Kayaks
You Can Build
An illustrated guide to plywood construction
by
Ted Moores & Greg Rossel
Hardcover
280 x 210mm
256pp
Published by Firefly Books, Buffalo, NY, USA
R.R.P.$45.90
ISBN 1-55297-861-3
As reviewed in The Australian Woodworker Issue 128
For those who enjoy the sight of a beautifully prepared kayak, the full page colour photographs alone almost justify the cost of purchasing Kayaks You Can Build. However, the book is much more than a photo gallery and is intended for those who want to build their own plywood kayak.
There is an introductory section on choosing the right kayak for your requirements, but otherwise your first step is to acquire a suitable kit or set of drawings. The book does not provide all the information you need to build a kayak, but rather it discusses all the things you need to know to make your kayak-building exercise a success.
Early chapters cover setting up your workshop and the selection of tools, epoxy and fibreglass materials.
The authors then move on to detail how the hull and deck are assembled separately from plywood 'planks' glued together to form the required shapes. These are fibreglassed inside and out before being fastened together. Then comes the trim, fitting out and final finishing.
The final third of the book is entitled A Kayak Builder's Journal and gives a day-by-day account of the construction of three different kayaks - the Pygmy Boats' Coho, Chesapeake Light Craft's Mill Creek model and Bear Mountain's Enterprise. While all three kayaks are roughly similar in appearance, there are numerous differences in their design and construction. The use of the diary gives an indication of the time that needs to be allocated to each step.
Packed with information and tips and well illustrated with colour photographs, Kayaks You Can Build is a comprehensive guide to building your own kayak from a kit or plans.
Photos: Colour
Units of Measurement: Imperial
Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: A Short History of the Kayak
Chapter 2: Choosing the Right Kayak
Chapter 3: Setting Up the Workshop
Chapter
4: Tools, Materials and Supplies
Twelve
Steps to a Kayak
Chapter 5: Plywood Boat-Building Techniques
Chapter
6: A Kayak Builder's Journal
- The Coho
- The Mill Creek
- The Enterprise
Glossary
Sources
Acknowledgments
Index