Dennis Davis Plans?

[islandpiper]

Greetings! Has anyone else here built any of the Dennis Davis Plans? He is English, a schoolteacher I think. Drew up a bunch of tortured plywood kayaks a few....hmmm......15 years.....ago. I built two of them. One was a single sheet, single seater about 12 feet long, fast and a little bit tender. The other was a touring yak, 16 feet long, two watertight compartments, single seat, and FAAASSSTTT!!! Lots of fun to build and hot-rod around in.

Anyway, now, fifteen years later, my butt is a little wider and my hips are a bit stiffer, and I am looking for another kayak to build. Something light, fairly fast, something I could do a little quiet water fishing from, etc. Any suggestions on designs?

Thanks in advance. Islandpiper

 

[bearridge]

Ask Matt 'er wait til he sees yer post.

http://jemwatercraft.com/

 

[JEM]

I'm a little weak on the kayak side of things (except for SOT kayaks). There's so many kayak designs out there, I've been reluctant to do them. I do want a line of rec kayaks.

But I have some ideas drawn up for some simple but functonal kayaks. If you could offer some more specifics, I could get a better idea if I have something sketched that would suite your needs.

 

[hairymick]

heya again,

just a thought,

how about a hull something like this.

(Matt has the plans for this. He calls it Wadefish)

with a cockpit/deck set up something like this. (shouldn't be too hard to do.)

 

[JEM]

Mick,

Your green-machine in the pictures is close to something I have sketched out for an open cockpit kayak.

If anyone remembers the old Pungo Classic from Wilderness Systems, it's what inspired me.

I have an idea of how to do the deck and coaming that I'd like to experiment with. It's not a huge deviation from "traditional" methods of constructing them. Just a little trick that popped into my pea-brain while I was drawing it up. The idea is hard to explain but it's basically just another way to draw the deck and coaming so it fits better.

My daughter has been bugging me for a kid-sized kayak so I incorporated the deck and coaming design features into her little 8' yak. I'll be starting to cut wood on that next week as my wifes kayak has FINALLY been completed.

 

[hairymick]

Hi Matt,

The green machine, is a custom job I had made for me for fishing skinny and estuary water. The hull is a TK1 14ft X 24" and is remarkably similar to your beautiful wadefish Only Wadefish has more volume in the bow, and is a little wider & longer.

I got the big cockpit to help entry & exit in tight spots and it works a treat.

 

[deekay]

Dennis Davis Designs

Bit late this, but I have only just seen the original posting. Dennis Davis plans are still available, including 15'10" x 27" short double/long single - the DK16. Possibly ideal for the older paddler?
If you would like to see a plans leaflet email Dennis on <[email protected]> Best wishes to all.