Kayak and Canoe Design Bulletin Board

Re: I would like to design a kayak

Posted By: Matt
Date: Tuesday, 21 September 1999, at 10:03 p.m.

In Response To: I would like to design a kayak (Marc Brune)

> I've never designed a boat before, but I've whitewater kayaked for a
> couple of years now. I'd like to try to design and build my own whitewater
> kayak. Can anyuone suggest some resources (books/websites/journals/ect..)
> that I might consult to get started?

> Thanks, Marc

Marc, I am an areospace engineer and have recently designed and built the hull for a white water kayak. It took me over a year to design and 4 months to build. If you don't extensive knowledge of calculus and fluid mechanics, my only sugestion is to design a symetric hull. By using symetrey, you will avoid the problem of balancing the hull such that both bow and stern are well above the water line. From the laws of fluid meckanics, a symetric hull is automatically balanced. I recomend that the backrest be around 20" behind the beam. I also recomend that your first boat should be no shorter than 9'6".

Good Luck, Matt

Messages In This Thread

I would like to design a kayak
Marc Brune -- Wednesday, 8 September 1999, at 7:13 p.m.

Re: I would like to design a kayak
Matt -- Tuesday, 21 September 1999, at 10:03 p.m.

Re: I would like to design a kayak
Marc Brune -- Wednesday, 22 September 1999, at 7:30 p.m.

Re: I would like to design a kayak
Hans Friedel -- Thursday, 23 September 1999, at 4:31 p.m.

Re: I would like to design a kayak
Nick Schade -- Friday, 24 September 1999, at 10:45 a.m.

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