This is the instructions on how to build the basic structure of a kayak (pirogue) in one day.
This makes a kayak 12'8” X 28” wide. Capacity is 250 lbs. And it is quite stable.
Materials needed:
2 Sheets 2”X48”X96” Styrofoam
2 bottles Gorilla Glue
Frog tape
Gorilla duck tape
Great stuff?
Tools needed.
Saw
Utility knife
Marksalot
Spline (8' piece of molding works) for drawing curved lines.
Straight edge 48” minimum.
Plastic drop sheet
60 grit sanding blocks.
Vacuum cleaner to clean up the mess.
Start with the 2 pieces of 2”X48”X96” Styrofoam end to end as shown in the upper left picture.
Cut 20” off the outer ends. Leave the inner factory edges to be glued.
Lay down the drop cloth. Gorilla glue won't stick to a plastic drop cloth
Lay the 2 larger pieces of Styrofoam, factory edge together as shown. Being careful not to glue the drop cloth between the pieces, glue the 2 pieces of Styrofoam together.
While that is still wet lay the 2 20” wide pieces as shown using the notches in the Styrofoam to center up.
Mark the area that the 20” wide pieces will cover for glue.
Spray the area with water. Gorilla glue uses water to cure. (Counter, intuitive I know.)
Drizzle Gorilla glue in a zig zag pattern on the area between pieces. And glue the joint between the 2 20 inch pieces.
Place something heavy in the center (50-100 lbs). And prop up the ends ~1.5 inches as shown. This is rocker and it will allow the boat to turn when complete. Perfectly flat bottoms track wonderfully but won't turn. It should take 2-4 hours for the Gorilla glue to dry. It should be hard to the touch.
The next picture is the patterns for sawing. The base of the kayak is 20” wide. Use the spline to lay out the curved lines. It may take 3 people to draw this curve. Draw one side and the measure from the centerline every foot or so to lay out the other side symmetrical.
Cut the outer panels (boat sides) off first. They are 14” wide. This leaves a base panel 20” wide. Then cut out the base panel. Save the scrap. Sand edges smooth and straight.
Lay the base panel on the drop cloth. Place the side panels (reverse the sides) as shown. Use Gorilla duck tape to temporarily assemble. Ends will not be square, not to worry.
Cut out a seat back and bulkhead as shown. These should be trapezoidal so that they force the upper edge of the side out 2” on either side. The will also bring up the ends about 1.5”. The rocker you need to make the kayak turn easily.
Now glue the gaps with Gorilla glue (and or Great stuff if the gaps are larger).
When the glue is dry the tape can be removed.
Cut the nose and tail off square and glue a piece of scrap over the hole. When it is dry cut it parallel to the sides. Repeat as necessary.
Fill gaps with glue as necessary. Gorilla Glue foams
Reinforce the seat back with wood.
Differences for the wide version.
The base is 22 inches wide and the sides are13” high.
There is a notch in the side panel doubler to allow extra room for the derriere.
After thoughts.
A seat pad would make it more comfortable
Once the basic structure is complete it can be filled with spackle and sanded in preparation for covering. Wood side rails can be added for durability and glued down.
The structure can be left bare or for longer life it can be covered cotton cloth impregnated with exterior paint. For maximum durability fiberglass and epoxy.
