> Help! I have started a kayak from commercial plans that really suck. I
> would be glad to reveal who's by e-mail. But at the present time I would
> be glad to just get it to work.

> (1) I'm at the stage where you stitch the beast together and I have some
> concerns. Boat is 198" stem to stern and has a 22" beam also is
> only 11" deep at amidship(sides) Will this thing even float 200lbs?

> (2) How are the sides and the bottom supposed to go together? edge to
> edge- or bottom over sides and sanded back(my idea) or what? I have loosly
> wired it this way.

> (3) How do you figure the angle to cut the sheer clamps at stem and stern?

> (4) Does anybody know of a similar design that would show location of
> cockpit and bulkheads for a boat this size? I would greatly appreciate any
> comments and or help you guys might have for this prarie boy.

Stan

The information you ask is in any set of plans and instructions I've ever seen. If it's not call or e-mail the designers and ask. You paid $40 to $100 for plans so you should get technical support when you need it.

Here are some hints: panels are usually stiched inside edge to inside edge. The placement of the bulkheads are shown on the first page of most plans as is the cockpit location. The forward bulkhead location is simply determined by you leg length on some designs so there is no dimension. The cockpit usualy fits just forward of the aft deck beam or just aft of the deck beam (if there is a deck beam). In most cases there is no way to mess this up since that's the only place it will fit. The cutting of the sheer clamps is either detailed on the plans or in the instruction booklet in most plans. Or you can find how to do this on the shop tips page of CLC web site. Don't worry about the capacity of the boat - the designer has figured this out and I assume you checked the recommended paddler weight prior to ordering the plans.

I am amazed that a lot of folks on this board don't call the designers when they have questions like this. We get calls about missing info on plans and 99% of the time we simply need to tell folks where on the plans or instructions to find it. We often explain things that builders have a hard time understanding; I spend at least 2 hours a day on the phone/e-mail helping our customers. I suspect this is true of most designers. Call the designer - he's there to help you - and his help included in the price of all good plans anyway.

Chris, Chesapeake Light Craft