Possibly trying a first for me, a Laker 14 or 16, Questions

[Harold Ray]

The Laker 14 Kayak is easy enough to draw and cut the panels yourself. However, this precut plywood kit is a nice option for someone who wants Marine Grade Okoume but does not have access to it locally.

Kit includes 4mm BS1088, Marine-grade plywood parts precut to exact dimensions for the Laker 14 Kayak.

I am not a woodworker, but I would like to try to build a kayak, or kayaks, if the first try wasn't a total disaster. I have never done anything like this in my life. I saw a discussion and a kayak built from your Freedom plan on http://kfs.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/ ... 5171054845.

If I do this, initially I would buy a kit from you all so I would have precut, quality materials to work with for my first try. Later, I would cut my own. In your precut kit for the Laker 14 or 16, are the materials included for the low-weight version? I want as light weight as I can get.

Thanks for the information!

Ray

P.S.

The thread on KayakFishingStuff.com should be a great advertizement for your company. There are around 12,000+ kayak fishermen on that site from around the world.

[tx river rat]

Harold
We keep talking about getting together , but come on down I have a Freedom 15, Laker 13, T-V, and a Laker 15 5 A .
Your welcome to try them all ,Oh if you havent figured this out I am Bowgarguide from TKF.
Matts plans are great and you have a heck of a support system on this forum.
Ron

[jem]

The lower weight version consists of using 3mm ply and 4 ounce cloth instead of 4mm play and 6 ounce cloth.

I can supply either in a kit. However, here's what I strongly suggest you try to do:

Download the free version of the Laker, get some cheap ply from Lowes or Home Depot. Try laying out and cutting some of the panels. I think you'll find that the Laker panels are very easy to draw and cut.

Another good option would be to build one of my pirogues. They assemble quickly, and are inexpensive to build.

It takes some skill to work with the thinner ply and cloth and get good results. Your second boat will turn out 40-50% better than your first.

[Darrells]

Harold.
I just built my first boat and after lurking around here for awhile I joined and began to talk with some of the members trying to figure out which build to try first. I have never been very good with wood and was worried it would not turn out good. After talking with Matt I settled on the Pirogue 14-29. I used the cheap Luan from Lowes in case it went to H&^% I would not have alot of money tied up in it. By doing this less complicated boat first I got to make a few mistakes and learn epoxy and fiberglass work on a less expensive build. Even when/if you do make a mistake being your working with wood it is usually pretty easy to correct.The boat turned out way beyond my expectations and am now about to start a Freedom 15II. Matt's plans are very detailed and easy to follow. I am attaching a couple of pics of my boat and if you look close enough you can see a couple of flaws,but still I would not trade the experiance this brought me. Your first boat is like your first girlfriend, You'll never forget her.

[Guest]

I can't believe this; I get on this forum and in the 3 posts that come in first, one id from Ron, who I hadn't even thought about seeing here, and Darrell who is from Lorena, my home town. We're all within 20 miles of each other.

Darrell, I saw your creation and liked it while scanning this site, and I have seen Ron's boats. I don't know if you and Ron have met, but Ron has built some beauties. I keep telling him I'm going to make it to Marlin to try his out, and so far I haven't.

Ron, I will make it one of these days.

I really never have built anything, but after seeing all of your's Ron and those built by Gerald I got to thinking that building a kayak might be a blast. It never hurts to keep learning. I'll have to clear out a space in my storage building so I can set up a couple of tables, and then, I think I'll give Matt's plan a try, just for the fun of it.

I'll be talking to you all when I work up the courage. Right now though, I'm moving into another house and have several things going at work, plus I'm heading to Michigan in a couple of weeks for Christmab with Andrea, my daughter, and her family, so it'll be after the first of the year before I can get started.

Thanks, guys!!

Ray

[tx river rat]

If we keep going we are going to have to put on a Jems wooden boat messabout here in central Texas.
Harold Matts plans are easy to understand , well laid out and Matt is always Johnny on the spot with help if you need it.
Downloading the free laker plans is a good ideal. You will get the jist of things and understand a lot more of the building tecnique after you look at them. This will really help you even if you never build the Laker.
Ron
Welcome to the dark side
Ron
There is a great bunch of guys here,just dont tell them I said that, I have a reputation to protect

[Tor]

Hey Harold,

Welcome aboard.

I have a different approach for you.

If you can afford a couple of sheets of cheap ply to practice marking and cutting the pieces and you can use a jigsaw I would take that part of Matt's advice.

However the most expensive component and the material which can be the most difficult to use well is the resin and the resin/woodflour mix. So I'd build something small using the stitch and glue methods something like a 12" cube box or a mail box. Something with lots of joins to practice using the resin and finding out how it behaves when using it.

Once you are confident with how the resin works and how to handle the stuff build the laker model you want.

I built the DK canoe, I learned a great deal, but I could have done it more cheaply and then built a more difficult (elegant) design later. However I have a functional canoe which keep evolving and is big enough to paddle with 5 on board!!

Just make sure you read the posts here and pick up all the good habits from some of the most experienced builders and avoid the mistakes from the rest of us.

enjoy.

Tor

[kingfish6221]

Harold, you're right about the free ad space Matt recieved on KFS. I saw that boat and spent 2 weeks researching building my own. Took the leap and got the plans for a Touring TV. I laid out the panels yesterday and if I hadn't had to work on snow and ice removal after work, would have had them cut tonight. Now I won't be able to get out there until the weekend. I feel fairly confident I can do this with all I have read on this site and another, Southernpaddler.com
If I have questions I definitely know where to ask. My biggest concern is heating my workspace for glassing. I have a 28' x 26' garage I've divided in half with plastic walls, and will heat with my potbelly woodburner. December thru March can get and stay pretty cold in Northern IL.