Kite

Ideal Small Solo Canoe For Wilderness Travel
Kite Solo Wilderness Tripping Canoe
Kite Canoe Plans For Strip Building
Kite strip built solo canoe by Martin Step
Kite cedar strip wood canoe by Martin Step
Kite strip planked solo canoe by Martin Step

John Winters writes "(The Kite) is what I perceive to be the ideal small solo canoe for Canadian wilderness travel. The designed displacement is adequate for a large paddler on a week long trip, or a smaller paddler for longer trips. Unlike most American solos, this boat is heavily rockered forward with slightly less aft. The combination provides good maneuverability in smaller streams and excellent tracking on open water."

Despite its relatively low freeboard, it is a dry boat (I have paddled the north shore of Lake Superior in it without taking on more than a few small dollops in the most severe conditions one would like to paddle in) and the sculpted tumblehome midships allows good stroke mechanics despite the boat's 30 inch maximum beam.

Included in the Plans:

  • Three 36" x 48" [91cm x 121cm] Drawing Pages including: Full size form or mold station drawings showing all the sectional forms and the end/stem forms. You will trace the pattern on your form material. The drawings are copiously annotated with Martin Step's notes on building this design.
  • The Builders Notes: This 14 page set of builders notes created by Martin Step details his techniques for creating his nice construction details.

Recommended Manual:

  • CanoeCraft - Ted Moore's bible on wood strip canoes goes into the canoe building process in great detail.
Body Plan Drawing
Kite strip built solo canoe body plan
Profile Drawing
Kite strip built solo canoe profile drawing
Plan (Top View) Drawing
Kite strip built solo canoe plan

Features

Beginner Small Paddler Average Paddler Large Paddler Extended Tour Fishing Lakes and Rivers Open Water Racing Surf

Measurements

Length Ft Beam In Beam Gunnel (in) Waterline Length Ft Waterline Beam In Design Displacement Lbs Draft In Waterplane Area Sq Ft Wetted Area Sq Ft Surface Area Sq Ft Volume Cu Ft
14.83 30.00 27.00 14.20 27.25 283.00 3.20 21.60 23.80 49.00 21.90

Secondary Measurements

Prismatic Coefficient Block Coef Midship Area Coefficient Waterplane Area Coefficient Lateral Plane Coef Sinkage Moments to change trim 1 inch Righting Moment at 1 degree Vertical Center of Gravity above DWL
0.54 0.54 0.76 0.63 0.81 102.00 77.40 4.08 14.80

Stability Curves

Predicted Drag