What are the best wood types for building a kayak suited for both fishing and paddling?

[angelaclarksons]

Fellow wooden boat enthusiasts,
I've recently become fascinated with traditional wooden kayaks and their potential for both recreational paddling and fishing. The craftsmanship and beauty of these vessels seem to perfectly blend the classic wooden boat aesthetic with modern water sports.
I'm considering building a wooden kayak for SUP boarding and fishing adventures. Any advice on design considerations or wood types that perform well in various water conditions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Poignard]

My father built one of the PBK (Percy Blandford Kayaks) designs during the 1950s. He made a superb job of it and fitted it with sails, leeboards etc.

I remember the frames were cut from plywood and I think the longitudinal members would have been spruce.

I think he bought a complete kit, which included full-size templates for the frames.

I see that plans are still available from here :

Clark Craft - Boat Plans, Boat Supplies & Marine Epoxy


But if it's an all-timber craft you're thinking of, this firm supplies plans and kits:

Kayak Plans – Fyne Boat Kits

 

[Hacker]

Cedar strip plank with epoxy sheathing makes a strong long lasting hull. Not a difficult technique if you can make or buy correctly coved stock.

 

[DoubleEnder]

You might get more response at the WoodenBoat Forum. This is firmly in their territory

Forums - The WoodenBoat Forum

 

[LittleSister]

I'm considering building a wooden kayak for SUP boarding and fishing adventures. Any advice on design considerations or wood types that perform well in various water conditions would be greatly appreciated.

Performing well in various water types is a challenge!

For Stand Up Paddling and for fishing you'll want a lot of initial stability - that typically means wide and near flat-bottomed. That is fine, if rather slow, in flat water, but not good in significant waves or white water. (a) You don't your boat to be perpendicular to the front of a wave! (b) Secondary stability becomes much more important.

You'll also presumably need a wide and long opening in a kayak for stand up paddling, which is less good for sit down paddling, and especially for paddling in rougher conditions and longer distances, where having your hips/legs/knees firmly braced/padded against the hull is important for efficient paddling and control.

Every boat is a compromise. The more different things you want it to do, the more compromised it becomes, and some things you might want can be in direct conflict with another.

i suggest you read up a bit about different hull shape (and also length and width) considerations for kayaks before committing yourself to a particular design.

 

[Andibs]

Visit the Song of the Paddle website. Lots of info on there re self builds.

Andy

 

[MisterBaxter]

What construction method are you looking at? Fully traditional kayaks are canvas (or indeed seal skin) on a wooden frame; then there's glued wood strip; and plywood.
For wood strip, cedar is the way to go. But plywood can make a lovely boat.