Swamper gets a new look

[jdupre']

I love the old gal, but a kayak is not too handy in my neck of the woods. With no gravel beaches or sandbars to sidle up to, getting in and out of a kayak is a pain. It's not really comfortable to fish out of and you can't reach the items in the compartments while underway.

To that end, I taped up some nice flowing lines on the deck and cut it out leaving 3-4" tumblehomes and 3 foot decks. I cut out most of the bulkheads and left enough meat to act as ribs for strength. I need to smooth out some of the curves and then epoxy on some 1" x ? strips to form the cowling.

If I remember correctly, the hull with no deck weighed 27 lbs. She ought to come in easily at around 35 lbs. Cool.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Make the boat fit the job.

 

[oldsparkey]

Now you are cooking , a open cockpit is a lot more practical and easier to get in and out of.

 

[jdupre']

I just came back from a test cruise in Bayou Lafourche. I was able to get in and out with the boat perpendicular to the shore. The trick is to nose in until there's just enough contact to keep the boat in place , but not so far up that you step onto the bottom over a hollow. You have to mind your balance and keep your center of gravity low, but it seems light years ahead of what I had to do before. A kayak's speed and agility with a pirogue's everyday utility ............win-win. I'd call it a souped up decked canoe or an undecked kayak. 8)

And , of course, this gives me more ideas to incorporate into my next boat. As Ron would say ..."location sensitive"

Joey

 

[oldsparkey]

Joey....Search your memory.
You might remember that Kayak Jack did that to his Pygmy Osprey Kayak several years ago and if I recall things correctly it was for the same reason. I think he mentioned that one of the reasons was that he was not 39 anymore. :lol:

It is something I wanted to do but the kid claimed my kayak so she got it intact. It was speedy to paddle and would really clip along but the sore butt and getting in and out was not for this old boy. A open cockpit and boat is a lot more to my liking for packing the boat and entry and exit of it.

If I can ( You need the perfect shore line ) when getting out of my boat I like to put it next to the shore , normally the right side of the boat. I pull in along the shore line and lean a little to the left side raising the right side which I have right next to the shore line , then give it a little push towards the shore , lean to the right which grounds the boat on that side , stand up and step out.

 

[Wannabe]

Another plus to this move. You can catch more fish and have a place to put them.
Bob

 

[jdupre']

I remembered Jack had done something similar and I emailed him and got some feedback.

I'm not 39 anymore either( turned 60 a few months back) and this design is much easier to get in and out of.

I took her out catfishing in the bayou and caught a little mess of 'em. MUCH nicer to fish out of . A place to put and actually reach things in the boat. When I got back, I nosed up to the bank and walked to the bow , stepped onto the very end of the deck and out on dry land . Nice!

Joey

 

[Kayak Jack]

Not 30 anymore!!!? Then what in the heck are you doing married to that sweet, young 29 year old filly?? :wink:

Oh, my.

 

[jdupre']

I'll relay the compliment to the Mrs., but Jack, were you ever a used car salesman?? :mrgreen: