Kayaks You Can Build: An Illustrated Guide to Plywood Construction

The definitive handbook for kayak builders.

Kayaks are growing in popularity as a fun, low-impact way to explore the wilderness or paddle on local waters.

Combining easy-to-follow instructions with 472 color photographs, Kayaks You Can Build takes the reader, step-by-step, through the entire construction cycle of building a plywood kayak.

This simple construction process demands neither special skills nor a woodworking shop.

This book includes:

• A short history of the kayak
• How to choose the right kayak for your needs and skill level
• Setting up your work area and how to build a work table and cradle forms
• Details of all the necessary tools, materials and supplies
• Tricks of the trade from ensuring the boat stays twist-free during construction to laying fiberglass cloth the easy way for a great finish
• Minimizing exposure to toxic fumes and dust
• How to avoid and correct mistakes.

This book includes day-to-day building journals for the three most popular kayak kits. A typical stitch and glue kayak kit contains pre-cut plywood planks, epoxy and hardware.

Drawing on more than thirty years of boatbuilding and teaching experience, Kayaks You Can Build enables the first-time builder to assemble a kayak with truly professional results.