Has anyone here built one?  

I got a wild hair in my ass lately to try to do a kayak.  Any recommended reading?  Maybe reading about it will be enough to satisfy my jonz to build one. lol

Built a few and a canoe. It is fun but takes a while. And if you just want to get on the water buy a boat.

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I have a boat, but the winters are long and cold up here.

Well, tell us about it?

I've thought about building one for years; I read a book about 20 years ago that came with plans (that had to be enlarged) that I got out of a local library, but I'll be damned if I can remember the name of it. I'm sure the technology and designs have come a long way since then though.

It's a lot of fun .I've built strippers and stitch and glue . Made a few, sold a few .The best part is that you do it in steps so the projects last a while without being time consuming.

I watched Nick Offerman's video.  Very cool, lot of work.

Skin on frame is cheaper and faster...

Sorry just got done pouring stem walls on my new addition so couldnt elaborate. I was building years ago so dont have pics internet handy.  I like to build things and live next to a lake and also endure cold winters. So thought it would be cool to build a kayak. Built a skin on frame from a book. It sucked. Too big etc. skin on frames can be really cool but i built a barge. So wanted to make a strip boat. First one was an expedition from guillemot kayaks. It was cool. Much better than the skin on frame. But it was made to haul gear and sat up too high when empty tended to get blown around was a bitch to carry. So built their greenland style boat 20" beam low deck and 18'. Still have it. I built it up too light so need to through another layer of glass on it this winter. Havent paddled it in years since my kids were born. My oldest wants to start so i am going to fix it and get him a small plastic boat.

Things to know. Put lines on the boat. A lot of strip builders dont build safety oriented kayaks. Make sure if it is not a wall hanger that it is tested and you have lines etc for rescuers to grab onto. Hatches can leak so my second boat i built with commercial style rubber hatches.

I havent built in years so i imagine techiques have changed so i wont go into that. But it is really hard to get it right the first time. Especially if you are using the boat, water gets in under the glass etc. Nothing crazy but they arent like a plastic boat you can leave outside and not worry about it. For me the build was cool but paddling i would rather have a commercially built turn key boat for everyday and a custom greenland for playing.

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I know there are a couple on this board that have built some really really nice canoes and posted pics.

I bought a book and I'm still not deterred.

Anyone have pics of anything they've built?

Stitch and Glue not strip.  Built the kayak and greenland paddles.





On Lake Superior Pictured Rocks.





 

Nice.  How long is that one?

16 ft


http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/kayak-kits/touring-kayaks/chesapeake-16-sea-kayak-kit.html





Still can't decide between these 2 for which one to build next.


http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/kayak-kits/light-touring-kayaks/shearwater-17-touring-sea-kayak-kit.html


or


http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/kayak-kits/light-touring-kayaks/stitch-and-glue-night-heron-sea-kayak-kit.html


The Chesepeake series are great if you want an easy to build kit. High volume stable boat good for kayak touring and camping.  They aren't the fastest but can carry a lot. The Shearwater or Night Heron  are lower volume greenland style boats with more speed but carry less.  They are also easier to roll.  CLC has the night heron in a hybrid kit that is strip lower and stitch and glue deck.  





 

I built one about 20 years ago. My brother had built one so I just used the frame he built. Not terribly complicated, just very time consuming. I was working 3rd shift at the time so I would work on it in the mornings when I got home. Have a couple hundred hours into it. We ripped the strips ourselves, but I believe you can buy them precut.





16' long, Seems like it was less than 40#. Paddles nice.

I really want to build one of these. Those CLC kits are beautiful. Did you order the kit or just the plans?

They had a couple of custom birch canoes at the shop where I bought my plastic kayak.



They were expensive, but really beautiful.  I'd love to own one.

I found that with the waste you would get buying sheets of plywood that the kit ended up being cheaper.  May be different if you have a local source and don't have to pay shipping.