TOPIC: Kayak Plans

Hi, does anyone have experience with plywood-frame kayak building plans? I'm looking for a set of plans for a small v-bottom 11'-13' plywood-skin kayak that will weigh in at 40-55 lbs. This would be a kayak for the river- not a flat-bottom kayak for lakes/ocean.

The following is basically the type of design I am looking for. The detailed plans for this design are unavailable, otherwise I would build this particular one.

www.svensons.com/boat/?p=RowBoats/Plyak

Handy,
I built the Plyak a couple of years ago, still have it and love it!
My wife is 5' 100lbs and paddles it with ease, I'm 6' 225 and fit just fine, handles very nicely, give me a bit and i'll dig up some pics. I built it from the link you posted, those are the complete plans I think, i'll recheck that.

May find some help over here>> jemwatercraft.com

The also offer free plans for a 13ft model.

Free Kayak Plans

Handy,
Those are the complete plans on your link, you will need to draw the formers full size before you build. Here are a few pics of the build, on the jig, still looking for more pics.

Thanks, it's very helpful to see photos of a build. The greatest concern I have with the Plyak plans is the keel and stem/stern pieces- from what I understand very little dimensional information is provided for these pieces. I don't want to gather materials and then get stuck on missing information.

Any further tips you might have would be very helpful. Your Plyak build looks very well-done.

Andy,
The stem and stern are 3/4 ply, cut to fit, the angle at each end is approx. 17 degrees. The boat is the same on each end, a mirror image of itself, it has 4 frames, each used twice.
There is no copyright on the plans so you could take them to a copy center, have the frames and one of the ends printed full size, then cut them out and trace onto your plywood,(wish I had thought of that earlier!) Would like to see pics no matter what you choose to build.

Thanks, I am seriously considering getting underway on this project, using the Plyak plans. Still uncertain about the keelson, though. I will be sure to document this build as I proceed.

If you don't mind my asking a couple more questions- what fasteners and glue did you use? Also, what's the completed weight?

I chime in! I built a D4 dingy from scratch, free Internet plans ( www.bateau.com/freeplans.php ) a number of years ago. The typical construction is called "stitch and glue". You stitch the pieces together and then mix an epoxy with microballoons to a peanut butter like consistency. That becomes the glue. You then use fiberglass tape with epoxy to reinforce.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stitch_and_glue

Kens
Stitch and glue is a great way to build, usualy quite a bit lighter.

Andy,
I used silicon bronze screws and West system epoxy.
Stainless steel screws could be used and any of the boat building epoxies. I have not weighed the boat yet but my guess would be under 50lbs, it is a rugged kayak!. I omitted the outer keel so it turns easier, if you want it to track better on long straight runs the I would say install it.
Will try to get some pics of it completed, I had varnished the entire hull but am now painting from the water line down, it will be easier to repair if/when scratched.