: I have a general question about weight: Why is being light so important? Does
: it significantly affect the performance, or is it simply to make it easy
: to carry and put onto the car? With performance, I wonder how a few pounds
: would matter when people have different weights and the kayak may have
: stuff packed into the hatches.
: I am slightly biased as I built my heron using 10oz glass inside and out on
: the hull and 4oz inside and out on the deck. I did want a stronger boat,
: but it's starting to dawn on me that I may have built an indestructable
: tank. I'd also like to find out if it is extremely important to remove air
: bubbles. I have about 6-10 that I can see on the boat now. I still have
: yet to finish the seam and varnish.

Light-weight does significantly effect performance.

Every racer's equipment is going to be as light-weight as possible
because this will increase speed and maneuverability.

If you hold your arm straight out in front of your body then swing it 90°
to the side 50 times, then hold a 1/2 pound weight in your hand and do the
same thing, you'll understand the effect a small amount of weight can have
in motion.

Every bit of weight effects inertia. The farther this weight is from your body,
like the stems of your kayak, the more power you must exert to overcome
the inertia turning effect of a wave.

Even when you think you are paddling in a straight line, you're not moving in a straight line
and you will feel the difference in the boat weight.

I started focusing on making light-weight boats because I wanted light-weight canoes for
portages. When I built light-weight canoes and paddled them I learned how easy it is to paddle
a light-weight boat. Wind and wave can blow you off course, but it takes no effort to turn the
boat back on course.

If you use 3/16" northern white cedar, 4 oz. S-glass and small batches of resin
squeegeed well you should be building a 17' kayak in the 30 pound range.

All the best,
Rob Macks
Laughing Loon CC&K
www.laughingloon.com