: Hi all,

: I inherited a 95% completed cedar strip kayak from a disappointed builder.
: The fellow had done a superb building job of a 16ft. Chinook kayak (design
: reviewed by Canoe & Kayak Magazine.) He took it out for a spin and
: found it too unstable for his liking – so much so he gave it away. It is
: complete with the exception of foot braces, a seat and hatch openings. The
: braces and seat are easy enough to deal with. The boat has 2 plywood
: bulkheads with no access ports. My question is, “Should I do something
: about the hatch openings?” The thread on Cleopatra’s Needle got me to
: thinking… I have no plans for tripping in it, just putzing around local
: bays etc.

Not that this minimizes the usefulness (and safety factor) of hatches and bulkheads or other positive flotation, but Cleopatra's Needle doesn't really happen with wooden kayaks. It's more like Cleopatra's Half-Submerged-Log. It's not like they float high and dry, but they don't go vertical, either.

Shawn