Overview

Needing an Intervention?
I like to plan and build things from wood…the more complicated, the better! I especially enjoy building small boats. Previous boat builds included a tandem sea kayak, single racing kayak, single recreation kayak, mini ski boat, single performance/play kayak, skin-on-frame rowing shell, and three duck hunting layout boats. I even built a teardrop camper in 2016.

I recently finished part of my basement and lost some of my small boat storage. That leaves me with space for two kayaks on the ceiling, my rowing shell and triple kayak on the wall, and my Grumman Sportboat in the third stall of the garage. My wife's single kayak occupies one space on the ceiling and that leaves me with one spot for a rereational kayak.

Can One Boat Do it All?
Having moved back to MN six years ago, I've settled into a number of outdoor activities that I enjoy a lot. These include fishing for northern pike, hunting ducks, kayaking on Lake Superior, and sailing.

I netted this 32" northern pike for my wife when we were kayak fishing. She didn't have her own net as she had yet to experience the thrill of landing a toothy pike from a kayak and wasn't "all in." She has one now!

I caught this 38" northern pike while fishing from my Grumman Sportboat.

I've spent a lot of time searching for a boat that could safely and comfortably do all of these activities and I think the Chesapeake Light Craft Wood Duck Double kayak would work quite well. I sold my duck hunting layout boat and a solo canoe with a nice duck blind a few weeks ago. I'll sell my Current Designs Solara 135 fishing kayak after I complete the build of the new kayak. The kit will arrive in the next few days. I hope to complete the build in about a month…that could be wishful thinking since I'm also in the final stages of finishing my basement!!!

Next
Why the Wood Duck Double will make a good Lake Superior kayak.

1. nice story
2. nice fish
3. I'll be watching for your posts.

Seriously, sounds like a good time project. Nice to have something you can lay out yourself for your own needs and do it they way you want instead of the way some company thinks you want it. I fish a bit but not from a kayak. But, not from something all that more involved wither. Keep posting..

 

Overview

Needing an Intervention?
I like to plan and build things from wood…the more complicated, the better! I especially enjoy building small boats. Previous boat builds included a tandem sea kayak, single racing kayak, single recreation kayak, mini ski boat, single performance/play kayak, skin-on-frame rowing shell, and three duck hunting layout boats. I even built a teardrop camper in 2016.

I recently finished part of my basement and lost some of my small boat storage. That leaves me with space for two kayaks on the ceiling, my rowing shell and triple kayak on the wall, and my Grumman Sportboat in the third stall of the garage. My wife's single kayak occupies one space on the ceiling and that leaves me with one spot for a rereational kayak.

Can One Boat Do it All?
Having moved back to MN six years ago, I've settled into a number of outdoor activities that I enjoy a lot. These include fishing for northern pike, hunting ducks, kayaking on Lake Superior, and sailing.

I netted this 32" northern pike for my wife when we were kayak fishing. She didn't have her own net as she had yet to experience the thrill of landing a toothy pike from a kayak and wasn't "all in." She has one now!

I caught this 38" northern pike while fishing from my Grumman Sportboat.

I've spent a lot of time searching for a boat that could safely and comfortably do all of these activities and I think the Chesapeake Light Craft Wood Duck Double kayak would work quite well. I sold my duck hunting layout boat and a solo canoe with a nice duck blind a few weeks ago. I'll sell my Current Designs Solara 135 fishing kayak after I complete the build of the new kayak. The kit will arrive in the next few days. I hope to complete the build in about a month…that could be wishful thinking since I'm also in the final stages of finishing my basement!!!

Next
Why the Wood Duck Double will make a good Lake Superior kayak.

For some reason it posted twice. Once above and once here….. I've deleted the text but can't the comment.

 

Overview

Needing an Intervention?
I like to plan and build things from wood…the more complicated, the better! I especially enjoy building small boats. Previous boat builds included a tandem sea kayak, single racing kayak, single recreation kayak, mini ski boat, single performance/play kayak, skin-on-frame rowing shell, and three duck hunting layout boats. I even built a teardrop camper in 2016.

I recently finished part of my basement and lost some of my small boat storage. That leaves me with space for two kayaks on the ceiling, my rowing shell and triple kayak on the wall, and my Grumman Sportboat in the third stall of the garage. My wife's single kayak occupies one space on the ceiling and that leaves me with one spot for a rereational kayak.

Can One Boat Do it All?
Having moved back to MN six years ago, I've settled into a number of outdoor activities that I enjoy a lot. These include fishing for northern pike, hunting ducks, kayaking on Lake Superior, and sailing.

I netted this 32" northern pike for my wife when we were kayak fishing. She didn't have her own net as she had yet to experience the thrill of landing a toothy pike from a kayak and wasn't "all in." She has one now!

I caught this 38" northern pike while fishing from my Grumman Sportboat.

I've spent a lot of time searching for a boat that could safely and comfortably do all of these activities and I think the Chesapeake Light Craft Wood Duck Double kayak would work quite well. I sold my duck hunting layout boat and a solo canoe with a nice duck blind a few weeks ago. I'll sell my Current Designs Solara 135 fishing kayak after I complete the build of the new kayak. The kit will arrive in the next few days. I hope to complete the build in about a month…that could be wishful thinking since I'm also in the final stages of finishing my basement!!!

Next
Why the Wood Duck Double will make a good Lake Superior kayak.

Thanks! This going to be a fun build with trying to make the boat do so many different things…hopefully well!

 

Overview

Needing an Intervention?
I like to plan and build things from wood…the more complicated, the better! I especially enjoy building small boats. Previous boat builds included a tandem sea kayak, single racing kayak, single recreation kayak, mini ski boat, single performance/play kayak, skin-on-frame rowing shell, and three duck hunting layout boats. I even built a teardrop camper in 2016.

I recently finished part of my basement and lost some of my small boat storage. That leaves me with space for two kayaks on the ceiling, my rowing shell and triple kayak on the wall, and my Grumman Sportboat in the third stall of the garage. My wife's single kayak occupies one space on the ceiling and that leaves me with one spot for a rereational kayak.

