Boat Building Forum

Find advice on all aspects of building your own kayak, canoe or any lightweight boats

Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
By:Kurt Maurer
Date: 8/16/2012, 8:29 pm
In Response To: Re: S&G: Ultralight construction *PIC* (Jeff Horton)

Ultralight construction is one of my very favorite topics. I have an Outer Island - 18'x21" - that weighs 30.5 lbs, and can't even begin to describe what a lovely boat it is to own. I built a 17' x 19" custom hybrid, 3 mm okoume hull and strip deck, came in at 27 lbs. My 15.5'x28" Merlin canoe weighs 32 lbs; hey, it's a fishing boat, so it's a little heavy! Lightweight boats are not only a joy to handle on land, but are way max efficient on the water. Go check out a good competitive canoe/kayak race sometime, you may learn some useful stuff. I hang out with the race crowd all the time, though I don't race ..... I'm there primarily to learn how to paddle as effectively as possible. Makes a great spectator sport too (nothing cooler than seeing a hot race canoe come around a bend way too fast, lose it, and burst into flames on a bank).

The way to build a lightweight anything is to be very critical of every last ounce that goes into it. The vast majority of excess weight that goes in homemade canoes and kayaks is excess epoxy. Excess epoxy is best dealt with by engineering smart layups tailored to your specific needs, and loving the squeegee. I could write a book about this, but I believe Uncle Nick, Cousin Rob, et al, already have.

Some fear lightweight boats aren't as tough as heavier examples. Well guess what - they're right. So take a little better care in how you handle them. May be a pain, but the gain should be worth it. If not, never mind.

Messages In This Thread

S&G: Ultralight construction
Raymond -- 8/16/2012, 10:59 am
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
Paul G. Jacobson -- 8/16/2012, 11:51 am
No cloth
Jay Babina -- 8/16/2012, 3:48 pm
Ultralight
Raymond Pilot -- 8/17/2012, 2:26 pm
Re: Ultralight
ancient kayaker -- 8/17/2012, 6:17 pm
Re: Ultralight
Paul G. Jacobson -- 8/19/2012, 4:11 pm
Re: No cloth
James -- 8/25/2012, 8:41 pm
Re: No cloth *PIC*
ancient kayaker -- 8/25/2012, 9:39 pm
Re: No cloth
Bill Hamm -- 8/28/2012, 1:55 am
Re: No cloth *PIC*
Yostwerks -- 8/28/2012, 9:07 am
Re: No cloth
ancient kayaker -- 8/28/2012, 5:38 pm
Re: No cloth *PIC*
Yostwerks -- 8/29/2012, 9:07 am
Re: No cloth
ancient kayaker -- 8/29/2012, 9:44 am
Re: No cloth
Yostwerks -- 8/29/2012, 10:07 am
Re: No cloth
Bill Hamm -- 8/29/2012, 3:17 am
Re: No cloth
Yostwerks -- 8/29/2012, 9:21 am
Re: No cloth
Bill Hamm -- 8/28/2012, 1:57 am
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
Stephen Troy -- 8/16/2012, 11:54 am
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
John Abercrombie -- 8/16/2012, 12:06 pm
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
dave g -- 8/16/2012, 10:17 pm
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
Greg H -- 8/16/2012, 1:32 pm
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
John Abercrombie -- 8/16/2012, 2:09 pm
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction *PIC*
Bryan k -- 8/16/2012, 2:52 pm
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
Stephen Troy -- 8/16/2012, 3:48 pm
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
Paul G. Jacobson -- 8/19/2012, 4:25 pm
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
Stephen Troy -- 8/19/2012, 7:34 pm
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
Bill Hamm -- 8/20/2012, 2:25 am
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
ancient kayaker -- 8/20/2012, 2:59 pm
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
John Abercrombie -- 8/20/2012, 8:55 pm
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction *PIC*
Jeff Horton -- 8/16/2012, 3:04 pm
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
Kurt Maurer -- 8/16/2012, 8:29 pm
S-O-F time!
Rob Macks/Laughing Loon CC&K -- 8/16/2012, 3:58 pm
Re: S-O-F time!
Bill Hamm -- 8/20/2012, 2:28 am
Library :) *NM*
Rob Macks/Laughing Loon CC&K -- 8/20/2012, 7:25 am
3 new at $999 !
Bill Hamm -- 8/20/2012, 2:29 am
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
ancient kayaker -- 8/16/2012, 4:19 pm
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction *PIC*
Marc Upchurch -- 8/16/2012, 6:22 pm
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
Bill Hamm -- 8/20/2012, 2:30 am
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction *PIC*
Allan -- 8/16/2012, 11:01 pm
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
Brian Nystrom -- 8/17/2012, 6:49 am
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
Bill Hamm -- 8/20/2012, 2:21 am
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
Alex Ferguson -- 8/22/2012, 5:09 am
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
Yostwerks -- 8/28/2012, 9:31 am
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
Alex Ferguson -- 8/28/2012, 6:15 pm
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
Alex Ferguson -- 8/28/2012, 6:18 pm
Re: S&G: Ultralight construction
Niven Paine -- 8/28/2012, 10:01 pm