OK, JEM......

[islandpiper]

Matt, I have been thinking about what I'd like in a Kayak (besides Christy Brinkley and that's not likely to happen)

1. Beam enough to be stable
2. cockpit wide enough to get my 170 pound butt into
3. design capability to do Eskimo Rolls not necessary
4. room to carry my lunch and a Popiel Pocket Fisherman
5. length to suit common lumberyard materials
6. stitch and glue is fine, I have tortured some plywood before
7. deck lines which will allow it to ride on my Mazda roof rack without buying a $200 roof rack adaptor and cradle
8. simplicity is the key.....I build work-boat quality boats, not afraid to scratch them ujp in use, so no "jewelry-box designs needed
9. No SIT-ON designs please. Around here sitting ON a boat is like leaving gator-bait on a shingle......I want to be IN the boat. Just promise not to look right at me when I am trying to get OUT of it after an hour or so. (Damned arthritis in my hips....)


I'll bet if you came up with a single seater that would use standard materials and easy to cut lines they could be stacked about ten-sheets deep and sawed out in quantity, making it easy to build in fleets for Boy Scouts projects or summer camps or large, interesting family vacation trips.

What do you think? Thanks!! Islandpiper

 

[islandpiper]

oh, and

Oh....no need for big water capability, just a meandering boat......

 

[JEM]

ok let's get some more specifics.

1. Beam enough to be stable

Now when you say this, can you give some examples of kayaks you may have paddled that fit this criteria? I've had some builders want 38"+ plus of beam to be stable and other want under 26".

2. cockpit wide enough to get my 170 pound butt into
3. design capability to do Eskimo Rolls not necessary
4. room to carry my lunch and a Popiel Pocket Fisherman

lol....no issues there

5. length to suit common lumberyard materials
6. stitch and glue is fine, I have tortured some plywood before

We'll keep the concept under 16'.

7. deck lines which will allow it to ride on my Mazda roof rack without buying a $200 roof rack adaptor and cradle.

Some guidance here. Any idea what you roof measures in length? Knowing that will us get around that.

8. simplicity is the key.....I build work-boat quality boats, not afraid to scratch them ujp in use, so no "jewelry-box designs needed
9. No SIT-ON designs please. Around here sitting ON a boat is like leaving gator-bait on a shingle......I want to be IN the boat. Just promise not to look right at me when I am trying to get OUT of it after an hour or so. (Damned arthritis in my hips....)


I'll bet if you came up with a single seater that would use standard materials and easy to cut lines they could be stacked about ten-sheets deep and sawed out in quantity, making it easy to build in fleets for Boy Scouts projects or summer camps or large, interesting family vacation trips.

What do you think? Thanks!! Islandpiper

Sounds like we could do some fun stuff. Let me know about the questions above.

 

[bearridge]

9. No SIT-ON designs please. Around here sitting ON a boat is like leaving gator-bait on a shingle......I want to be IN the boat. Just promise not to look right at me when I am trying to get OUT of it after an hour or so. (Damned arthritis in my hips....)

Friend islandpiper,

I feel more like bait inside a kayak. Matt haz sit upon plans.

regards
bearridge
bodine bluegrass boys

I asked him, 'Son, what is it with you? Is it ignorance or apathy?' He said, 'Coach, I don't know and I don't care.' Frank Layden, Utah Jazz President

 

[hairymick]

Heya Islandpiper,

Check out Matts, Cape Fear 14 foot SIK version. lovely simple boat. might suit.

 

[islandpiper]

answers

OK.......my Dennis Davis is 16-feet overall, and a mere 22-inches wide at the cockpit. Like I said, FFAAAAASSSSTT!! and a little tender. I can sit in it and cast, just as long as I cast directly over the bow! As the picture showed, my Mazda will carry an UJ pirogue, with some overhang, so 14' would be a good start. Long enough to carry me, and short enough to be carried and meander through the weeds here.

Deck configuration and shape: Behind the cockpit I'd expect it to be flat or nearly so, as is the usual standard. In front of the cockpit, of course we all like some rise for knees inside and water shedding ability outside. I don't mind making a bit of a cradle and strapping it to the existing roof-bars, just didn't want to have to buy a pricey, Yuppie-style, black-anodized fitz-all rack. Or, I could carry it upright, tipped onto one face of the underside, and put a "shower-cap" cockpit cover on for the afternoon rains.

If I could find that USB port in my head, I'd just plug in and send you the mental image I have, Christy Brinkley and all, heh heh heh

My custom design budget is really slim, so I hesitate to ask you to spend a lot of time on this unless you think you can sell some finished designs to other epoxy addicts...er..I mean ....home-builders.

Thanks!
rock 'n roll, Islandpiper

 

[JEM]

So far we know: 14' and around 25".

Perhaps something like:

But with a more open cockpit?

Yes? No? Maybe so?

 

[oldsparkey]

When strapping it to your exhisting roof bars use some of the v shaped Styrofoam blocks that are made for a kayak. ( Or get some bulk styrofoam blocks and make your own) Cut out some of the underside of the block so it will lay down (just a little) on the roof bar, then place it over the bar, put the kayak on it and strap it down.

