Wyo George

The notch doesn't weaken enough to matter in this instance. It's also a 12:1, not an 8:1 for what it's worth and the benefit is not decorative, but locking the scarf together so that the two boards don't try to slide while gluing together. Still, opinions vary and everyone has their preference. Ask a dozen builders their opinion and you'll get fourteen answers! I just offered it as a suggestion to make the scarfing process easier since people buying kits are usually ones with less woodworking skills and experience.

I hope it works out for you. One option to consider in making it easier for clients to assemble is going with a hooked scarf joint. The jig is super easy to make and the joints are very easy to cut. The best visual of the jig and method comes from a member called "Boatman53" on another forum. The joints look like this: (he used two different woods for visual) I like the hook, it keeps the joints from trying to slide around on the glue plus it looks cool and really only takes an extra minute per joint to cut, even less if you use two routers set up at different depths so you don't have to change depth mid-process.

Very nice, good job! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wow how time flies. It seems like just a year ago you were starting this build and already you're hours into it Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree with painting the muzzle black just to add that extra little bit.

Very nice, my kids love the paint job. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Glue them inside your house! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Very nice! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Jeff, have you ever tried a steamer to shrink the fabric? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

One at a time is the painful way. I stack a half dozen at a time and plane them all at once. Still, it's great to see progress. Keep up the good work. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ironically, I also bounce around a dozen different internet forums depending on my interest/mood of the week. It's either motorcycles, guns, cars, woodworking, boats, backpacking or motorcycles

As a filler, I'm well known for starting projects then shelving them while I work on others. Between the time I started and finished the cedar canoe I built a piroque, 90%% of a SUP, and a 14ft V hull and cut out my frames and stringers for a SOF yak. Then I finished the Cedar canoe and now I still have to paint the SUP, finish the other yak and build my Kudzu boats. I'm always working, but with terrible ADHD I always have a half dozen projects in the garage to bounce between. I also have a '65 Impala SS and a '70 Dodge A108 in the shop as well as a half dozen other old cars waiting to get done.

Sounds good, thanks for the tip! Most of the time I use a double paddle I'm floating the river so all I do is make course corrections. Now I'm getting the desire to build a fast yak and get some exercise. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

glad to make you laugh. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Careful now, you don't want to rush through it.... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Woodman, it is some nice country and I hope to float it again someday. Tiger, it's my fault for bad reading. I read it as un-tidy!! It was probably a subconscious reaction; I tend to be pretty OCD and hate clutter so I naturally feel embarrassed at showing pics with things out of place! Thanks again for the kind words, hopefully I'll be starting a build thread soon!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No kidding on the clutter! Having four adults and three kids bouncing around between three canoes for ten hours (minus lunch break) tends to get things a bit messier than I like, but as long as there are 6 other smiles in the group then I'll always add the 7th smile no matter what Our lunch break from one of the river trips: Yes, I know I burn a lot of bandwidth with pictures. You should see my build threads! What can I say, I'm a shutterbug. Thanks, G

Thanks for the input, I think I'll go ahead and plan for them from the start. They aren't expensive to add, I was just thinking about seeing just how light I could build and even though they aren't a lot of weight they do add a little As to the aluminum canoe, thanks as well. It's not quite as small as it looks in that picture, it's a bit of forced perspective with it being in the back. It's a 16 ft model my Dad picked up a couple years ago for $50 and uses quite a bit. Here's another pic of the three at Meramec State Park in Missouri where we met up for a week of family camping and canoeing this summer. My folks drove up from GA and we (myself, wife and 3 kids) drove down from WY. What a wonderful place to stay and canoe. A week later the water levels had risen 15 feet and that whole part of the state was flooded!!

Thanks again for all the input, I'm looking forward to spring when the water thaws and I can get out and start learning a new boating style. George

I understand the need in a sea kayak or something to roll, but from my understanding you can't really roll a kayak with a large open cockpit like the cast away, right? I may still add them later just to get used to the feeling before building a longer kayak with spray skirt to learn big water stuff on. So far about 95% of my use is slow river with very gentle class 1+ at most along with the rest on small lakes. Here's a few pics of the type of waters I float as often as possible.

Seeing the thread on footrests has gotten me to wondering. Being a canoe guy rather than a kayak guy I have a question regarding footrests. Are they really essential or just a luxury? I've never even paddled a yak, but I do use a greenland paddle in a couple of my small canoes while sitting on the bottom with no seat or footrests. I'm building a pair of Cast-Away yaks this winter and I'm wondering if this is something I'll hate myself for leaving out or if it'll be the same as casual paddling my canoe without footrests? Thanks for the input. George

That's one of the ideas I have brewing. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for the input, I too am worried that they are too light. They do very much love being o. The water and paddling in the canoes and pirogue with my wife and/or I. I'll give it more thought, I have some other ideas brewing too... As soon as I can get started on my Cast-Aways I'll start a build thread. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Greetings, I figured I would introduce myself briefly before my question. I've built seven boats now, mostly Stitch & glue with one cedar strip canoe, one ply on frame and a SOF kayak from another designer. I've been following Jeff for years now between WBF and Facebook (plus having both books) and it's time to get started on some Kudzu boats. This winter I'll be building a couple of Cast-Aways along with three yaks for the kiddos. My kiddos are small though, the twin girls are almost 8 and yet they are skinny and only weigh 42lbs each. The boy is 4 and he weighs 41 lbs so basically let's say that by springtime I'll need three boats for 50lb kids. The tadpole looks to be a tad large for their light weight, is that a fair assumption? I'd prefer to stick with Kudzu boats, but if it's a poor fit I can build them from another designer and then when they grow a bit they get new kudzu boats then. Thoughts? Thanks, G

Very cool. This winter I'll be building a pair of Cast-Aways and three kids kayaks (still deciding which ones) It'll be interesting to see the individuality when finished, or do you plan on painting them all the same?