CapecodJohn

Steve I have a Long Shot , a Fire Fly and a Vardo. I'm 6'2" 240lb . size 10 1/2 shoe To give me more space I find that I have to wear no shoes or if it is cold I use a neoprene type dive sock . You have to keep your heels touching (think V) it is tight around the feet. With a boat shoe or sandal my toes bind against the top skin.(long legs stretch further into the slimmer part of the kayak) These will be a tight fit for you. I do paddle all three. It would be nice if you could add a little more height where your feet end up. The Long shot has a lower coaming and is tighter getting in and out. I believe Jeff has designed a higher front coaming support since I built mine. I use the Fire Fly the most, It goes like hell in a straight line. I am taking Fire Fly to a Canoe and Kayak race on Monday. I hope to show up all the plastic paddlers. John

Denis I built three of these, a cup of water in two hours means you may have a microscopic hole open somewhere on the bottom of the boat. One of my boats does this too. It has been too small for me to be concerned with it. If it were more of a problem, I have read that you could start to fill the boat with water and try and look for where it may be coming out? John

Tom I built 3 Kudzu SOF Kayaks a Vardo a Firefly and a Long Shot, I made the skins as tight as I could, I would say, make it tight but do not warp anything. I managed to warp some of the stringers on the first one and learned how far I could go after that. I sewed them tight and then I used a hair drier to take out any wrinkles that were left. Do not make a loud drum just a weak drum sound?

I built three of these Kudzu SOFs and used a 1/4inch round over router bit on just about every edge. The edges that did not get the router treatment got the edge sanded off. John C

If you could fit two sisters in the boat that would do it. There may be a joke there some where, lol

Wow Todd that sucks, was it baltic birch? Could you sister up a new frame next to the existing one until you decide on a final fix?

I had a 4 foot dowel that i put a wire hook on the end I was able to slide the bags to the ends with little effort they stay in place once filled with air

I rolled over in my Fire Fly last year and before I could think about it I was out of the kayak. I couldn't keep myself in. I don't have any thigh bracing. Do any of you have a fix for this? Pics would be great. I want to be able to roll back upright.

I've got the J's, they don't work well with my SOF. I use foam blocks and ride the yaks right side up. Works well. I have to admit I have 2 13 foot plastic boats they fit alright in the Js

I used the 11 oz fabric as a first time builder I liked that i could put a lot of pressure on the line and could pull it tight as a drum. it was hard to pull a hole in the fabric by pulling. I built 3 Kayaks last winter, Vardo was the first one and I ended up using a double strand of the stitching thread for the seam. The other 2, Firefly and long shot I used the nylon sinue, they all pulled a tight seam. I used two threaded needles at the same time on the Firefly one one each side criss crossing all the way up the seam. I would do that stitch again.

very nice job it's a beauty

I feel like I am in an old snow globe and someone keeps picking it up and shaking it.

3 feet of snow on the ground and 3 kayaks in the rafters. Long shot, Vardo and Fire Fly (l to R) http://s850.photobucket.com/user/John_Casanova/library/?sort=3&page=1

I have the Fire Fly with it's standard coming, it is plenty big enough. I am 61 YO, 6' 2" 235 lbs I slip in and out with out any trouble. I must say though. I have tipped over a bunch of times in the ocean, we tried a 5 mile trek along a beach with the waves hitting us broadside, 1 to 2 footers, (we should have been further out where the waves were rolling instead of stacking up and pounding)I had a full skirt on and could not keep myself in the boat when I went on my side, slipped out every time and I wanted to stay in. I too, am pondering an idea for some kind of brace.

time to build a SOF "ark"

Yuck. what happened? That sucks

I want to build a fast, stable, comfortable kayak next I'm 6'2" 235 lbs and fit nicely in my fire fly. I barely fit my legs into my long shot (low coaming) Are stability and speed in conflict with each other? I was hoping for a miracle with this next new model

. 1 Speed potential 2.Resistance/ ease of paddling 3. Stability 4. Weight ( I consider all your designs "easy")

Any news on when these plans will be available? I'm starting to pace about.

Yes. Got mine

Hey Jeff, this would be my next winter project when you finalize the plans, I love the lines I can't wait to get started.

Thought I would try my hand at carving a greenland paddl. I had a piece of redwood left over so I matched it up with a piece of white cedar. I ripped them on the table saw planed them and glued them up with tite bond 111 hope it holds. The first one is for my wife mine is still in the blank not bad if I say so myself.

I bought three sets of float bags from Jeff recently. I thought about how I would fashion then myself and hashed through a lot of ideas on how to make something better, cheaper etc.. in the long run Jeff's fit perfectly they fill the entire void, he did all the research and calculations and assumed all the expense for the equipment, i don't regret my purchase. Of the six float bags only one is losing a little air but that is only noticeable after two or three days. I try to remember to deflate them after each use so a slow leak really doesn't matter. I will buy them from Jeff in the future. Now lets see, how to make them self inflating?

I did the slow Weller thing too I attached a flat cutting tip it was slow but it workrd.