Can One Boat Do it All?
Having moved back to MN six years ago, I've settled into a number of outdoor activities that I enjoy a lot. These include fishing for northern pike, hunting ducks, kayaking on Lake Superior, and sailing.

I netted this 32" northern pike for my wife when we were kayak fishing. She didn't have her own net as she had yet to experience the thrill of landing a toothy pike from a kayak and wasn't "all in." She has one now!

I caught this 38" northern pike while fishing from my Grumman Sportboat.

I've spent a lot of time searching for a boat that could safely and comfortably do all of these activities and I think the Chesapeake Light Craft Wood Duck Double kayak would work quite well. I sold my duck hunting layout boat and a solo canoe with a nice duck blind a few weeks ago. I'll sell my Current Designs Solara 135 fishing kayak after I complete the build of the new kayak. The kit will arrive in the next few days. I hope to complete the build in about a month…that could be wishful thinking since I'm also in the final stages of finishing my basement!!!

Next
Why the Wood Duck Double will make a good Lake Superior kayak.

Its been a long time since Ive been around a stack of "Wooden Boat" magazines.
It seems that maybe you are fishing for some type of sailing canoe.
? of this sort ? https://www.duckworks.com/category-s/491.htm

 

Overview

Needing an Intervention?
I like to plan and build things from wood…the more complicated, the better! I especially enjoy building small boats. Previous boat builds included a tandem sea kayak, single racing kayak, single recreation kayak, mini ski boat, single performance/play kayak, skin-on-frame rowing shell, and three duck hunting layout boats. I even built a teardrop camper in 2016.

I recently finished part of my basement and lost some of my small boat storage. That leaves me with space for two kayaks on the ceiling, my rowing shell and triple kayak on the wall, and my Grumman Sportboat in the third stall of the garage. My wife's single kayak occupies one space on the ceiling and that leaves me with one spot for a rereational kayak.

Can One Boat Do it All?
Having moved back to MN six years ago, I've settled into a number of outdoor activities that I enjoy a lot. These include fishing for northern pike, hunting ducks, kayaking on Lake Superior, and sailing.

I netted this 32" northern pike for my wife when we were kayak fishing. She didn't have her own net as she had yet to experience the thrill of landing a toothy pike from a kayak and wasn't "all in." She has one now!

I caught this 38" northern pike while fishing from my Grumman Sportboat.

I've spent a lot of time searching for a boat that could safely and comfortably do all of these activities and I think the Chesapeake Light Craft Wood Duck Double kayak would work quite well. I sold my duck hunting layout boat and a solo canoe with a nice duck blind a few weeks ago. I'll sell my Current Designs Solara 135 fishing kayak after I complete the build of the new kayak. The kit will arrive in the next few days. I hope to complete the build in about a month…that could be wishful thinking since I'm also in the final stages of finishing my basement!!!

Next
Why the Wood Duck Double will make a good Lake Superior kayak.

Derek:
There are a lot of good designs in that link. I already bought the kit for the Wood Duck Double kayak. The sailing part is the lowest priority for me, but I plan to build the CLC kayak sailing rig with 10' amas and akas.

I bought the plans last year with the intent of installing it on our triple kayak to boost our distances traveled per day and I'm glad that I waited. Putting this rig on the Wood Duck Double will make it a fun day sailer. We'll just keep paddling our triple since it would be to complicated to land it with the wide sail rig at our favorite primitive campsites in the Apostle Islands. I plan to build the sail rig over the coming winter.

 

Why the WDD Will Make a Good Lake Superior Kayak

Our Camping Style
We have a truck and a smaller-sized travel trailer that we use as a base camp for our outdoor activities, which include sea kayaking, fishing, and mountain biking.

Keeping the kayaks to 14' or less makes for an easier lift to the roof of the truck and allows the topper door to open without interference. At 60 pounds, the Wood Duck Double is actually pretty light for it's generous 30" beam. At 14', it's only 6" longer than the blue kayak on the roof in this photo…a good fit.

Sea Kayaking Lake Superior

We own a super sea-worthy, 22 1/2' triple kayak for multi-day expeditions on Lake Superior.

However, we also camp near the lake often with our travel trailer and take frequent day trips in our single kayaks. This photo is near some sea caves. Mary's boat is only 24" wide, but has proved very stable for a multi-use kayak.

A nice feature of the Wood Duck Double (above) is that we could use it as a single or a double kayak when we paddle on Lake Superior. Obviously, it wouldn't be safe to paddle it open, but I can certainly sew some custom spray skirts to keep the big lake at bay.

Copper has great small boat manners and he's been out in four foot seas with us on our expeditions in his "dog cockpit!"

Outfitting Considerations
Spray skirts are needed for the short, steep chop common in the areas of Lake Superior we paddle. I plan to sew multiple spray skirts for our various uses. Skirt one=me paddling solo. Skirt two=tandem paddling. I'll probably have to devise a thigh strap like what is used on sit-on-top kayaks for the stern paddler since their legs are above the coaming ring and they'll need a means of "becoming one with the boat." Skirt three=me paddling with the dog behind me.

Venturing out on the big lake and hoping to add a sail rig in the future, pushed me to include a rudder in the original build. I'll rig it to operate from the front position so that it works for solo or tandem operations. That puts Mary in the stern when we paddle tandem, opposite of the way we paddle in the triple, but that should be fine for day trips.

Seaworthiness
I built a Wood Duck 10' for my daughter, but I ended up with it when she moved and had nowhere to store it safely. The hard-chined hull made that "recreational" kayak a high performer in stability, tracking, and speed. I'm anticipating even better performance from the Wood Duck Double. The 30" beam threads the needle with the friction between speed lost and stability gained by going wider. Our triple kayak is 30" wide and is amazingly stable in the worst of conditions. I'm fully expecting great seaworthiness from this boat with its 400-pound payload capacity for our day trips on Lake Superior.

