Building a Kit Kayak

[Ottergirl77]

So...I'm thinking that with the warm winter we've had in Washington this year, we may have an early end to ski season :( To keep myself from serious depression over the issue, I've started building a stitch-and-glue kayak from a kit (check out www.pygmyboats.com) as a replacement for my sit-on-top (bought it in CA when I lived there...not very practical for WA waters). So far, it's pretty straightforward...though time consuming. And, it takes up most of my family room (the only area in teh house long enough to handle the 17'5" length of the kayak). I'll post some pics as soon as I get some.

Though the process is fun so far, I can't wait to finish and take it out. It'll be such a sense of accomplishment and pride to paddle a 'yak I built myself, just for me

Has anyone else built a kit kayak? How do you like the finished product??

 

[Robyn]

Okay, that is freaking cool! I want one!

 

[Christy]

I burst outloud laughing when I saw the thread title. I know SO many people who have bought this kit but never finished. It's like a big shameful Seattle secret, how many people have unfinished kayaks in their garage. I know 2 people that were going to make a business of assembling these for people then never even finished their own. I am dying to know if you finish yours, meaning, there is just something wrong with my friends, or if there is some kind of curse on these boats that means they are destined to live unfinished in garages across the city.

 

[abc]

I have never done one myself. Usually too busy skiing. (don't mean to insult, I used to think kayak building are ONLY for non-skiers!)

Unlike Christy, I see day in and day out people who paddle their own kayak. And honestly have never heard of people who doesn't finish theirs! Majority of them are actually wooden boats (wood with fiberglass coating), which is even more time consuming than stitch-n-glue! So, I'd say not to worry about not finishing. I bet it'll be very satisfying to put it in the water!

(On the other hand, none of these amature boat builders I know ski at all! So building a boat is their way of passing the long winter when they can't paddle. And in our corner, the winter is indeed long, which translate into lots of time to get the boat finished. So, I'm less sure about a skier-boat-builder fare in a state that has relatively short winter...)

 

[Jilly]

That is so neat. I have a kayak but bought it done and ready to go.

Good luck with finishing it and getting it out of the family room. Hopefully no renovations involved in getting it out of the house!

 

[Ottergirl77]

I burst outloud laughing when I saw the thread title. I know SO many people who have bought this kit but never finished. It's like a big shameful Seattle secret, how many people have unfinished kayaks in their garage.

That's hilarious - you caught me!! :ROTF:

Yes, it's been sitting there in the early stages all winter, and I'm just getting back into working on it. We'll see if it makes it into the water this summer...but I'm pretty motivated. I love paddling in the summer as much as I love skiing in the winter, so it's definitely high on the priority list (right after ski days, of course). And...having it in the living room keeps it on my mind :D

Now that it's public I'll HAVE to finish it, if for no other reason than to keep myself from becoming part of Seattle's shameful little secret!

 

[vanhoskier]

Wow - 17.5' long.....that's a nice sea kayak!

My kayaks are 6' and 8' long...river runners. They don't have the sleek beauty of a sea kayak, and I'd never have the patience to build a boat. Apparently early in the history of whitewater paddling lots of folks built their own fiberglass boats, but they were butt ugly! On the other hand the wood sea kayaks are beautiful! I love the look of those kit boats....be sure to post some pictures!!! Good luck!

 

[abc]

Apparently early in the history of whitewater paddling lots of folks built their own fiberglass boats

Part of the motivation of building over buying is to customize the boat to suit one's own need! I wouldn't be too surprised the WW folks did it for the same reason back then. I was off WW for about 10years, I now see 10 times as many options on boat choices as when I left the sport!

Only a few years back, I comtemplated building a sea kayak myself because there're so few low volume boats to choose from for a petite paddler (and I'm not even that "petite", just light weight and short torso). But the last year or two, a slut of truely low volume women kayaks had come to the market, likely removing that need finally.

 

[missyd]

These Kayaks are very fine looking ..... tempted to build one myself some day in future!!!