: I am going to build a kayak. I know it will take hard work and that but Im
: ready.

Hard work is not a prerequisite. Most of the tasks involved are exteremely simple, but they will probably be time consuming, and maybe boring.

:But I am going to do it with some kind of plan.

There have been other posts with addresses for websites wehre you can get plans. I'll add www.glen-l.com and www.clarkcraft.com The clarkcraft site has been improved recently and has pictures and descriptions from the catalog. If you browse the site you'll not need to spend the $5 they ask for their printed catalog. Call or write for their free price list, though.

:What I need is some
: plans I can follow for a smaller (maybe between 6' and 8') and I have no
: clue where to find them.

How big are you? Kayaks are frequently fitted to the body size of the paddler. A kayak designed for a 70 pound boy scout might sink if the 270 pound scoutmaster puts his weight on it. For what ever weight you are you can design a boat with sufficient displacement. There are trade-offs between length and width, though. If you must have a short boat (say 6 feet long) then it must be rather wide. That means it will not be very swift, and it will take more effort to paddle. For the same displacement a traditional kayak (or canoe) shape would get you a narrower hull which was longer.

For a boat with a length of 6 or 8 feet your best bet would be a rowboat design, maybe 3 or 3 1/2 feet wide (36 to 42 inches wide) which would be pretty stable, and could be rowed with oars instead of being paddled with a songle or double bladded paddle.

There are different kayak designs, though. Some very short kayaks are built for minimum flotation and maximum maneuverability. They give up speed as they are usually used in rapidly flowing rivers.

:If any of you have plans or you know where I
: could get some that would be great, I will pay if I need to. Thanks for
: the help!!

You have your choice of materials and styles. The plans for a boat built with canvas and wood strips will be different than those for a boat built from molded fiberglass. Do you feel comfortable working with plywood and glue, or would you rather work with aluminum tubing and dacron fabric?

Check the catalogs and websites mentioned, and do some browsing on this board and you'll get an idea of what is out there. You'll also find numerous references to books and magazines which have plans in them for making kayaks. I'm hesitating on repeating the list here, for fear of forgetting someone.

Meanwhile, I'll e-mail you some plans for a simple kayak made from plywood. It is 11 1/2 feet long, and can be built in a weekend (or so the article says!)

Paul G. Jacobson