Any new kayak plans in the works?

skiabq · Post by **skiabq** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 12:49 pm

It looks like you are working on adding quite a few new sets of plans to your line-up, any new kayak plans going to be added?

Post by **jem** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 12:58 pm

Got one or 2 ideas floating around.

Can you be more specific as to the kind of kayak and what's you'd like to use it for? I have lots of sketches and basic lines drawn. Sometimes its easier to decide which to put on the "to-do" list when I know there's immediate interest.

skiabq · Post by **skiabq** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 1:50 pm

Ok here's the deal.

I was in a sporting goods store here this past weekend and I saw the new Old Town Loon 160 Tandem Kayak. I really like the layout of it, it can be used tandem with both seats or solo by sliding the bow seat back. The down sides to this boat are, I didn't build it!, it weighs 74lbs (I am sure if it were built s&g it would be lighter), it is kind of ugly in green, red, yellow or blue, shouldn't it really be natural wood grain!? I have always liked the thought of a tandem kayak that could do dual duties (tandem or solo), but that would be relatively easy to build. Easy to build to me would mean a max of 6 panels for the hull , not counting the topside and probably a max length of about 15'6" so it would only have to have 1 splice in the middle of the boat. I have already been thinking about how to make the seats and foot rests quickly adjustable, but I haven't run across a set of kayak plans that I like yet.

All that being said, I really need to finish the canoe I am building right now, but with the holidays upon us it doesn't look like I am going to get to finish that up until January.

Post by **jem** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 2:11 pm

Interesting.

It would be tough to make your own mechanism for a sliding seat assembly. But there's options for the do-it-yourselfer.

For the seats sliding back and forth, you could use a canoe-tractor seat and then have different points to mount it on. I'm doing that with my wifes kayak. I'll try and remember to post some pictures later.

I have a mold for a fiberglass canoe tractor seat that's only a week or 2 away from being complete. It would work well with this concept.

To go with that, you'd just need a back band and padeyes mounted at different locations to go with the seat locations. Now the draw back to all this is you won't get the quick-adjustment ability like the plastic boats.

Would like to hear about any ideas you have to make the version you're thinking up.

I do have one design similar hull design that is sort of close to what you want: http://jemwatercraft.com/proddetail.php?prod=CF .

The 15'6 model is BIG and deep. I designed that one to be used with my kids. It turned into a prototype for a SOT kayak so I never got a chance to use it much.

I do have a sketch of another hull like this but a little more stream-lined and not as wide.

When you're closer to getting ready to build, post here or send an e-mail. Maybe it'll be further along.

Post by **jem** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 7:04 pm

Here's an image of the seat config I'm doing for my wife's experimental boat.

The seat is a plastic canoe seat. I attached some aluminum tubing to the bottom. The tubing will fit in the small blocks that are glued to the hull. To get more than one paddling position, just add another set of blocks.

This is not as easy to use as a sliding track but it's much simpler and within the ability of the average builder to construct.

Kayak Jack · Post by **Kayak Jack** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 4:13 pm

JEM wrote:... The seat is a plastic canoe seat. I attached some aluminum tubing to the bottom. The tubing will fit in the small blocks that are glued to the hull. To get more than one paddling position, just add another set of blocks. ...

... and, to get a carrying yoke. attach two tubes or poles to the bottom of the seat at right angles to the existing tubes, pointing backwards. To the ends, attach small shoulder yokes that aim downwards when the seat is in a paddling position.

To portage, turn the seat upside down & backwards so these yokes are now out in front of the seat, with shoulder yokes pointing outwards, ready to receive the carrier's shoulders.

Adjust spacing so the center of the shoulder yokes is right at - or a bit in front of - the canoe's center of gravity. This will give a balanced, or just slightly tail heavy load when carrying. If you use the tail heavy configuration, attach a "dingle string" to the bow, and raise or lower the canoe for easier vision and carrying while on the trail.