that cedar is expensive (If you can get it).

So, if you set up the molds of which there may be 8-10 in a 5.5 metre kayak, and then you put in extra molds between each one for the sake of rigidity, could you then strip plank the boat using polystyrene strips edge glued with white PVC glue?

I appreciate that the hull at this point would be very fragile and would require extreme care when sanding, but once the outside layer of glass is on it should be ok to handle, and with the inside glassed should be fine?

Trying to get a couple of cheap poor man's kayaks here by thinking outside the box, so all thoughts welcome.

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Would plywood stitch & glue not be OK for a traditional style long kayak? A mate built one that looked amazing. Fairly sure he used temporary bulkheads also. I can't remember how light it was (it was his first attempt at boat building) but it certainly had a classic traditional shape.

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Thanks for the offer, SJB. I have a similar publication.

I remember when my old mate Dave Blundell put the original hull shape together for the Davidson 28. He covered the stringers with many layers of pre-glued wallpaper and then faired her up using plaster of paris. Thats what he took the glass mold off.

Low tech is what I'm after and being married to a dutch purse string holder, cheap.

And preferably materials sourced from Bumblings which is just down the road.

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Hmm, rudders. A good sea Kayak will paddle in a straight line in still water with little/no wind. A rudder is useful when paddling in windy conditions to use for trim, so you don't have to keep correcting with the paddle.

I personally dont see an issue with a nice glass or Kevlar sea kayak - I have one - cost $120 slightly unfinished ( no hatch covers or rudder). I made the hatch covers, and bought a rudder and pedal kit from China cheaper than buying the component parts here in NZ.

At one time I did a fair bit of paddling, and used to be a NZCA instructor....

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I find trailing a rudder akin to towing a bucket although to be fair the only rudder I have experience with were the flat alloy types. Maybe a rudder with an aerofoil section would be better. But, also from experience kayaks with a bit of rocker and a fairly tight curve in the chine will steer well by railing, even in a cross wind. But the main thing I have against rudders is that they are an impediment to rolling which is a good skill to master in a boat with 54cm of beam.

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Come on Chris, lots of rocker is more of an impediment to rolling, but neither that nor a rudder will even be noticeable if you have a good roll. Left, right, reverse and hand rolls are good to practice!

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Yep, agree. Lots of rocker impedes a roll. A little doesn't make a difference but enables railing so you don't need to drag a rudder all around the ocean.

Bear in mind I do not have your experience. I couldn't roll my Breeze, my Quest, my Prion nor my Penguin. But the Guillimot - easy as. And fast. And no need for a rudder. Design is everything.

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Or go plywood. Check out Chesapeake light craft

Rodger that, I built a few Chesapeake 16 kayaks , very fast and relatively inexpensive to build also  light if you take care and use Gaboon plywood.

Their Shearwater kayaks also have lovely  lines although they involve a bit more work.

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Or go plywood. Check out Chesapeake light craft

On the money there BP.

I built C.L.Cs Eastport nesting pram and was very happy with it. And so was the family that bought it when we sold the H28.

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Yep, agree. Lots of rocker impedes a roll. A little doesn't make a difference but enables railing so you don't need to drag a rudder all around the ocean.

Bear in mind I do not have your experience. I couldn't roll my Breeze, my Quest, my Prion nor my Penguin. But the Guillimot - easy as. And fast. And no need for a rudder. Design is everything.

Well Chris, come for a paddle with me sometime over summer and we can fix that!

IMO a bulletproof roll is a critical safety issue for any reasonably serious sea kayaker.

Nothing wrong with the C.L.Cs. If I changed my kayak, I’d be keen on a real lightweight timber one, the just look great to me....

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Well, that was a short-lived venture.

I think the Keeper of the Purse is going to decline funding for another build, citing noise, mess, disruption and the fact she thinks i'm too old for another boatbuilding project.

Sooò, Current Designs Storm looks like it could be an ok boat?

We've been out of the business for a few years so probably local mass produced kayaks have improved over this time.

I have the impression that there's not much choice available now in sea kayaks, their being superseded by those sit-on things.

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I'm assuming you've been paddling a bit lately?

 

Having done nothing in close to 20 years I picked up an old Venturer a few months ago.

 

Went paddling on the local lake, and promptly fell out. No deck/skirt so had to swim back, dragging a kayak behind me, much to my kids delight.

 

Way back when, I could happily paddle around in a DR, or K1, so I'm guessing balance, core and reflex/ instinct have gone south somewhat.

 

As for rolling, quite a few serious sea kayakers reckon they would not be able to, as haven't practised it for so long.

 

Make sure your shoulders are ok, I've known of a few dislocations from a high brace.

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Paddled a Shearwater a couple of days ago (didn't like it much). That was my first time in a kayak in 12 years, so my thoughts/impressions stated on this thread are somewhat out of date.

Concerning production boats, I was back then very much in love with Sisson's Noordkap and out of today's offerings the Barracuda Beachcomber looks an ok boat but at $3300.....

But from experience I still very much favour the long skinny low volume rudderless Greenland style kayak and still have my unfeathered Greenland style paddle which, once you get used to its peculiarities is truly awesome.

There is a small museum in the Dutch city of Hoorn that has a section devoted to Inuit culture. They have a few kayaks on display there, some dating from the 1700's, and not a rudder to be seen.

Take your point about shoulders- at my age flexibility is becoming a bit of an issue.

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have an old wooden sea bear

 

not used for a few years

 

would you like to borrow for a bit?

 

lots of rocker, almost too heavy for old duffers, unlike the barracuda, HUGE alloy rudder....

 

absolute NZ classic

 

long, wide + stable

 

cedar 1 piece inuit paddle for all day paddling

 

carbon 2 piece wing paddle for keeping up with others

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Rolling is something that needs be practiced from time to time even when you (were once!) good at it. My own rolling is not what it once was, but it's something I practice pretty much every time I paddle - in summer! I try to do 5-10 rolls each time.

 

Flexibility is an issue for us older folk :-( Rolling isn't so much about the paddle, as the hip flick and body position.

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Thank you for your offer Erice.

There are a few Current Designs Storms on offer here and there which may be ok but pretty darned heavy at 29kg. So I will try one out and see how it goes.

Thanks again.

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