Wm Watt wrote:
Brian Nystrom wrote:


How many boats have you seen that have the exact same hull profile
forward and aft of the centerline? Not many are designed that way.


"Exact same profile" not required, just at a single point. How many do
you want? These are 20 year old craft. The model names have been posted
so you are welcome to look them up and let us know. Not many are
designed symetrical fore-and-aft today but at one time all canoes and
kayaks were symetrical. The many ways designers use to keep selling
more boats is a topic for another discussion.

What some people have done as far as design is irrelevent. More than
likely, these boats are not symmetrical.

Say they are not symetrical. Then the front section can be inserted
into the rear section and locating the cutting lines is not as
critical. Asymetrical would be easier.

Are you kidding me? It's also quite likely that the ends are different
enough that one will not fit into the other. For that to work, the fore
and aft decks would have to be the same height, which is not common at all.

That wouldn't be anywhere near strong enough. To do it right, you need
the inner glass, but you also need to feather the joint back a couple of
inches on the outside, lay in new glass to build the joint up to the
original thickness, then apply new gelcoat.


It may or may not be strong enough in a patch or a scarphed panel but
this is a tube. Any tension on one side is compensated by equal tension
on the other. Just sand off the inside surface, position the two
halves, cellotape around the outside to keep the resin from oozing out,
and glasstape the inside. No need to do any fancy finish work to the
outside. One does need, however to cut the hull carefully so the two
pieces fit.
People have reported using single sided taped butt joins on plywood
boats to avoid the problem of finishing the outside surface. Apparently
it does actually work there.

It only works because the boats are fully glassed inside and out after
the panels are stitched. Perhaps some designs substitute fillets and
tape on the seams for inside glass, but either way, the boat is
substantially reinforced. I've never heard of a kayak kit or plan set
that uses/recommends but joints without exterior glass and some interior
reinforcement.

The bottom line is that this project simply isn't practical.

Where does practicallity enter into the hobby of paddling or
boatbuilding?

There's got to be a line somewhere. Perhaps others think this is a good
idea, but I don't.

Giving up a day's pay to drive 200 miles to paddle down a river is
practical?

I wouldn't do it.

My own boatbulding is motivated as much by curiosity as practicality.
Can it be done?

Maybe you should offer to shorten these boats for the OP, just to see if
it can be done.

Some don't like to spend money but time is no problem.

Knock yourself out, then!