Next
Why the Wood Duck Double will make a good fishing kayak.

 

Why the WDD Will Make a Good Fishing Kayak

Features for Fishing
The Wood Duck Double is the perfect size for kayak fishing. At 14' long, it will paddle quickly, remain maneuverable, and haul a lot of gear well. The hard chine hull holds its track quite well. The Wood Duck 10 I used to own tracked like it was on rails and never needed a rudder. My brother-in-law bought it from me and I helped him outfit it for fishing. He's been out on some crazy windy days and never had any problems with handling or stability. The 30" beam will lend itself to landing big northerns and being able to fly fish without feeling "twitchy."

The photo above shows the massive cockpit that measures in at 84 1/2" long by 20 1/2" wide. This will allow me to carry my fish cooler on the floor!

This photo shows my current kayak fishing setup. The rounded hull doesn't track as well as a hard-chined Wood Duck and it definitely needs its rudder on a breezy day.

The cooler on the rear deck weighs 20 pounds and I carry 8 pounds of blue ice in it. Add a few nice northerns in it and the rear deck mounting results in a pretty high center of gravity. A couple of weekends ago I paddled in with about 25 pounds of northern pike on my lap since I had forgotten the cooler at home…that was maybe a good thing!

Rigging Plans
I'll likely mount my seat about 48" back from the front of the coaming ring. That will allow me to mount my plywood fishing shelf at the bow and remain free of my forward stroke during paddling. I'll mount rod holders, hook removal kit, a Humminbird Helix 7 fish finder, and the transducer on the front shelf.

I'll mount a back board across the top of the coaming behind my seat. This will hold a couple of rod holders and an Anchor Wizard anchor system. The Anchor Wizard will also be rigged through a Yakattack anchor trolley mounted on the port side. I'll also likely carry my anchor pole for shallow water fishing/anchoring and run that through the anchor trolley.

Trim
A potential issue with this boat is that my fore and aft trim might be too far forward when paddling it solo. I'm thinking that by setting my normal seated position a full 48" back from the front of the coaming it won't be a problem. While hunting, I'll have Copper and a load of decoys behind me…no problem with trim. When fishing, I'll have my cooler and safety gear behind me…probably no problem. When kayaking Lake Superior, I'll have Copper behind me most of the time…no problem.

Another potential weakness of my plan is that I'm not sure if my thighs will land comfortably under the deck while seated so far back. I won't know that until I have the hull and deck joined. I'm not letting that stop me as I can do some modifications to make it work…nothing like "winging it!"

Next
Why the Wood Duck Double will make a good duck hunting kayak.

 

Why the WDD Will Make a Good Duck Hunting Kayak

Layout Blind
One approach to hunt ducks is to get as low as possible underneath a blind that matches the local vegetation as closely as possible. Field hunters do this in a layout blind. The same approach can be achieved in a layout boat.

This is my nephew in the layout boat I helped him build in 2015. He's sitting rather upright in it in this photo because the vegetation is pretty high and he can get away with it. He hadn't finished the back side of the blind at this point. You can imagine that this would be very hard for a duck to spot.

This is a good photo of my old layout boat all brushed out. The boat was 14' long, 45" wide, and weighed 160pounds. That low weight made the boat so stable that you could walk around the perimeter of it and not tip! However, the best way to propel it was by rowing and going backwards at night isn't my favorite thing to do.

You can see the arrangement with the doors open. Copper hunkers down behind my head and he can still mark the birds as I shoot them.

Upright Blinds
Most duck hunters conceal themselves in a more upright blind. This allows for a better 360 degree view of the sky for incoming ducks.

This is the blind I made and brushed with Fast Grass for my old solo canoe. I sat on a bass boat seat mounted on a swivel resting on the floor. It was a pretty good hide if you were backed up against cattails, but the solo canoe wasn't as stable as a kayak. I sold it this spring to make room for this kayak build.

This is a view of the backside of the blind I built for my Grumman Sportboat. This blind is also brushed with Fast Grass. It's very deluxe with its roof and is an excellent hide backed up against or in cattails. Twice, I've had wary geese land at my feet! I hunt with a friend, Copper, a full load of decoys, and a mud motor on this rig…very nice! Not getting rid of this one…

Layout Kayak
There is a trend for duck hunters to hunt from kayaks instead of layout boats or canoes. These hybrid kayaks typically have a beam of 32" or more. The Wood Duck Double only has a beam of 30", but I think it will suit me fine. The question is whether it will be stable enough for Copper to launch out of the boat on a retrieve without tipping me over! I can leave him behind and retrieve my own ducks on the type of hunts I'll do with this kayak, so I'm okay with not knowing until we do some on-the-water tests this summer.

The cockpit is longer on this kayak than my old layout boat, plus my feet can be stowed below the deck as well. There will definitely be enough room to lay down in the layout boat mode in this boat. My goal is to create a blind that I can paddle fully assembled. We found ducks in flooded timber last fall and discovered that they wanted to come back to the same spot shortly after we spooked them. I need the set-up to be fast so that I can flush the birds, throw a half-dozen decoys, and be set in the layout blind in just over a minute. I think it can be done.

I'll brush the blind with a thin coat of Rafia grass, which is less bulky than Fast Grass. I'll likely supplement it with natural vegetation to match the area I'm hunting at the time.

I purchased a folding layout board from Four Rivers that has five different recline positions. Here it's in the full layout position.

Here it's in the second-most upright position. I needed a seat like this so that it can serve dual purposes. There's not enough room for a standard kayak seat and a layout board. This also makes for a quicker transition.

I have high hopes for this kayak as an effective layout kayak. I teach a college course that ties me down a bit during duck season. However, once I'm fully retired, this kayak will be great to take to the prairie pothole region of North Dakota!

Update

The boat worked great for duck hunting…I couldn't be more pleased. While not as stable as my old layout boat, it was about 100 pounds lighter and way easier to drag over beaver dams and other obstructions along the way.

