Hi Wayne,

Sorry I didn't reply earlier, but I had some minor computer problems, and I could read the BBS but when I went to reply the BBS program wouldn't acknowledge my subject line or name so I couldn't post a reply. Must have been a cookie thing. Did a bit of a C drive cleanup and all seems to be well.
About my Baidarka...Mother nature put the big chill on here in the Canadian prairies before I could launch so I can't give you a performance report. But I can tell you about my building experience. There is no doubt that the 8 panel multichine hull takes longer and requires more TLC to ensure that there is no twist etc than a kayak with a 4 panel hull. Getting the carved cutwater and skeg aligned properly with all 8 panels and epoxied is kind of like playing paddy-cakes with an octopus but the look is oh so gratifying when it is all said and done. The 2 piece deck also requires more fiddling than a one piece curved deck but nothing too bothersome. I won't go into too much detail here so I don't bore the non-baidarka builders but do contact me before you start and I will sit down and write an email detailing things that I did in addition to or that deviated from the plans, that worked well. Or give me a call some Sunday night when the phone rates are low.
As for weight, I worked hard at keeping the weight down, while keeping in mind that much of the paddling I will be doing will be in the Canadian shield which means launches and landing on granite (ouch). I've got 6oz on the o/s of the hull, with an extra layer of 6oz on the football. The cutwater and skeg have an extra layer over that because I spent the time carving them, I want them to last for a while. 3.75oz on the i/s of the hull, as well a 3.75oz on both sides of the deck, with an extra layer of the 3.75 on the i/s fore and aft of the cockpit to strengthen it up for climbing on, and knee bracing. It weighs about 45 lbs without hatch hardware, seat, or hipbraces. I was very careful to squeegie out excess epoxie and have a small endpour in the bow just enough to accomodate a grab loop, no end pour in the stern just a slightly larger than normal fillet. By the time all is said I'm hoping to be just north of 50lbs I'm OK with that it's my tripping boat.
Overall it is a fun and gratifying boat to build but aren't the all that way!!

Stay in touch!

Ken

: Hi Ken
: How light did your Baidaka 19 end up? And how was the building experience?
: I have plans for the 19 and intend to build light , 3mm Okume and 3.25oz
: glass. my first boat weighed 77lb, second 53lb, next