How to Make a Wood Kayak
Building a wooden kayak is a significant undertaking; it requires a considerable amount of money, time and attention to detail. The finished product, however, is beautiful and functional. As you set out to build a wooden kayak, consider your available space, funds, time and the type of paddling you will to once the boat is finished.
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Things You'll Need
- Pliers
- Hand-held saw (manual or electric)
- Pencil
- Kayak pattern
- Marine-grade plywood
- Copper wire
- Fiberglass cloth and epoxy
- Paintbrush
- Wire cutters
- Ruler
Instructions
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Choose a kayak design. If you are a first-time kayak builder, a stitch-and-glue kayak pattern will help ensure that your finished product is a success. Websites like Shearwater Boats offer kayak plans for a variety of designs. When choosing a set of plans, consider how you will use your kayak. Longer kayaks are best for long-distance paddling on larger bodies of water; shorter, wider kayaks are best for recreational paddling or kayaking on rivers and streams.
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Gather your materials. When building a stitch-and-glue kayak, you will wire together large pieces of plywood to form the boat's shape. For this type of kayak, you will need marine-grade plywood, fiberglass, drill, pliers, copper wire, wire cutters, a hand-held saw (manual or electric) for cutting pieces, a ruler, a pencil, and a paintbrush for fiberglass application.
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Prepare your work space and cut the kayak pieces. Kayak-building requires a large, open area that can accommodate the full-length finished product. Gather your materials and tools, and place them within easy reach. Lay your plywood on a clean surface and use the patterns to trace the shapes of the different pieces. Experiment before tracing to find the configuration that makes the best use of the wood. Once you have traced the shapes, use your hand saw to cut out each piece; go slowly to avoid errors. Be sure to mark each piece with its name to allow easy recognition later on. Sand the edges of the kayak pieces to ensure a smooth fit.
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Begin the "stitching" process. Using your drill, punch holes along the seam edges of the wood pieces at approximately three inches apart. Be sure to start from the same place on each piece to ensure that the holes will match up. Cut short lengths of wire, thread through the holes, and use your pliers to twist the ends together tightly. Continue this process until you have the bottom and top halves of the kayak. Secure the seams with a bonding solution like Bondo.
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Fiberglass and finish the kayak. To waterproof the kayak, cover it in sections with fiberglass cloth. Cover the cloth with epoxy and leave the fiberglass to cure; depending on your climate, this may take several days or longer. Be sure not to continue with another section until the first is completely dry. Once you have covered the entire boat, trim the edges and sand down, covering with another coat of epoxy if necessary.
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