Here's a photo of it deployed on one of my favorite spots. The ducks cup right in front of me!

Next
Why the WDD will make a good sailing kayak.

 

Why the WDD Will Make a Good Sailing Kayak

Previous Sailing Kayaks
In 1996, my late wife and I bought a pair of Nautiraid folding sea kayaks, rigged them with Balogh Sail Designs sails, and brought them with us when we were stationed in Germany for three years.

It was a great way to get our young family out on the water.

We paddled rivers through wine country, passing by an occasional castle.

We sailed alpine lakes in several locations and discovered that kayak sail rigs were quite a bit of fun. They didn't yield Hobie Cat performance, but you still got the satisfaction of harnessing the wind for a free ride! We sold those folding kayaks upon our return to the states in favor of more traditional boats.

Chesapeake Light Craft's Kayak Sail Rig
I've bought and sold two small sailboats since and would like to return to day sailing. A kayak sail rig is a good way to sail without the complications of a bigger boat.

The CLC kayak sail rig uses laminated wood akas (cross beams) joined to plywood amas (outriggers) to stabilize the kayak for sailing.

The akas are joined to the kayak by a simple lashing system.

John Harris, the owner of Chesapeake Light Craft, says that "relatively short and fat kayaks make the best subjects for trimaran conversion." He adds that "given my choice of CLC's 70+ kayak models, I'd mount my CLC sail rig on the Wood Duck 12. It would squirt along joyfully, fast and nimble in in close-handling, the cockpit dry and voluminous." The WDD is two feet longer and will support two passengers while sailing…it should be a lot of fun! I plan to build the sail rig over the winter.

Sail
I plan to use a sail in the 50 square foot size range. I'm considering two options. Option one is to sew my own from a kit made by Sailrite Kits. Option two is to buy a 5 Meter (54 sq. ft.) sail from Balogh Sail Designs. Option one is a lot less expensive and that's my likely path!

Update

The Wood Duck Double would have made a great day sailer. However, my wife convinced me to spend a bit more and outfit our triple kayak with a schooner rig instead. I'll use a Balogh Sail Designs 32' Sport at the bow and a 36' HP Sport at the stern. I'll build Chesapeake Light Craft amas mounted to a folding aka system similar to the Trika 540. This will give us more utility since we can use the sails to extend our range on actual kayak expeditions. I may install a Balogh Sail Designs BOSS outrigger system and use one of the sails from the triple kayak on it in a couple of years.

Next
Surveying the Wood Duck Double kit.

 

Why the WDD Will Make a Good Sailing Kayak

Previous Sailing Kayaks
In 1996, my late wife and I bought a pair of Nautiraid folding sea kayaks, rigged them with Balogh Sail Designs sails, and brought them with us when we were stationed in Germany for three years.

It was a great way to get our young family out on the water.

We paddled rivers through wine country, passing by an occasional castle.

We sailed alpine lakes in several locations and discovered that kayak sail rigs were quite a bit of fun. They didn't yield Hobie Cat performance, but you still got the satisfaction of harnessing the wind for a free ride! We sold those folding kayaks upon our return to the states in favor of more traditional boats.

Chesapeake Light Craft's Kayak Sail Rig
I've bought and sold two small sailboats since and would like to return to day sailing. A kayak sail rig is a good way to sail without the complications of a bigger boat.

The CLC kayak sail rig uses laminated wood akas (cross beams) joined to plywood amas (outriggers) to stabilize the kayak for sailing.

The akas are joined to the kayak by a simple lashing system.

John Harris, the owner of Chesapeake Light Craft, says that "relatively short and fat kayaks make the best subjects for trimaran conversion." He adds that "given my choice of CLC's 70+ kayak models, I'd mount my CLC sail rig on the Wood Duck 12. It would squirt along joyfully, fast and nimble in in close-handling, the cockpit dry and voluminous." The WDD is two feet longer and will support two passengers while sailing…it should be a lot of fun! I plan to build the sail rig over the winter.

Sail
I plan to use a sail in the 50 square foot size range. I'm considering two options. Option one is to sew my own from a kit made by Sailrite Kits. Option two is to buy a 5 Meter (54 sq. ft.) sail from Balogh Sail Designs. Option one is a lot less expensive and that's my likely path!

Update

The Wood Duck Double would have made a great day sailer. However, my wife convinced me to spend a bit more and outfit our triple kayak with a schooner rig instead. I'll use a Balogh Sail Designs 32' Sport at the bow and a 36' HP Sport at the stern. I'll build Chesapeake Light Craft amas mounted to a folding aka system similar to the Trika 540. This will give us more utility since we can use the sails to extend our range on actual kayak expeditions. I may install a Balogh Sail Designs BOSS outrigger system and use one of the sails from the triple kayak on it in a couple of years.

Next
Surveying the Wood Duck Double kit.

I had a great, 40-minute, conversation today with David Valverde (owner of Balogh Sail Designs) about how best to rig the Wood Duck Double for sailing. He suggested his 36 HP would be the largest sail he's recommend installing in order to avoid the bow plowing with such a short kayak. He convinced me and I'll order his Batwing 36 HP sail, mast, boom, and rigging in the fall. I'll combine this with the Chesapeake Light Craft ama/aka system for a sail rig that will be great for day sailing the Apostle Islands of Lake Superior.

 

Surveying the Kit

Arrived!
The plywood kit arrived yesterday and I unboxed it soon afterwards.

The smaller box with the epoxy arrived a couple days ago via Fedex. The CNC-cut plywood parts shipped via freight.

CLC has sold well over 30,000 kits and they've got packing them up down to a science.

This is the contents of the epoxy and filler kit.

These are the hull and deck parts laid out in preparation for gluing up the puzzle joints that join pieces to make them full length.

Back Bands Missing
The back bands were missed during the packing process. I sent CLC an email and I'm sure they'll make it right with no problems.

Next
Gluing the puzzle joints.

