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Re: Skin-on-Frame: Small SOF Kayak for Backwater C
By:Charlie
Date: 12/13/2008, 10:46 pm

Before you build anything you should familiarize yourself with the Laws of Archimedes.
If you weigh 100kg (quite a lot for anyone living on rice)you need a boat that can support your weight without having water lapping at the cockpit. A conventional shaped kayak of 12 feet would be on the small side but it would be sufficient if you stay in calm waters.
The idea of using bamboo for an SOF has come up many times here before and no one has yet posted anything suggesting they had done it. Bamboo is very fiberous and hard to work with hand tools. It doesn't take glue well or accept metal fasteners so you will have to lash it together just like the Inuits. The knobs on the bamboo are a problem. And there have been statements that bamboo rots if exposed to water for too long.
So if you are successful you may be the winner of the "first to build a bamboo SOF" prize. Keep us posted.

Hi all.

: I'm a first time boat builder.
: Been "lurking" around for over a month now on Boatdesign forums,
: and other forums to learn about boats. I would like to build a Kayak, for
: using on the backwater canals. It's still water, not flowing, no plan to
: use it in the sea, the depth must be from about 2 feet to 14 feet, not
: much of debris or logs in the water, so I'm looking at a small Kayak Like
: boat. Like to get some suggestions from this forum.

: 1. Looking for it to be light. Very Light. say about 7 to 20 KG.
: 2. Happy with a single cockpit, now.
: 3. thinking of a skin on frame? Kayak
: 4. CHEAP. I'm building it in India, my resources are very meek.
: 5. Will use it for weekend trips, just to paddle around few KMs and back.
: Dunno if I would be camping etc...

: I have been active on a thread in boatdesignforums, here is the link to it:
: http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/boat-design/small-kayak-backwater-canals-25058.html

: BAMBOO: I plan to use Bamboo for the frame.
: Bamboo is cheap, I can get them in plenty. 20 feet bamboos, 10 - 15 of them
: for about $7 to $10, which is like 1 inch to 1.5 inches in dia. Bigger
: bamboos are available, 20 footers, 5 inch dia for about $1, I plan to use
: these for the gunnels.
: The smaller bamboo will be used as stingers and ribs. Ribs can be made with
: bamboo bending, green bamboo bends well with heat, else will lash it like
: the Nansen Kayak. [google Nansen's bamboo Kayak]. I can procure
: "cane" which can be real sturdy, sanded, varnished, and bent! It
: stays real strong and the bend does not loosen. If bamboo does not work
: for ribs, I would use cane!

: Well the frame part is some what decided, as said above. I have to decide on
: the skin, the options I have are

: SKIN
: 1. Canvas Tarp
: 2. Polyester Cloth
: 3. Poly Tarp
: 4. what else is cheap you suggest?
: ----- What thickness of skin do I need? if polyester cloth, what thickness is
: needed? What type of treatment is needed for the cloth? please brief this
: or point me to a proper resource.

: ---------------------------------------------------
: a. How to skin my kayak?
: b. how to shrink it, [I have read about skinboat.org methods of heat
: shrinking, hot air gun]
: c. how to paint it? [ will regular oil paint do the job?]
: d. how to coat it with water-proof material?
: e. Should I varnish it? if so what type of varnish, the only commonly
: available is Wood Varnish, its thin and alcoholic.

: -----------------------------------------------------
: SIZE and structure: I weigh about 100 KG, and 5' and 10", I would like
: the boat to be about 8 feet to 10 feet, with a reasonable large cockpit.
: Please suggest the right length for the Kayak, stability matters, it will
: be a touring Kayak, I don't wanna get wet :D

: looking forward for some tips and tricks.
: thanks
: MS

Messages In This Thread

Skin-on-Frame: Small SOF Kayak for Backwater Canals *LINK*
MS -- 12/13/2008, 6:35 am
bamboo, cane, part 2
Paul G. Jacobson -- 12/17/2008, 6:07 pm
Bamboo, maybe. Cane, probably not.
Paul G. Jacobson -- 12/17/2008, 5:44 pm
Re: Bamboo, maybe. Cane, probably not.
Bill Hamm -- 12/18/2008, 10:06 am
Re: Bamboo, 101
Charlie -- 12/20/2008, 11:45 pm
Re: Bamboo, 101
Bill Hamm -- 12/21/2008, 2:12 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Small SOF Kayak for Backwater C
John Van Buren -- 12/14/2008, 9:16 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Small SOF Kayak for Backwater C
Charlie -- 12/13/2008, 10:46 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Small SOF Kayak for Backwater C
MS -- 12/14/2008, 12:02 am