Fishing Kayak

[wolfster]

So I am thinking about a fishing kayak and weighing all my options, I like the idea of building my own stuff and these boats are much better looking than the plastic or fiberglass ones and they are much cheaper than stich and glue or strip planked wood boats. I am going to be looking and trying out some plastic boats before I make up my mind but I do have some questions.

 

I'm thinking if I build my own the stonefly or cast away.

 

I am a bit of a big guy 270 pounds plus gear fish etc. I'm thinking I need to plan for at least a 300 pound payload. Would that be too heavy for these boats?

 

A lot of the people that fish from kayaks use sit on top for the openness to be able to put gear in but there are some hybrid that are more like a canoe. The openness of the stonefly appeals to me but my only experience with a  canoe is the big multi man ones with single blade oars. Nothing wrong with that but not my cup of tea, I read the stonefly was designed as to be paddled with a double paddle if you put in a seat like the lawn chair seat I saw in one picture or one with back rest and sits you up a little higher does this boat really paddle differently from the motions with a  sot kayak or the cast away?

 

Has anyone put an anchor trolley on one of these boats and or would you see a structural problem with adding some mount points to the frame for one down the side.

 

 

On the questions of the plywood frames, I really don't the looks of plywood in my wood working and I have started laminating pieces when I can. But I don't build for strength normally just looks, so my question is if you milled some pieces of say cedar 1/4 in thick and kept it 6 in or so wide could you laminate two or thee wide together with overlap joints would that possible substitute for the plywood frame pieces? On the cast way it is hidden by skin so no big deal but it is something that stands out to me and if I could not laminate I would probably end up making edge trim for the plywood.

[Kudzu]

I will start by saying if you are really serious into fishing it's hard to be a plastic SOT. The fact they are sealed and self bailing is something you just can't do in skin boat.  

I am a bit of a big guy 270 pounds plus gear fish etc. I'm thinking I need to plan for at least a 300 pound payload. Would that be too heavy for these boats?

 Not a problem. It was designed at 250 lbs and will easily handle 300. Probably, but I would have to double check, 350 lbs. 

....the stonefly was designed as to be paddled with a double paddle if you put in a seat like the lawn chair seat I saw in one picture or one with back rest and sits you up a little higher does this boat really paddle differently from the motions with a  sot kayak or the cast away?

 Not exactly sure what you asking but keep in mind that the higher you are in the boat, the higher the center of gravity and the lower the stability. Both designs are very stable and you have some lee way but you can raise the seat way up either. In Stonefly you can probably locate the seat a little higher though. All my boats are intended to be paddled with a Double bladed paddle. It's much more efficient but you can paddle it with a single blade if you want.  

Has anyone put an anchor trolley on one of these boats and or would you see a structural problem with adding some mount points to the frame for one down the side.

 I put one on my Cast Away. I just order a couple of side mount blocks for a small sailboat that fit the space I had and then rigged my own lines. No problem there. Stonefly needs a rubrail so the space is more limited but it could be done with careful planning.   

...so my question is if you milled some pieces of say cedar 1/4 in thick and kept it 6 in or so wide could you laminate two or thee wide together with overlap joints would that possible substitute for the plywood frame pieces?

You are own your own there. I will never recommend making changes to the plans. Your going to have to make something that is as strong as plywood and why bother? I am a woodworker too and I rarely ever use plywood for anything for the same reasons. But this is a case of the right product for the job. 

 

I just posted in the Stonefly thread but you should check out the photos in the my blog post. I doubt anyone noticed the plywood frames in these boats. :-)

[wolfster]

Thanks for the quick reply.

 

Yes the plastic sot do seem to be versatile and the self baling is something I had thought of that you can't do with a sof, but I don't plan on being out in waves or rivers much. Famous last words

 

On the paddling I am a bit new so maybe it was given, but I was trying to figure out if there was a difference in paddling stokes between the boats when both had a back rest and double paddle or if it was just like going from two different kayaks? I was not trying to raise up the seat with the lawn chair just more using the photo http://www.kudzucraft.com/designs/stonefly/ of your chair seat and seat back as an example. I am imaging that paddling with and with out a seat back would be different but I have never been in a kayak that did not have a seat back so I don't know.

 

I tend to over think things so probably best to use plywood. I had seen the photos in the blog post and they do look really nice, is the slats floor that they were using a design change you made from when you made your boat to the plans you sell now or is that something the class did differently from the plans?

[Kudzu]

I fished from both boats and my personal favorite was Cast Away. Rod holders and the storage in the back were really nice. A bit awkward at first but you adjust.

 

 

 

 I was trying to figure out if there was a difference in paddling stokes between the boats when both had a back rest and double paddle or if it was just like going from two different kayaks?

 

Maybe some minor difference but no, not really.

 

 

is the slats floor that they were using a design change you made from when you made your boat to the plans you sell now or is that something the class did differently from the plans?

 

 

They made that change and I do like the way it looks.  I was trying to keep the CG low but after building it I realized I was over thinking it.