It should not go anywhere except for where the car goes.

The shower cap for the cockpit works really well.
Coming home after paddling my kayak I put the cockpit cover on it and drove for over two hours in a hard rain. When I got home and unloaded the kayak there was not a drop of water in the cockpit. It is also a life saver when camping in the rain, just put it over the cockpit and the inside stays nice and dry.

Chuck

 

[islandpiper]

escape

stupid me......should have spent more time on your site looking at things. The ESCAPE looks good, but really wonder if the v-botttom ranging into an INSIDE corner really works. Have many of these been built? Are there more builders pics? Reports from the marsh about how they work? etc? Hmm.......that is about the shape I have been imagining, a little more artistic looking, i.e. raked stem would be prettier, and with me in it anything to pretty up the whole package would be valuable!!

Looking forward to seeing some "real build" photos. Thanks, Islandpiper

 

[JEM]

I sell quite a few of those plans. Never hear anything bad about them. Never hear much at all! :shock:

Not sure why. Some builders love to tell you about their experience, some don't.

I have an idea...let me see if I can sketch something.

 

[islandpiper]

cool

Cool, go for it.....I'll go straighten up my shop.

Keith

 

[JEM]

Here's what I've been tinkering with for some time.

14' x 26". Simple construction with 6 panels making up the hull

Slight V for tracking but will be stable and manuverable. Since the V is pretty flat, it helps with displament. This should be able to handle up to 250 pounds on board with no issue.

Cockpit is a recreation type opening. 20" x 56"

Were you thinking something like this?

 

[islandpiper]

new design

man, you are fast!! That's the boat, but I'd close up the cockpit, I really don't want my knees out all the time and would like some front deck to mount some hooks and rings and bungie cord, etc. Can you shorten up the hole? Otherwise looks good.

OK, this is new design work? never been built? wow.....do you generate these panel shapes on some electronic device.....or use a pencil andpaper and long, flexible sticks (like we used to)........

Pretty neat. Let's talk further. I have the tow UJ pirogues to finish then, when Mama lets me, I can start another boat. "Yes dear, I'll finish that bathroom drywall work and fix the leak in the carport right away"....heh heh heh

 

[JEM]

What cockpit size you want?

I cranked this one out fast because I've been thinking about and sketching it for quite some time.

I use software to draw everything.

 

[skiabq]

I don't mean to step in the middle of this, but I really like the lines of this boat Matt. I would like to see the cockpit closed up a little bit too. Would there be room for a watertight comparment or 2? Not a deal breaker, just curious. For ease of construction could the rear deck be made flat or the front deck be made out of a single piece of plywood and just arched over a couple of ribs? I am looking at the coaming around the cockpit and I assume it would be able to handle a spray skirt if the conditions called for it...? Please keep going on this one Matt, I really like where this yak is headed

 

[JEM]

watertight compartments would be easy enough.

Rounded deck is possible.

The cockpit coaming could handle a spray skirt. I guess I'd just need to know the cockpit size to get closer to a finished sketch.

 

[skiabq]

A couple of weeks ago I paddled a Sundance 12' kayak that had a cockpit opening of 56"x22" and it seemed way to open to me. I have also sat in, but not paddled a Chesapeake LT16 kayak and that had a very small cockpit opening, but I don't know the dimensions of that one. Maybe this opening could be somewhere between those two...? I am not a big guy maybe 175 lbs after a big meal ;-) I would like to be able to get in and out without too much effort, but yet keep some rough water out on a warm day w/o a spray skirt.

I am pretty interested in this kayak and it might take front seat over the set of canoe plans that I bought from you, but have yet to start.

 

[JEM]

Hmmm...I'll do some research. I can draw in whatever size. If you and Islandpiper could agree on a size, then we can just go with one.

I'm guessing about 28" long might be about right. Just depends on if you're looking to keep your knees covered.

 

[skiabq]

I can't speak for islandpiper, but I would like to have my knees covered. I would install footrests in it and use my knees against the underside of the top deck for stability and control. The Chesapeake LT16 that I sat in made me nervous. First of all it was awfully narrow, which I thought I might end up tipping it and then as small as the opening was I thought I could easily get hung up in the tiny opening trying to get out in a hurry. I wish I would of measured the opening on that one. I looked on their website and they don't seem to publish that spec.

You will have to excuse this question as I am not nearly as familiar with kayaks as I am with canoes, but why do most cockpit openings have the shape that they do? They seem to be oval with a small round extension of the opening in the front, is that for one knee at a time to go through?

Since I have never built a kayak before, but I have looked at a s&g kayak up close, how would it be constructed. Would it have bulkheads and some sort of a "chine log" sort of thing along the shear line to attach the deck to?

 

[JEM]

A little bird I know tells me the standrd CLC cockpit size is 17 x 32". So that leads me to think the 20" wide one I sketched would be about right. If I build one for me, mine would be 21". That snug kayak feeling just makes me nervous.

The shapes you see are so you can brace with your thigh and roll if needed and still be able to slide in and out.