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Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
By:JohnAbercrombie
Date: 10/27/2016, 4:27 pm
In Response To: Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki (Alex Ferguson)

Think "simple". Think "accuracy only where needed"

There's a lot to be said in favour of simple-to-build designs, IMO.

But there's a limit...otherwise we'd all be building and paddling those 1950s 'Popular Mechanics' magazine 'designs' with flat bottoms, single panel sides and flat decks.
What amateur builders don't need is for 'homebuilt' boats to be thought of as poor performers. The closer we can get to the features and performance of good commercial kayaks, the better. That means boats that paddle well, properly equipped and outfitted.
I was visiting a neighbour who has built a couple of kit boats and is now working on a beautiful Guillemot strip boat. He asked me about the 'fit' of the kit boat, which he'd built strictly following the instructions- and he'd done a lovely job with clean epoxy work and a dark stain on the plywood. I hopped into the boat (in the backyard) and it was extremely uncomfortable, and practically in the 'not fit to paddle' category. It was a S&G boat with the 'sheet of plywood over curved beam' deck, and there was a beam across the front of the cockpit which interfered with ingress/egress as well as making it difficult to lift my knees to paddle with leg drive.
So, I won't criticise a multi-panel deck with a clean interior!
At least that kit S&G boat had effective deck perimeter lines, and end toggles, so that was a positive feature.

Messages In This Thread

S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a kit.
Nyah -- 10/25/2016, 1:26 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/25/2016, 2:50 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Dan Caouette (CSCWC) -- 10/25/2016, 3:21 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/25/2016, 3:34 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki *PIC*
Dan Caouette (CSCWC) -- 10/25/2016, 5:11 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Alex Ferguson -- 10/25/2016, 9:34 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/25/2016, 11:16 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Alex Ferguson -- 10/26/2016, 12:13 am
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/25/2016, 11:25 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Alex Ferguson -- 10/26/2016, 12:27 am
Re: S&G: In defense of complexity... *PIC*
Dan Caouette (CSCWC) -- 10/26/2016, 9:41 am
Re: S&G: In defense of complexity...
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/26/2016, 12:19 pm
Frej SG: Cockpit Sizes
Dan Caouette (CSCWC) -- 10/26/2016, 12:33 pm
Re: Frej SG: Cockpit Sizes
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/26/2016, 12:42 pm
Re: Frej SG: Cockpit Sizes *PIC*
Dan Caouette (CSCWC) -- 10/26/2016, 2:05 pm
Re: Frej SG: Cockpit Sizes
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/26/2016, 2:23 pm
Re: S&G: In defense of complexity...
Bill Hamm -- 10/27/2016, 12:57 am
Re: S&G: In defense of complexity...
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 1:03 am
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Etienne Muller -- 10/25/2016, 4:50 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Nyah -- 10/25/2016, 5:43 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/25/2016, 6:35 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Etienne Muller -- 10/26/2016, 3:51 am
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Bill Hamm -- 10/27/2016, 1:00 am
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki *PIC*
Etienne Muller -- 10/26/2016, 5:31 am
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/26/2016, 12:03 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Etienne Muller -- 10/27/2016, 4:37 am
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki *PIC*
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 11:55 am
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Etienne Muller -- 10/27/2016, 2:29 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 3:05 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 4:14 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Allan -- 10/27/2016, 5:36 am
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Allan -- 10/27/2016, 5:45 am
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 12:14 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Nyah -- 10/27/2016, 12:56 am
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Bill Hamm -- 10/27/2016, 1:03 am
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 1:05 am
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Etienne Muller -- 10/27/2016, 4:49 am
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Alex Ferguson -- 10/27/2016, 3:59 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 4:27 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
JohnAbercrombie -- 10/27/2016, 4:30 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Alex Ferguson -- 10/27/2016, 4:48 pm
Re: S&G: Kayaking fan wants to build S&G from a ki
Etienne Muller -- 10/27/2016, 5:01 am
Re: S&G: How will you use it?
Mark N -- 10/26/2016, 7:15 am
Re: S&G: How will you use it?
John Messinger -- 10/26/2016, 8:18 am
Re: S&G: How will you use it?
Thomas Duncan -- 10/26/2016, 10:23 am