Tadpole Launch

[PNWSOF]

My son outgrew his Kidyak, so we built him a Tadpole.  We finished it a week or two back, but didn't have a chance to launch until today.  It was a little windy and choppy, but everybody stayed right-side-up!  Frames are 12mm Hydrotek, stringers are WRC and coaming is ash.  (I have a cedar dealer down the road, and found enough free scrap in their bin a few weeks back for two Tadpoles and most of a Ravenswood without any scarfs!)  It came in at about 16 lbs ready to launch, finished in 8oz polyester. 

 

[mitchmellow]

Kudo's Dad!!!  Great pictures.  Really building memories there.

[Kudzu]

Looks great!!

[andy00]

Excellent! Great to see kids paddling proper boats. One thought: for more comfortable paddling, you could find child-sized PFD's specially designed for paddling. They are cut higher in the back so that the coaming doesn't interfere with the PFD.

Have fun!

[PNWSOF]

Thanks.  I agree completely about the PFD.  It wasn't an issue in his old boat, but clearly interferes with the coaming on the Tadpole.  Time for an upgrade...

[Bignose]

Hi. When you took these pictures do you have a geuss on how tall/heavy your son was at the time? I'm about to embark upon a tadpole for my 11 year old and I'm really skeptical about his legs fitting thru the fuselage piece that is under the front of the combing.

[Hirilonde]

Following up to a reply from long ago regarding PFDs.  Kayak PFDs, because of the high cut back, are also great for small sailboats, as one leans back against a combing in them as well. If you only want to have to own one, the kayak version seems best over all.