 

Gluing the Puzzle Joints

CNC Routed Joints Rock!
I built two kayaks from plans in the mid-nineties. I scarf-jointed the panels and lofted the curves from offset measurements. It was neat to know I did it all myself, but it's even neater to get on with it and crank out a kit boat in a short amount of time…getting it on the water.

Here's a panel with the puzzle joints dry fitted. These joints are amazingly tight, but not too tight. Their design provides a lot of glue surface.

The back side of each joint has router fuzz. I sand this with 100 grit by hand. It comes off easily.

This is the same joint after sanding. The inside edges of these joints get painted with a thickened coat of epoxy prior to assembly. Then they're fiberglassed.

The joint after fiberglassing. Notice there is a little chip missing on one of the ears. This is on the inside of the boat, plus I'm painting the entire boat flat hunter green…no need for the normal level of "fussiness" on this utility build. The fiberglass tape holds the two pieces together during hull and deck assembly. The whole panel will receive a layer of fiberglass during construction. What a time-saving process that allows the average hobbyist to build a beautiful, high-performance kayak.

Fixing a Mistake

I broke one joint on the coaming ring while sanding it. Super glue is your friend at times like this. I used gel glue to assemble the joint and then filled it further with medium. I shot accelerant on it to speed up the cure.

Here's the joint after repair.

This is the same broken joint after fiberglassing. The coaming ring is fiberglassed and this broken joint won't affect the final strength. Tonight, I'll trim the excess fiberglass off with a razor blade. This is much easier before the epoxy reaches full cure. The panels will be cured enough for the next step in 24 hours.

Next
Beveling the panel edges.

 

Beveling the Panel Edges

Back to the Boat
I installed a suspended ceiling and finished wiring the lights and switches in my finished basement project and also took a week vacation to Madeline Island in Lake Superior since last working on the kayak. I'm finally working on it a little bit between fishing and camping trips…I love summer in MN!

Sharpening a Block Plane Blade with a Tormek Sharpener
Beveling edges cleanly on thin mahogany plywood is best done with a sharp plane. My block plane blade was dull from a previous "abusive" project.

I've used a Tormek water sharpening system for years. I like the slow, controlled grinding process that puts on a fine edge quite accurately. The accuracy comes from expensive jigs, but the investment does pay dividends in a shop full of sharp tools. I established a 25 degree bevel for this project.

Removing the burr with a fine diamond stone.

Establishing a fine bevel with the same stone by hand.

Here's the edge after fine honing on the diamond stone. I touched up the blade with four strokes using this method after completing two edges on two panels. That's about 60 feet of beveling, including crossing the cured fiberglass in four areas. This is only a Stanley block plane with a very shallow bevel and it doesn't hold up much more than that for a good cut anyways.

Beveling Process
Most of the panel edges are beveled to 45 degrees. This provides a place to apply thickened glued where the panels meet. The bow and stern are beveled to a shallower angle as they come together at a fine point.

The plywood planes down quickly with a sharp blade. The idea is to be smooth and not ruin the flowing curves of the panels as you bevel them.

Shallower bevel at the bow.

Front edge of side panel.

Deck panel.

Deck panel that transitions from a bevel to no bevel.

Next
Stitching the hull together.

 

Stitching the Hull Together

Dry Fitting Steps
At this stage the panels were ready for assembly. First the hull is stitched together with copper wire. Almost all of the holes are pre-drilled by the CNC machine…amazing! Second, the deck is stitched together. Third, the deck and hull are dry fitted to each other to ensure a good fit. Fourth, the deck and hull are tacked with thickened epoxy and dry fitted together as the epoxy cures to make sure they fit together properly when final glued.

Dry Fitting the Hull
We begin with dry fitting the lower hull panels.

The lower panels of the hull are stitched together along the keel line.

The bow and stern bulkheads and a temporary form in the middle are stitched in to give the hull its shape.

The side panels are stitched in next. View of the forward bulkhead.

View of the temporary form.

View of the stern bulkhead.

Here's the hull after an evening of stitching. Notice that everything is stitched loosely at this point. We'll tighten things up later.

Next
Stitching the rest of the boat.

 

Stitching the Hull Together

Dry Fitting Steps
At this stage the panels were ready for assembly. First the hull is stitched together with copper wire. Almost all of the holes are pre-drilled by the CNC machine…amazing! Second, the deck is stitched together. Third, the deck and hull are dry fitted to each other to ensure a good fit. Fourth, the deck and hull are tacked with thickened epoxy and dry fitted together as the epoxy cures to make sure they fit together properly when final glued.

Dry Fitting the Hull
We begin with dry fitting the lower hull panels.

The lower panels of the hull are stitched together along the keel line.

The bow and stern bulkheads and a temporary form in the middle are stitched in to give the hull its shape.

The side panels are stitched in next. View of the forward bulkhead.

View of the temporary form.

View of the stern bulkhead.

Here's the hull after an evening of stitching. Notice that everything is stitched loosely at this point. We'll tighten things up later.

Next
Stitching the rest of the boat.

Interesting build!

 

Stitching the Rest of the Boat

Mistakes

I stitched the stern of the kayak together, forgetting that there is a wineglass transom. I also forgot to bevel a curved area on the bow. I unstitched that area and was able to plane it with no big impact.

No big deal, I just snipped the stern stitches and wired in the transom.

View of the hull.

Wiring the Deck

Stitching begins at the front of the coaming area with the deck panel.

Sheer panels are stitched next. My Dad made a timely visit and I draft him into helping me wire the temporary forms to the deck…that was easier than wrestling those into position solo!

Wiring Deck to the Hull
The deck is temporarily wired to the hull to check the fit.

View of transom.

Stern bulkhead and a temporary form.

Temporary forms in the bow area.

It's neat to see the shape and size of the kayak. It looks like a good fit for my varied uses.

The spring clamp helps achieves the desired shape. The sandpaper keeps the clamp from slipping.

Same trick at the stern.

