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Kudzu

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Hello SOF 'ers  ;)

 

It's been awhile since I've logged on. I though I'd come see what's new in Kudzu-land.

Jeff, 

 

Could you engineer all the frames to be free from the center post to allow allow better storage behind the seat?

 

Brooks

 

Regarding removing the frame brace, I was wondering the same thing. Perhaps the two frames behind the seat could be built with 3/4" ply and slightly wider webbing? Or, maybe two 1/2" plywood frames laminated together? Of course this would add a few more ounces to the boat.

 

What do you think Jeff? Would that be over-kill?

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Hello SOF 'ers  ;)

 

It's been awhile since I've logged on. I though I'd come see what's new in Kudzu-land.

Jeff, 

 

Could you engineer all the frames to be free from the center post to allow allow better storage behind the seat?

 

Brooks

 

Regarding removing the frame brace, I was wondering the same thing. Perhaps the two frames behind the seat could be built with 3/4" ply and slightly wider webbing? Or, maybe two 1/2" plywood frames laminated together? Of course this would add a few more ounces to the boat.

 

What do you think Jeff? Would that be over-kill?

Consider gluing reinforcement across the top of the frames. It could be a scrap from a stringer or plywood.

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  • 4 weeks later...

10526056_10152578123583637_4467582218148

 

Here is a better drawing. I tweaked the styling a little bit. Mainly the stern didn't have enough rake. I was aiming at 17' length but looks are just..... maybe more important. So it got a little bit longer. Work on construction drawings now. Hoping to build in it in next week weeks and take it to the Chesapeake with me.

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.

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  • 2 months later...
  • 3 months later...

Did not realize I left this hanging.  Bottom line I REALLY like this boat.  I will not go as far as say love it because of one little issue.  It is all I paddle now and since Spring is coming and this is my wife's boat, so I am going to build another version for myself.  That should tell you how much I like it.

 

The one thing I don't like is it is a little lower on initial stability that I prefer. When you lean it to one side it feels rather tender. There is a very noticeable secondary stability that that you feel at a certain point. It is sort of like something grabbed the boat and stabilizes it. If you are a new paddler it may not be as noticeable to you, but I have a lot of time in different boats and I always looking for perfection. So take this with a grain of salt. The upside is you have more warning than with a hard chine boat. When you lean those over to far you hit that point of no recovery SUDDENLY and  you find you are upside down wondering what happened.

 

When I am out in waves it feels a less stable than the hard chine boats.  But this is just a characteristic of the rounder shaped hull and not a flaw with the boat. It just has a different motion in the waves. I don't want to scare someone off from this boat and make it sound worse than it is, but rounded hulls are just different than flat hulls and I have spent the summer paddling hard chine boats so this is very different that what I was used too.

 

I really like this boat. It is my go too boat! I have paddling nothing else since I finished it.  Wife it getting envious! First thing I noticed was how easy it turned at low speeds. When we were taking photos I had to maneuver it about the dock for the photog (my wife) and I was very surprised at how easy it would to turn. I suspected this would mean loose tracking but it was not the case.  Tracking is good but still very easy to make a small course correction with just a little leaning.

 

It is an easy to paddle boat, makes good speed (seat of the pants judgement) and accelerated easy.  That was no surprise and if you like to sprint this is a good choice.  It has a good speed potential for you speed junkies.

 

Final judgement is a very good overall and I really like it.  So much so, as I said I have designed a new boat off this hull.  I have made a couple of minor tweaks to it.  I have flattened the hull just a little bit and I have less rocker and a finer exit at the stern. I wanted a bit more 'rudder' at the rear in case I am paddling in a cross wind like I do when I paddle on the Gulf. Once it is done I will see if that is good change or not.

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  • 2 months later...

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