I didn't know whether to post this in the Boat Bragging section or the Trip Reports section, as it has elements of building and traveling, so I settled on the Kayak section.
Anticipating our trip to the Apostle Islands in August, I built Prototype #2 of the Madeline 16. The Tandem/Triple was drawn from the original Madeline 16 with some improvements, and Prototype #2 wsa drawn back to a single seater from the Tandem/Triple, bringing the improvements over.
On this build I wanted to try out a few different things, so there are a few departures from the typical kit. I changed the design a bit to fit my long legs, so I can use Frame 2 as a footbrace. The frame rails that support the cockpit base run the full length between Frame 2 and Frame 5, giving support for adding footbraces later.
The old meets the new. Side by side with Old Blue, the original Madeline, you can see that Madeline has slimmed up a bit.
The hull profile has stayed basically the same, as has the cross section.
I skinned the hull in white to give it more of a conventional look:
Because I'll be using this kayak for touring and overnight trips, I also added 1/4 turn locking hatches to make it easier to get gear bags up into the ends of the kayak, and, of course, to get them back out.
Here's the basic installation of the hatches.
I cut a backing plate from a plastic cutting board and slid it under the skin. With a steak knife I cut the inside of the hole out of the skin.
Next, I masked off the skin to make it easier to remove the excess GOOP that would squeeze out from under the hatch when I screwed it down.
Here's the completed hatch. I set the hatches so that at least one screw from the mounting ring was screwed into the kayak frame to give it a more solid mount when opening and closing the hatch.
Here's the hatch that I'm the most pleased with. It's a small hatch for storing things like a cell phone, car keys, sunscreen, etc. I made the bag using the same fabric as we use for our seasocks, so the bag is waterproof and has sealed seams.
Here's the completed kayak, ready to paddle. The deck is skinned black and the trim is blue, obviously. I was thinking of staying with the black and white killer whale color scheme, but the coaming was blue, so I went with blue for the accessories.
Bow:
Stern:
I finally got to paddle the new kayak on Friday and Saturday. The pics below are from Saturday. We launched at Presque Isle/Middle Bay, out into the heavy fog, around Middle Island, and then Partridge Island, then back. Don paddled his SOF Greenland qajaq and I paddled my new Madeline 16 skin-on-frame. I was hoping to get some more testing in rough water before my Apostle Islands trip in August. I got my wish.
We had fog, there were one foot swells and reflecting waves coming back off of the islands as we were paddling along the rocks. Don paddled right up in the rocks on Middle Island, while I paddled out in the open water. The waves were pretty confused and I was getting a little nervous, but that soon passed.
When we got to Partridge Island I followed Don and went in paddling along the rocks, nerfing off of the rocky shore as waves would push us in. Don left a few paint samples on both Middle Island and Partridge Island.
The paddle back was a lot more uneventful. When we came around the North side of Partridge Island we saw three bald eagles, one of which was eating something. We came around the island, saw more eagles, hung around in the quiet lagoon in the inlet, and then paddled home. Things had quieted down quite a bit by then.
Middle Island:
Partridge Island:
Cool lava flow:
Don took the pics below.
Heading toward Middle Island. The fog was so bad that we accidentally headed north for about a quarter mile until we saw that we were nearing Presque Isle Point. The next stop after that is Canada 160 miles away. We decided to pay more attention to our compasses from then on.
On the backside of Partridge Island, looking for eagles.
Pulled up on the beach to look for agates.
Anticipating our trip to the Apostle Islands in August, I built Prototype #2 of the Madeline 16. The Tandem/Triple was drawn from the original Madeline 16 with some improvements, and Prototype #2 wsa drawn back to a single seater from the Tandem/Triple, bringing the improvements over.
On this build I wanted to try out a few different things, so there are a few departures from the typical kit. I changed the design a bit to fit my long legs, so I can use Frame 2 as a footbrace. The frame rails that support the cockpit base run the full length between Frame 2 and Frame 5, giving support for adding footbraces later.
The old meets the new. Side by side with Old Blue, the original Madeline, you can see that Madeline has slimmed up a bit.
The hull profile has stayed basically the same, as has the cross section.
I skinned the hull in white to give it more of a conventional look:
Because I'll be using this kayak for touring and overnight trips, I also added 1/4 turn locking hatches to make it easier to get gear bags up into the ends of the kayak, and, of course, to get them back out.
Here's the basic installation of the hatches.
I cut a backing plate from a plastic cutting board and slid it under the skin. With a steak knife I cut the inside of the hole out of the skin.
Next, I masked off the skin to make it easier to remove the excess GOOP that would squeeze out from under the hatch when I screwed it down.
Here's the completed hatch. I set the hatches so that at least one screw from the mounting ring was screwed into the kayak frame to give it a more solid mount when opening and closing the hatch.
Here's the hatch that I'm the most pleased with. It's a small hatch for storing things like a cell phone, car keys, sunscreen, etc. I made the bag using the same fabric as we use for our seasocks, so the bag is waterproof and has sealed seams.
Here's the completed kayak, ready to paddle. The deck is skinned black and the trim is blue, obviously. I was thinking of staying with the black and white killer whale color scheme, but the coaming was blue, so I went with blue for the accessories.
Bow:
Stern:
I finally got to paddle the new kayak on Friday and Saturday. The pics below are from Saturday. We launched at Presque Isle/Middle Bay, out into the heavy fog, around Middle Island, and then Partridge Island, then back. Don paddled his SOF Greenland qajaq and I paddled my new Madeline 16 skin-on-frame. I was hoping to get some more testing in rough water before my Apostle Islands trip in August. I got my wish.
We had fog, there were one foot swells and reflecting waves coming back off of the islands as we were paddling along the rocks. Don paddled right up in the rocks on Middle Island, while I paddled out in the open water. The waves were pretty confused and I was getting a little nervous, but that soon passed.
When we got to Partridge Island I followed Don and went in paddling along the rocks, nerfing off of the rocky shore as waves would push us in. Don left a few paint samples on both Middle Island and Partridge Island.
The paddle back was a lot more uneventful. When we came around the North side of Partridge Island we saw three bald eagles, one of which was eating something. We came around the island, saw more eagles, hung around in the quiet lagoon in the inlet, and then paddled home. Things had quieted down quite a bit by then.
Middle Island:
Partridge Island:
Cool lava flow:
Don took the pics below.
Heading toward Middle Island. The fog was so bad that we accidentally headed north for about a quarter mile until we saw that we were nearing Presque Isle Point. The next stop after that is Canada 160 miles away. We decided to pay more attention to our compasses from then on.
On the backside of Partridge Island, looking for eagles.
Pulled up on the beach to look for agates.
