wrote:
: Hi I am looking for plans on how to build a Kayak that is quite simple
: or Canoe.

: For around the age of 15-18yrs old.

We did a project with my son's boy scout troop to have each build their own
kayak... we used the plans from Roy Underhills book "How to build a log
cabin and everything to put inside it". We built the first one exactly to
plan and it was very heavy so we ended up burning it at kankakee river
state park... we revised it to drop the the 1x3's and replaced it with thin
waferboard and that made them much lighter and just as strong... we were able
to secure cocooning material from a sailboat winterizer for $4 per boat to
cover them... it's heat shrinkable however we only heat shrank a few as we
discovered it was much more resiliant to puncture if it wasn't heated...

http://www.chicagopaddling.org/lilyak.jpg

It took 3 months of weekly meetings (we'd only work on it for about a half
hour a meeting because we had other things to do and cleanup... our troop
met in the lunchroom so we had to clean it spotless each time) to cut all
the ribs. Then we spent one day outside to put them together by setting up
stations and each scout went from station to station... first was where the
keel and top was added to hold all the braces together, then the wafer sheets
were cut and fastened on, and lastly the covering... each scout went with his
kayak thru the process and adults were at the stations (although much of the
time we'd all be working at various points to give more hands as needed).

We had the kids save 12 1 gallon plastic milk jugs with caps for floation.
Those were tied to the frame before it was covered to insure that the
boats wouldn't sink to the bottom...

The goal was about $25 per boat and I think we were close to that goal...
the paddles were made of 4 inch schedule 25 PVC that was heated and flattened
using hair dryers and clamps.

It was a "fun" project but my assistant scoutmaster told me not to ever come
up with a project that big again ;-)

--
John Nelson
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