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> i am considering building a skin on frame boat. I have read Putz's
> (sp?)book, and various online articles. i would really like to know how
> much I could expect to spend to get a decent boat, and the
> advantages/disadvantages of various materials and methods (factoring in
> cost). I know that is quite alot to ask, and I am doing as much research
> as I can on my own, but any feedback will be appreciated. I have also read
> reference to an article onthis type of project in Sea Kayaker magazine.
> Does anyone know the issue? Are there any other articles I should seek
> out.
> Thanks again Quent
Quent,
I spent almost $250 on my Putz Walrus 17. You could build it for less if you were penny piching. I spent extra on some things, like mahogany premilled to the correct thickness for my gunwales and keel.
I like the kayak a lot. It is very responsive, one of the most responsive that I have paddled. I don't know how much paddling experience you have but the Walrus turns easier and sharper than a Necky Looksha IV, it also tracks much straighter but not as straight as my Pygmy Arctic Tern.
I used western red cedar for the frame but reinforced it with mohogany around the cockpit. The cedar is very light, flexible, and rot resistant (but not as strong as other woods). The kayak weighs in at 33 lbs.
I went with the traditional canvas(14 oz. #10 cotton duck), but coated it with Elast-o-Seal and Snow-Roof. This is gives it a very tough flexible finish. It dried enough to paddle in a few days, but I would wait a month (It takes that long to fully cure) before I gave it any rough use. I would not use canvas again with the roofing paint. The paint would not fully penetrate the canvas. Next time I will use a synthetic cloth such as polyester or nylon. I can get a lighter weight with the same strength for the same amount of money, or less. The paint will then fully penetrate and I will save some weight and won't have to worry as much about rot.
I used monel staples to attatch the skin. The package cost $20 and I used almost half of the staples. Stapling was easy, pulling the canvas tight was hard, but very doable, expect sore fingers afterwards.
Brass screws were a surprising part of the expense, I kept going back for more.
Dislikes: I don't like the coaming from the Putz book. It doesn't work with a spray skirt. I wish I had done a bentwood or plywood oval coaming. The kayak is great for leaned turns, but my coaming/sprayskirt leaks.
The bow is a little low for my tastes. Skene's drawings of the kayak show it with a higher bow. In my opinion the bow should be 4" higher.
I would like it to have a narrower beam, but it is narrower than most kayaks already, yet it doesn't feel as tippy as my Tern which is almost an inch wider.
These dislikes are very minor and will be addressed if I build another, which I am strongly considering.
Other Designs: There are the plans for a Greenland Kayak in Sea Kayker that others have listed, but there are also plans for a Kadiak Island Kayak or baidarka (April '96) and an Alaska Recovery Kayak or surf kayak (October '98).
There is also Wolgang Brink's book "The Aleutian Kayak". That baidarka appears to be faily easy to build, and should be a very fast kayak, but very tippy. I have been considering this kayak also. It can be built for under $160.
What type of paddling do you plan on doing? This will help determine what type of kayak you should build.
Below is a picture of my Putz Walrus being paddled by my wife.
Mike
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Guillemot Kayak - High
Performance Wooden Sea Kayak Designs