Next
I'll build simple cradles to keep from getting a twist in the boat during glue-up. After that, I'll tack the hull and deck with thickened epoxy.

 

Stitching the Rest of the Boat

Mistakes

I stitched the stern of the kayak together, forgetting that there is a wineglass transom. I also forgot to bevel a curved area on the bow. I unstitched that area and was able to plane it with no big impact.

No big deal, I just snipped the stern stitches and wired in the transom.

View of the hull.

Wiring the Deck

Stitching begins at the front of the coaming area with the deck panel.

Sheer panels are stitched next. My Dad made a timely visit and I draft him into helping me wire the temporary forms to the deck…that was easier than wrestling those into position solo!

Wiring Deck to the Hull
The deck is temporarily wired to the hull to check the fit.

View of transom.

Stern bulkhead and a temporary form.

Temporary forms in the bow area.

It's neat to see the shape and size of the kayak. It looks like a good fit for my varied uses.

The spring clamp helps achieves the desired shape. The sandpaper keeps the clamp from slipping.

Same trick at the stern.

Next
I'll build simple cradles to keep from getting a twist in the boat during glue-up. After that, I'll tack the hull and deck with thickened epoxy.

Interesting build…I had never seen stitching on a boat.

 

Support Cradles

Simple Cradles
I picked two spots on the bottom of the hull that seemed to be good support points and transferred the angles with a protractor to some scrap 1/4" plywood. After confirming a good fit, I cut the cradles from scrap 3/4" plywood and routed the edges with a 1/4" round over bit. I used a 1" x 2" to fasten them to my sawhorses.

View of the bow support cradle.

It's a pretty good fit. I measured from the wall as a reference to be sure the cradles are true to each other (kind of like marriage) and not putting a twist in the boat…that would suck! I'll staple some plastic to the cradles so I don't epoxy the kayak to them.

Next
The next step is to remove the deck from the hull and tack the hull and deck assemblies with epoxy.

 

Tacking the Hull and Deck

Establishing the Shape
The objective of this process is to establish the shape of the hull and the deck, including their fit with each other. This is done with thickened epoxy.

I decided to use some gel superglue to be sure the panel sections didn't creep out of position. I had some left over from my last build that was probably close to its shelf life.

Here are some superglue tacks in the bow

and in the stern.

View of the stern area with some epoxy applied to the joints.

Stern completed.

Bow completed.

Deck completed.

Inserting wires from deck to hull. NOTE: The hull isn't glued to the deck at this point. This is establishing the fit between them.

Done!

Next
After a short camping trip, I'll be gluing in the hatches.

 

Fitting and Gluing the Hatches

Moved Kayak Build to the Basement!
After an enjoyable three-night camping trip, I'm back to working on the kayak. It's hot and humid here now and the forecast calls for temps in the 90's by the end of the week. I haven't installed my floors in the basement finishing project, so I moved my kayak build to the new guest bedroom. Nothing like building in air conditioned comfort. It's a straight shot up the steps, so the kayak fits…nice! I'll paint it with stinky, oil-based duck boat paint in the garage.

Clever Design
The design of the hatches is quite clever and the end result is waterproof and secure. I built the Wood Duck 10 about five years ago and the hatches are great.

This is the stern hatch. The top layer is a spacer that gets glued under the deck. The next layer is the deck sill that is glued under the spacer. The actual hatch cover is carefully cut from the deck. The cut is started by drilling a series of 1/16" inch holes that provide a place for the jig saw blade to enter. That's a cut you want to be careful with since the hatch cover is made from the already assembled deck. A mistake here would be very painful/expensive. However, the kit provides alignment holes in the deck and in the spacers.

The bow hatch area is smaller and requires the spacer and the sill to be beveled with a hand plane.

This is the stern hatch. The hatch spacer and hatch sill are glued in place with epoxy thickened with silica powder. You can never have too many clamps during a boat build!

I had enough clamps to glue the bow hatch at the same time.

Next
I need to wait until morning for this assembly to cure strong enough to continue by gluing in the hatch rims. I'll also glue the hatch stiffeners to the bottom side of the hatches. None of that will take too long, so tomorrow will be a good day to hang doors and fit HVAC drops in my basement refinishing project!

 

Installing the Hatch Rims

Hatch Rims
I realized that the hatch sills and spacers had cured well during the day, so I glued in the bow and stern hatch rims late last night. That put me a day ahead of what I thought.

The rims stops any water that gets past the hatch gasket from getting into the dry compartments. It's thin and fragile, but once glued in it becomes stronger.

Removing Wires
This morning I removed all the copper stitch-and-glue wires. That took about an hour! I then separated the hull and deck.

This view shows the curvature of the deck and the hatch assemblies. I successfully avoided gluing in any of the temporary frames!

Next
Fiberglassing the inside of the hull.

 

Fiberglassing the Inside of the Hull

Fillets
The panels seams now receive fillets that fill the joints and ease the transition between panels for application of fiberglass tape.

I'm messy, so I tape the fillet areas before laying in the thickened epoxy. This step really works.

Here's a fillet. It's made from epoxy thickened with wood flour.

The fillets are next covered with fiberglass tape. The tape is then coated with epoxy. This is what actually holds the boat together. The bulkhead fillets don't receive fiberglass tape…apparently the fillet is strong enough.

Once the tape is covered with epoxy, The cockpit area receives a layer of four-ounce fiberglass cloth.

Here's the stern bulkhead area after the fiberglass cloth was coated with epoxy.

The inside will receive a second coat of epoxy within about 12 hours of the first coat. I'll apply it in the morning.

Next
Fiberglass the underside of the deck.

 

Fiberglassing the Underside of the Deck

Cleaning Up the Inside of the Hull

The epoxy from the first coat on the inside of the hull had cured about 12 hours. It wasn't at final hardness, so this was a good time to clean up the fiberglass frays that formed during application.

A carbide scraper and a little sanding did the trick. I like the scraper since it doesn't gum up when the epoxy is still not at final cure.

