Strip built Okwata

[craiggamesh]

I finally finished up the Okwata for my friend and it is off to its new home. It still needs a good sanding and a couple more coats of varnish since she got scratched a bit while working on the hatches but that can wait until the rainy season. It is too beautiful not to be paddling.

Here is a quick video on how I did the hatches. I wanted them to be flush with the surrounding deck to be less noticeable. It's a short video that doesn't show every step. I left out the obvious steps like, "drill a hole here", but a person should be able to figure out how everything was done via the video.

http://youtu.be/OBKe7Y2Hca4

Anyways, last Saturday we took it for a shakedown cruise on the mighty muddy mistress we know and love, the Tualatin River. She tracks like an arrow. I believe the weight of the Okwata came in at about 40-42 pounds outfitted. Now there is a new kayaking addict out running loose in the general population. He is already planning trips.









I should have brought a rod, the smallmouth were jumping. The water is warming up!

[JayM]

Beautiful boat, and the video is excellent. I may have to rethink how I was planning to do the hatches on my Wadefish!

Jay

[cjbfisher]

Beautiful craft there, Craig. I'm sure that the new owner will have many years of great adventures in it. Have you got any details and/or photos of the latches on the hatch lids?

Edit: Ignore that last question. Missed the video on the first read through.

[craiggamesh]

Thanks for the compliments guys.

Beautiful boat, and the video is excellent. I may have to rethink how I was planning to do the hatches on my Wadefish!

Jay

I wish I would have done the hatches this way for my Sabalo, but I thought I would try the plastic hatches since they looked easy. They work alright, but they get sand in and get hard to turn, and they leak.