Homemade kayaks..

[mntransplant]

I ran across this website and it looked pretty good.

http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/k...DUCK-12HY.html

Does anyone have any experience with this company? I would be using it mainly for paddling the slough and maybe the lower Chena River and for fishing of coarse in the same waters. What do you guys think? Good/ bad?

[BIGBOB]

I live but a few, okay maybe a dozen, miles from their office in Annapolis. Very, very nicely done boats in their showroom The kits are quality CNC cut. The problem is getting them shipped to AK. Gonna be a pretty penny. But they make quality stuff. Another option besides ordering a kit is to buy the plans and procure the Okoume ply from Anchorage. If you do some research, Okoume can be found there. Ran across a dealer or 2 on Tolman Skiff forums. Quality ply is available there.

But then you need to know a little about lofting from plans. I've done it a couple of times. Once you learn how a boat-builder measures and have a good batten to loft with, well, you'll be able to build anything from plans.

CLC has a great catalogue, contact them for one. Very interesting the different boats in there.

[snopro72]

Kayaks

I sent you a PM

[Daveintheburbs]

These guys: http://www.pygmyboats.com/
make a real nice kit as well. Closer too.

[Porterwagner]

I've built a couple CLC boats- very nice. The plans are easy to follow and the end product is going to be as good as you want it to be (as with most wood working/building).

[BIGBOB]

I've built a couple CLC boats- very nice. The plans are easy to follow and the end product is going to be as good as you want it to be (as with most wood working/building).

Curious if you lofted or ordered the kit? Lofting is not that hard. though can see someone ordering a kit, regardless of price.

[Porterwagner]

First one was a kit, then I reduced the freeboard height and length for the 2nd/3rd built, essentially building a different model altogether.

[sls4ak]

Skin Boats are more my style.
http://www.skinboats.org/skinboats/home.html
I have never liked the fiberglass and other ridgid kayaks, a skin boat is quieter and lighter.

[Phishtech]

Hello from Texas. Been to the great state of Alaska twice now and can't wait to come back. Check out Jemwatercraft.com for easy to build, strong, easy on the pocket wooden boats. Everything from sit-on-top kayaks to canoes and pirogues. I'm building one right now. Spira International has some nice drift boats that you can build, also.

Phishtech........Deer Park, Texas

[ToxicTom]

check out http://yostwerks.com/MainMenu.html. The whole site is dedicated to homemade kayaks, mostly skin on frame (SOF) boats. There are free plans and links to suppliers. I am just completing a kit SOF kayak someone gave me. It took around 40 hours to make and I probably have another 5 hours of work to do to get it just right. All in all it was a very rewarding project. I will try to take a couple pics tonight and post them.