I applied the second coat of epoxy to the inside of the hull after cleaning it up a bit. I used a bristle brush to get it in the corners and then spread it out with a soft plastic bondo spreader.

Fiberglassing the Deck
The deck is easier to work since there aren't any bulkheads to work around.

I taped the deck seams like the hull. The thickened epoxy is squeezed into the joints using a one-quart freezer bag with the corner cut off. This is incredibly effective.

Bondo spreaders with various radii cut in them work well to form the fillets.

Tape is removed prior to applying fiberglass tape.

Fiberglass tape is applied and the entire deck has one coat of epoxy. I'll apply a second coat this evening.

Copper Wire for Stitching
Chesapeake Light Craft is stingy with the copper wire for stitching. I've already used the kit contents and the extra roll I purchased. I ordered more over the weekend, but it won't arrive until next week. No problem, I'll use that wire on the sailing amas. I found some 18-gauge bare wire at the hardware store that will work fine for tomorrow's step.

Next
Permanently fastening the the hull and deck to each other.

 

Stitching the Hull and Deck Together

Wiring
With the deck and hull fully cured, it was time to wire them together permanently

A stick of wood laid across each end provides enough clearance to thread the stitches in place. I rolled each end of the wire so they wouldn't slip out as I settled the two halves together.

There are copper stitches about every four inches. You can pull the boat together with packing wrap instead, but I prefer the precision of copper wire stitches.

The hull and deck are tacked together with a bead of epoxy thickened with silica. The bead is run between the stitches only, so they can be removed before applying the interior fillets and fiberglass tape.

Continuing the bead of epoxy at the bow.

Video of the Hull and Deck Joined

Here's a link to a video of the hull and deck tacked with epoxy and stitched tight. The stitches function as clamps while the epoxy cures. I'm pleased with the way the boat came together. I need to wait until tomorrow for the epoxy to full cure before removing the stitches and filleting/fiberglassing the interior hull-to-deck joints.

Next
Filleting and fiberglassing the interior hull-to-deck joints.

 

Stitching the Hull and Deck Together

Wiring
With the deck and hull fully cured, it was time to wire them together permanently

A stick of wood laid across each end provides enough clearance to thread the stitches in place. I rolled each end of the wire so they wouldn't slip out as I settled the two halves together.

There are copper stitches about every four inches. You can pull the boat together with packing wrap instead, but I prefer the precision of copper wire stitches.

The hull and deck are tacked together with a bead of epoxy thickened with silica. The bead is run between the stitches only, so they can be removed before applying the interior fillets and fiberglass tape.

Continuing the bead of epoxy at the bow.

Video of the Hull and Deck Joined

Here's a link to a video of the hull and deck tacked with epoxy and stitched tight. The stitches function as clamps while the epoxy cures. I'm pleased with the way the boat came together. I need to wait until tomorrow for the epoxy to full cure before removing the stitches and filleting/fiberglassing the interior hull-to-deck joints.

Next
Filleting and fiberglassing the interior hull-to-deck joints.

I just found this blog, it's very interesting. It seems like a faster way to get on the water then then building a strip kayak you're doing an excellent job I can't wait for the next episode!

 

Filleting and Fiberglassing the Hull-to-Deck Seams

I Hate This Step!
I had planned to wait until morning, but I noticed the epoxy was cured late in the evening and decided to go ahead with it…bad call. I didn't get done until midnight. This is the worst step in the whole build for me, since these seams are the least accessible. The front hatch is pretty small and I have a size 7 3/4" melon…not a good combination. I gave up trying to work the final passes of the fillets with a mirror and just put on an old hat and my reading glasses and squeezed my head into each hatch. I had to wash my hair and beard with white distilled vinegar to get out the uncured epoxy! That stuff works works well if you don't wait too long.

Fillets
The fillets are quite important on these seams since the panels meet at a sharp angle and the fiberglass tape would never make the corner without the easing of the radius provided by the epoxy fillets. The fillets also provide structural strength to the seams.

The following photos are taken with the boat upside down after I've completed the task. This is a view of the bow bulkhead, from the cockpit. It shows all seven panel seams meeting at the bulkhead. The hull-to-deck seams are the outermost.

Closeup of the seams at the stern bulkhead from inside the hatch

Closeup of the seams at the bow bulkhead from inside the hatch. NOTE: The bulkhead to deck seams receive no fiberglass tape, only the epoxy fillet. The top of the bow bulkhead had a 1/2" gap below the deck. Apparently this is how they cut the bulkhead to avoid any interference with the final shape. That results in a pretty thick fillet!

Fiberglass Tape
It's too difficult to wet the fiberglass tape in the boat.

The plans suggest pre-cutting, rolling the tape loosely, and then soaking it in epoxy in a disposable pan. This step is done after all the fillets are complete. I mixed 9 ounces of epoxy to fill the pan enough to soak the tape. This method worked well, except I was too slow with applying the tape in the bow and stern and the epoxy began to cook off on the the long strip for the cockpit. That would have been a waste of epoxy and fiberglass tape. I quickly unrolled them to dissipate the heat and they appeared to bond well. I added an extra coat of epoxy to the tape to be sure there were no adhesion problems.

Results
I'm happy with the way the hull-to-deck seams turned out. Yes, it was a struggle, but it worked out fine.

Next
Shape and sand the hull seams for fiberglass prep.

 

Filleting and Fiberglassing the Hull-to-Deck Seams

I Hate This Step!
I had planned to wait until morning, but I noticed the epoxy was cured late in the evening and decided to go ahead with it…bad call. I didn't get done until midnight. This is the worst step in the whole build for me, since these seams are the least accessible. The front hatch is pretty small and I have a size 7 3/4" melon…not a good combination. I gave up trying to work the final passes of the fillets with a mirror and just put on an old hat and my reading glasses and squeezed my head into each hatch. I had to wash my hair and beard with white distilled vinegar to get out the uncured epoxy! That stuff works works well if you don't wait too long.

