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jshaley

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So Summer is half gone and my "build two CLC Shearwater Sports from Plans" idea is not going to make it. We have wooden pieces cut out for one kayak and a lot of sanding, gluing, and icky stitch and glue steps ahead. Not abandoning but I am thinking of setting them aside and trying two Vardos. I am building these with my daughter.

 

A few assumptions - please poke holes in them where you see fit:

  • Some of the stitch and glue steps she can do, some she needs more confidence for. With a SOF I think there are more steps that can be done during the day while I am at work.
  • We are both 5' 9". I am 240lbs, she is 130lbs. We canoe camp several times every summer and are looking forward to kayaking but would be novices. I think Vardo is the right boat for both of us?
  • Camping gear - I see the hatches and will watch the hatch video. Do people also just shove medium / small dry bags with soft goods inside as storage? We backpack, so can go pretty small / low weight.
  • I am thinking one gets in a SOF with a goodly amount of water underneath. No mud launches where you skitch and slide yourself into the water. Other than that I can see not much difference. 
  • What sort of repair kit, if any, do people bring along. Some places we canoe are rivers. Not running rapids but may have to occasionally exit and lift over a beaver dam or such.
  • So Jeff says 60 hours. I'd pad that a bit since it is our first time out. Since we are building in tandem (paying the extra boat license fee) I would think that the time would be more than building a single but less than double. I would set up two separate strong backs.

Welcome your thoughts and wisdom.

 

John

Rochester NY

 

PS Have seen a few local launches, would love to see a Kudzu Craft close to Rochester NY

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I like to let others answer and I know they will but I will chime in.  First thing is VARDO is going to be mighty big on your daughter. It will probably swallow her whole. Not trying to sell extra set of plans but I would look at Curlew, Ravenswood or even Short Shot.  I like paddling the VARDO but the deck was high enough I could never comfortably lock my knees into the deck and that really helps with controlling the boat. I could have added padding to make it fit but I ending up selling mine after paddling something else.  I prefer a smaller boat but I always felt I was wearing clothes that were to big for me. 

 

With backpacking gear you will have no problem with storage on most all of the boat. The frames sometimes make it a little harder to get in and out but space isn't really a problem.

 

SOF is tougher than most people think. Of course Abrasion it your biggest enemy. Dragging one over beaver dam or sliding across a log under the water isn't a problem, I paddle over things like that all the time. What will ruin the skin is repeatedly beaching the boat on a concrete ramp. Paddling in moving water where the boat is being pushed across rocks and hitting the same place over and over and with moving water, there is a lot more force there than you think. Rocks, concrete, metal are highly abrasive and will QUICKLY rub a hole. 

 

Launching in shallow water as long it is not full of rocks or something like that isn't going to damage it. Even an occasional rock isn't gogn to damage it unless it is sharp like flint. I have run over oyster shells a few times and just let a mark.  It is the repeated damage to the same spot that gets you.

 

Brass rub strip on the bow will save you a lot of grief.  You can beach the bow without a problem, even so I usually launch mine in the water. Straddle the boat, park my butt in the seat and pull in my legs. Takes some practice to get the balance down but it easier on the boat. Same for getting out, I typically pull feet out, butt up on deck and stand up straddling the boat.

 

Building time will vary and will let other chime in. In my class, starting with everything set up and ready we build and launch the boats in 40 +/- hours of classroom time.

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John:

You're right about your first bullet. My experience with stitch & glue boats and SOF is that there are smaller steps with SOF that can be completed in a few minutes. Some steps with S&G require larger chunks of time such as fiberglassing the entire hull all at once.

 

Listen to the Kudzumeister about boat size. A boat that fits makes all the difference for pleasant paddling.

 

As far as launching and landing, the straddle that Jeff uses doesn't work for me because of arthritic hips. I enter or exit the boat in the water from the side with my paddle as an outrigger resting on the shore, the dock, or the bottom, depending on the site. There are many demonstrations on YouTube.

 

Fair winds, Andy

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Jeff,

 

Thanks for the reply! Yes, I thought Vardo might be big for her...

 

"With backpacking gear you will have no problem with storage on most all of the boat."

 

Most all of the boats. Are you saying with a small gear load (my pack holds 50 liters of stuff that can be spread around) most all of your boats would work? I read the detailed descriptions and see that most seem ok for gear for a night or two out. If this is true is there a single design that we both might fit? Not trying to dodge the extra plan price. I am looking at your stuff because of the excellent support (like responding to a question so quickly on a Saturday). But I think the idea of building two identical boats would be a quicker build than two designs. But two designs would be more fun. The Shad description mentions less pieces, which may be a faster build.

 

 

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All my boats are pretty similar in cockpit size. The exceptions are, Shad being pretty small, low deck height, VARDO being a bit oversized. Sling Shot is very low profile rear deck and wouldn't be good for camping but the cockpit isn't small.

 

You might look at the Ravenswood or Curlew. Ravenswood was based off the Curlew with the goal of a more Point End styling, same manners. Good paddling boats but might be a bit loose with her in it because she may not sink it enough to make it track well.  I recently posted a video on making a simple skeg to improve tracking and she might need that. 

 

 

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she may not sink it enough

 

Yes, with the canoe I have a 5G collapsible water jug that sometimes rides up by her. May have to invent the 'water mattress kayak seat'. I watched your skeg video. Holes and hulls intimidate me but could seal it enough I guess. Would a rudder provide the same improvement in tracking?

 

jh

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Rudder would make for stronger tracking but it's going to be a lot harder to install.  They tend to encourage dependency on the rudder and then they paddler never develop proper boat handing skills and and what happens when it fails?  As you can tell I am not a fan of rudders unless it is on a tandem.

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You are more than welcome to come to Buffalo and take a paddle in my Vardo. I'm 6'3", 275 lbs. and It's a snug, but wildly enjoyable boat for me.  Send me a pm to get in contact. 

I think if your daughter is handy, you are probably right in thinking that there are many steps she can do while you are at work, esp. once the stringers are all assembled/scarfed.

Good Luck!

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So I am thinking purchase one plan to look it over and see if I wish to order a different model. Adapting the same boat for her smaller frame might be more of a hassle than ordering the right sized boat. And there may be benefits in having her paddle a smaller boat while I haul more gear in a Vardo.

 

If we go with Ravenswood, Curlew or Short Shot is any of them trickier than the other to build? I like the Kudzu fan tail on Curlew and maybe the rounded nose is easier to skin? And reading I see that Ravenswood incorporates some cool design changes - have these changes worked their way back to the other designs (Curlew II, short shot, etc.).

 

I am having trouble walking away from the SG Shearwater mid project but I really think it is the difference between paddling this year versus next. And I have no misconceptions - boat building is addictive so there will always be a project in progress.

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Building the only real difference is skinning Curlew is harder, especially first time. The fan tail can be a real pain to get it pull out wrinkle free.  Otherwise there isn't a dime different in building the. Short Shot it multi-chinned and has a little more lashing.

 

Don't right off the skeg idea to quickly. It really is a pretty simple solution and easy to take off, trim and reinstall.  I paddled a boat with one for 2-3 years before I finally recycled it. Worked well and once dialed in really made that boat nice to paddle.

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