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Okwata tandem for bigger people???

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 11:04 pm
by Narwhale
Been lurking and reading here a while, and am really enjoying the boats and forum here.
It gets me itching to build another boat, but need something suiitable that looks great and paddles better. (After all, why spend the time and money to build an ugly, slow boat?)
The Okwata keeps catching my eye, but want the next one to be a tandem for my wife and myself for day trips around Rockport or Galveston Bay. Including trips out the jetties and off the beach.
We weigh in at about 450 lbs and add another 50 lbs gear, which would be a payload of 500 to 550 lbs or so, and still able to be picked up overhead to fit on high truck racks.
Currently have a 16' Perception, the Hobbie pedeal boat about 13' long, and the big Native tandem. (That big Native tandem is a PIG to paddle. Need to mount a 100 hp outboard on it to get it moving. It is not a fun boat to be in, just work....)
Got anything in mind you want to recomend?
Thank you Matt.
Rich S.
(SW Houston)
PS Really enjoying tx river rat and his ugly boat. Would problably want to strip build this next one like what he is doing now...)

Re: Okwata tandem for bigger people???

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 11:10 pm
by jem
hmm... will have to run some numbers to see what shakes out.

Re: Okwata tandem for bigger people???

Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2009 12:34 am
by hairymick
:shock: :shock: :D :D :D 8) 8) 8)

Oh yes, Please do this one mate! :D 8) :P

Say, around 18 to 19 feet, :P same lines as original.

(check is in the mail) :D :P

Re: Okwata tandem for bigger people???

Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2009 9:43 am
by jem
Saw this post after the other wish list post.

So on this design, just like the Okwata? Or maybe add one more panel per side to round the shape a little more? Or...?

Re: Okwata tandem for bigger people???

Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2009 1:38 pm
by Narwhale
Matt,
Don't know what Mick would like, but I am pretty open. Would expect a lengthened version of the existing and perhaps an extra inch or so beam.
What kind of dispacement and performance would you get?
Is there another boat you want to suggest?
Any other information you would want?
Rich S.

Re: Okwata tandem for bigger people???

Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2009 4:33 pm
by hairymick
G'day Narwhale and welcome to the dark side mate.

Mate, I built the prototype Okwata 15 and it is a magnificent kayak. I would call it as a general purpose boat in that is just as capabale in open water (ocean) as it is in skinny water. Fast, real fast, maneuverable and very stable with genuine rough water capability.

I would expect a Freedom 15 to be similar only a little slower (but still very fast and easy paddling.)

Either hull form would suit my needs, with Freedom being the easier build. (less panels) Sometimes less panels and easier build is a very good thing but either hull form would be very adequate for my needs. By Aussie standards, 28" is a very wide kayak, and I would not be looking to go with any more beam than this. At 30" I would think the boat starts to become more a decked canoe. (in itself, a very good concept) but not really what I am looking for.

For me, this is very much, just in the "thinking about it" stage and I probably wouldn't be even able to make a start on such a build for around 6 months. If the end result of this approaches what I am looking for, the order will be in the mail, if not, a custom order will probably be made soon enough anyway. :D

Re: Okwata tandem for bigger people???

Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2009 8:38 pm
by jem
I'm thinking maybe the Freedom style hull with a little more styling like the Okwata. Maybe a V bottom instead of flat.

Re: Okwata tandem for bigger people???

Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 11:43 am
by jem
Playing a design concept that I wanted to do in a shorter hull but never got around to publishing. It's Ron Barracuda concept design that he raves about.

To get a hull to perform well as a kayak and have the desired load capacity at 28-29" wide, we need her to be 20'.

Thoughts on that?

Re: Okwata tandem for bigger people???

Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 3:38 pm
by tx river rat
Matt
That would be a hoss, keep thinking along those lines.
Ron

Re: Okwata tandem for bigger people???

Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 4:23 pm
by Narwhale
Matt & Mick,
Thank you for the replies.
Guess it is time to put my cards down on the table.
I love boats, and currently don't have anything that keeps me dry when on the water. Howerver, my wife loves being on the water and sharing things we me, so basically, the kayak has to handle us both with extra gear. The Freedom 18 might be able, or may be slightly short on the displacement range. Guess my reservations are more about the extra width and longer hull with more wetted area that would slow her down and make her more of a work boat than a fast, sleek fun craft.
The other competition for this kayak build is my growing fasicination with steam boats. Long term, I would really love to have a sternwheeler paddle baot with a 30' hull or so + wheel and a steam boiler and engine to drive her around the rivers and bays along the Texas coast. Want accomidations for 3-4 days, full electirity, head, shower, and plenty of room for us and our grandkids.
Along that line, need to get comfortable with steam boilers and engines, stern paddle wheels, and larger boats. I've started all this by some research and currently have a 15 hp gas motor torn apart in my shop to study it and figure an easy way to convert the engine to steam. Get it running, then add a boiler, then a small launch type boat to try steam on the water and see if I like it.
So, my life is loaded, and I really don't know which way to go. Which is a real long way to say don't take my question to seriously. It is, and the answer was expected, to be more off the head type of stuff.
Hope this makes some sense to you.
Thank you.
Rich S.