Skin on Frame Kayak

Regenerative & Transitional Technology Wood-working
#1

I go kayaking regularly, and recently decided I would start trying to make one of my own, since I’m currently using one of my girlfriend’s parents’ kayaks. I figured my best bet would be use mostly found pieces of wood, eventually cutting enough of the pieces to somewhat resemble simple versions of frames like these ones:

http://www.monkcraftkayak.com/gallery.htm
http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/03/r/projects/frye/skin1.htm

For the skin, I’m planning to get a tightly woven canvas, and treat it with waterproofing oil similar to how oilskin is made.

What I’m wondering is if anyone here has any experience with skin on frame boats. Are there particular types of wood that work well? Any recommendations for things like dimensions?

#2

i built a kayak in the spring during a class with Trackers NW.We used cedar for the gunwales deck beams and stringers.And hazelnut for the ribs.Our cockpit was made of bamboo.We covered our boats with ballistic nylon coated in a 2 part epoxy resin bought from the skinboat school in Anacordis Washington.My boat was built with traditional dimensions.Very skinny and long with steep sided bottom.I think I should have built a more wide boat with a flatter bottom because i have trouble keeping myself from tipping over.I will be building a new kayak soon this time a shorter boat with a flatter bottom and it will be wider maybe 30 inches instead of 23.If you are used to a particular kayak it may be a good idea to emulate the dimensions of that boat.Boat building was sure fun for me,hope you have fun as well.

#3

I took a kayak building class few years ago and i was running my own modest boat building school while I was working in the middle east. I used any wood i could find on the market over there. Most of it look like cheap pine from Eastern Europe and even tough i read pine could not be steam bent, we managed just fine. For a greenland kayak, 3 times your arm span for length, your hip plus 2 fist at a minimum for width and 5 in for depth. Personnally, I would build a canoe as a first boat just for the extra utility. I built a sailing canoe that could fit 2 adult and 2 young kids in 14 fool length… Get a book on skin on frame boat building and read first before you start. There is no reason why anyone would go without a boat with skin on frame construction.
Cheap quick and incredibly elegant.

#4

http://dreaming.kiliii.net/index.php?x=browse&category=22&pagenum=1