Kayaks and Airstreams

[Fyrzowt]

On the Colorado river with friends. Only "action" photo I can find, not much action going on.

[lovingtahoe]

Doorgunner.... we do not have any pix of kayaks with the airstream yet....

But now I have a reason to insist that Rome get them out so we can take a short trip with all the above... "airforums MUST have some photos!!!"

[myoung]

My Father loves to build boats. He started with an 18-foot sailboat of his own design. Then, he rebuilt a Wianno Senior sailboat that had been built originally prior to about 1930. Next, he designed and built a 44-foot trawler-type powerboat that he and my Mother lived aboard for 19 years. Now that he is back on land and without a boat of his own, he has kept busy building kit boats for others.

In this photo, you see a 16-foot kayak under construction. Suspended from the ceiling is a 17-foot kayak and a 12-foot lapstrake canoe. All these kits come from Chesapeake Light Craft. Ever the tinkerer, however, my Father has made a few improvements and refinements.

In a couple of weeks, I'll trek to Massachusetts to pick up the 16-foot kayak and the lapstrake canoe. The 17-footer has found a home on the Concord River with family friends.

[janetb]

Beautiful kayaks, Mike! Much like Doorgunner's artwork.
Ours is a big plastic bathtub compared to those sleek creations, but much fun!
Cruising off Pt. Lobos on the Monterey Bay:

[janetb]

DG and LL rolling down the river...
Leaving a quiet wake, and much more photogenic than our "hands free" peddler!

[doorgunner]

There sure are a lot of different designs out there! Each has it's sweet spot!
Dave, there are a group of fishermen in the area that have the same 9 footer as you own.They put in upstream and fish/float downstream for 6 miles. I spoke with them about their craft, nutin but rave reviews!
Mike- we miss you here in NorCal!! Your dad has quite a thing going on!!If I might just explain all the wooden battens around the yak under construction.
What's happening here is a thing called "winding". It's how to align the craft just prior to epoxing it in place.A level is placed (as in the pic) equidistant from both ends and approx 5 feet from the end ,winding sticks are then placed horizontally and lined up by eye with the level. You also need to look at the bow and stern to make sure they are perpendicular to the winding sticks. A tweak is sometimes required.Notice that the hull is suspended and held on to those battens with 4 clamps. This is the most important step in building. When you are satisfied with how things look you apply epoxy fillets and 3" tape along the seams.This locks the shape! Nice pic Mike
Howie- your yak is award winning!! great web on building. very nice indeed.
Jan could be in any yak and make it look beautiful!
I wanna see the fins on your boat Janet! Underwater shot maybe?

More pics. anyone have a aluminum yak?

[jzelle]

Folbot "Cooper" folding kayak. It is 16.5 ft, 38 lbs. Packs into a bag 18"x9"x39".

No need to stick this out the back window

John

[woodenicol]

Here are pics of my stripper!!

[Fyrzowt]

Man, I love those wooden boats.

Woodenicol, I like your screen name.

[woodenicol]

I had to think of a clever name while I was building my stripper on the kayak building forum. I have worked with wood in one form or another most of my life and my last name is Nicol. I think that name will stick with me for quite awhile. I actually got out for the first paddle of the year today!!

[tin sista]

Hey wow what a great thread!! Those wooden boats look great!

Here's a few non wooden boats from up Michigan way, all taken on Lake MI at Wilderness State Park near Mackinaw City.



My dad (an Airstreamer in the past) taking my son (present Airstreamer) out in the kayak, a Storm by Current Designs, the kayak I learned in, great one for big water beginners like me...


hubby and son out on same bay (Cecil Bay at Wilderness) in a Pungo


All of us out on the bay, I'm in my dad's fiberglass sea kayak, he has a kayak collection! It was a nice boat, can't remember the brand. Still like the Storm best though as I don't have to worry about babying the fiberglass...

[nickcrowhurst]

NDK Explorer LV

[nickcrowhurst]

Rotobat

[nickcrowhurst]

Nordkapp HM. I confess to owning 16, but I'll stop at 3. Nick.

[Fyrzowt]

Originally Posted by nickcrowhurst

Nordkapp HM. I confess to owning 16, but I'll stop at 3. Nick.

And I thought Aluminitis was bad...

[tin sista]

Carol (wheel interested) trying out our Pungo at the We Can Tow It Rally.
She did great I understand it was her first time out in a kayak.

[doorgunner]

a few vacation shots, this is the only way to travel with 3 girls!!- any one else vacationing with their yak? or renting them? (yup these are rentals)
I'm waiting to see violet with some moose antlers or something

[Antique Pedaler]

Originally Posted by janetb

Beautiful kayaks, Mike! Much like Doorgunner's artwork.
Ours is a big plastic bathtub compared to those sleek creations, but much fun!
Cruising off Pt. Lobos on the Monterey Bay:

Being tandem bicyclists, we're interested in the pedal powered Hobie tandem Kayak such as yours. I notice in your photo the bow is higher than the stern presumably because of the weight difference between the two of you. This would be the case with us. So we're wondering about the affects to handling, shipping water, or any downsides.

[janetb]

Antique Pedaler,
We haven't noticed any issues with the our weight differences in the kayak at all. In fact I think that particular photo shows the bow up higher than usual because we were heading out over some swells.
We only take it out into the ocean when there are calm seas, and it's especially good for quiet rivers, lakes and estuaries. Neither of has gotten wet yet!
Have fun.

[Fyrzowt]

The higher bow splits the wave, the stern just follows the trough that the bow makes.