Fillets
The fillets are quite important on these seams since the panels meet at a sharp angle and the fiberglass tape would never make the corner without the easing of the radius provided by the epoxy fillets. The fillets also provide structural strength to the seams.

The following photos are taken with the boat upside down after I've completed the task. This is a view of the bow bulkhead, from the cockpit. It shows all seven panel seams meeting at the bulkhead. The hull-to-deck seams are the outermost.

Closeup of the seams at the stern bulkhead from inside the hatch

Closeup of the seams at the bow bulkhead from inside the hatch. NOTE: The bulkhead to deck seams receive no fiberglass tape, only the epoxy fillet. The top of the bow bulkhead had a 1/2" gap below the deck. Apparently this is how they cut the bulkhead to avoid any interference with the final shape. That results in a pretty thick fillet!

Fiberglass Tape
It's too difficult to wet the fiberglass tape in the boat.

The plans suggest pre-cutting, rolling the tape loosely, and then soaking it in epoxy in a disposable pan. This step is done after all the fillets are complete. I mixed 9 ounces of epoxy to fill the pan enough to soak the tape. This method worked well, except I was too slow with applying the tape in the bow and stern and the epoxy began to cook off on the the long strip for the cockpit. That would have been a waste of epoxy and fiberglass tape. I quickly unrolled them to dissipate the heat and they appeared to bond well. I added an extra coat of epoxy to the tape to be sure there were no adhesion problems.

Results
I'm happy with the way the hull-to-deck seams turned out. Yes, it was a struggle, but it worked out fine.

Next
Shape and sand the hull seams for fiberglass prep.

Great job and interesting. I will never build a boat but enjoy watching your build.

 

Rounding the Edges of Hull and Deck

Prep for Fiberglass
Rounding the edges is a preparation step before applying fiberglass. Some people leave their edges pretty sharp. I like to round mine over a fair bit for comfort and impact protection. This boat will see harsh use being dragged over beaver dams, ramming my way through flooded timber, enduring the dogs claws as he gets back in after a retrieve, and riding in my truck box down dirt roads. Sometimes the epoxy under the joint will appear as I round the edge over, but I don't consider that a problem since there are epoxy fillets and fiberglass tape underneath and a coat of fiberglass over the top.

A sharp block plane removes the wood quickly, yet in a controlled manner.

Here's the bow after planing.

A view of the stern.

With the edges rounded over, I switch to my Mirka random orbital sander with an 80-grit Abranet disc. I sand the whole kayak with this. Since I'm not varnishing, I stopped at 80 grit.

Videos of the Final Results
Here's a link to a video showing the deck ready for fiberglassing after the edges were rounded. Here's a link to a video showing the hull ready to go.

It's definitely looking more like a kayak.

I'm looking forward to getting it on the water.

Next
Fiberglass the hull.

 

Just Had to Sit in the Kayak!

It Fits!
This is the stage of the build where you get a very good idea of the boat's fit and comfort. I placed some shoes under the hull to support it and Mary and I sat in it to discover paddle and feet clearances.

A section of roof rake makes a good paddle simulation in tight quarters! I'm thinking that I'll paddle the kayak solo at a position 48" back from the inside edge of the front coaming. That will leave room for my anchor rig/rod holder board for fishing behind me and my fish cooler. This is a position that should be good for fore and aft trim.

Tandem paddling will require me to scoot forward about 10" so Mary doesn't knock me in the shoulders on each paddle stroke! My rudder pedals have 13" of adjustment so that will work out well.

Plan for the Cockpit
I plan to make two removable spray decks that will seal off the large cockpit from heavy seas. These will follow the approach used by folding sea kayak manufacturers. I'll make two coaming rings for each spray deck that fit the expedition neoprene spray skirts we use with our triple kayak. Each of the coaming rings will be fastened to a cross bar at the fore and aft position that is secured to the large coaming of the kayak. This will provide a safe means of independent entry and egress from the kayak. I'll sew a custom vinyl deck that will be sandwiched between the coaming ring assemblies and sealed with vinyl cement.

Since we have two different positions for me, depending on what we're doing, I'll make two decks. Deck One will be for tandem paddling with my seat set back at 38". Deck Two will be for solo paddling, sailing (tandem or solo), and me taking the dog out for a paddle with my seat set back at 48". Mary won't be able to paddle in this set-up, but we need to have our weight back further for proper trim with the force of the sail in the bow.

Here's the dog's cockpit attachment. I'll use this as a form to bend the coaming rings to the right shape so that I can use this assembly in either our triple kayak or the new Wood Duck!

Next
Fiberglass the hull.

 

Fiberglassing the Hull

Fitting the Cloth
After a nice five-day camping trip, it's back to building the kayak! I listed my kayak on Craigslist and have a "nibble", so I need to get this one done…

With the hull sanded and vacuumed, the four-ounce fiberglass cloth is draped over the boat. The extra is trimmed off the bottom to within about two inches.

Darts are cut at the transom to make a way for the cloth to wrap around this complex shape.

Fold over to cut the other dart.

Transom darts complete and ready for epoxy. Darts are cut at the bow as well.

Applying Epoxy
With everything cut, epoxy is applied to soak the fiberglass cloth. The idea on the first coat is to wet the cloth. Subsequent coats will fill the weave of the cloth. A boat finished with varnish or painted with a finer paint will likely require a total of three coats of epoxy to fill the weave. I'm hoping that my kayak will be filled "good enough" for strength and waterproofing after two coats.

I pour the epoxy on the flat parts and spread it with a Bondo spreader. It's easier to apply the epoxy with a brush on the vertical areas and then spread it.

Applying epoxy to the first side of the bow dart.

Working the second side over.

Looking better.

Almost there. The brush comes in handy at dabbing the dart down.

Final touch-ups are done with the spreader.

Bow dart is done.

Next
The epoxy will be green cured this evening and I'll trim the excess fiberglass from the bow-to-deck seams with a razor before applying the second coat of epoxy.