Folding Kayak
Spring has finally arrived and it wont be long and the lakes will open.
If you, like myself, enjoy discovering new places to camp that are well "off the beaten trail", you surely appreciate the value of a vessel that is easy to portage through questionable terrain.
I have, for a few years, made used of a small canoe. It's large enough for 2 people, but more suitable for a single person and gear. However, in constant efforts to reduce both weight and bulk, I remembered an old set of plans I had come across a number of times in the past.
The original plans, dating back to 1968, have been revised and passed around online for a number of years. Still, they call for a 4ftx10ft sheet of plywood, however there have been plenty of people who have easily adapted these plans down to a standard 4ftx8ft sheet.
The original plans, using a 4ftx10ft sheet, states that the overall weight of the finished kayak is approx. 40lbs. If this is true, I would suspect that using a 4ftx8ft sheet of plywood (thus eliminating 8sq ft of plywood) would weigh in closer to the 30lb rage.
I plan to construct one of these this summer, and give it a try. I will be sure to post pictures, final weight, etc.
You can download the plans in .pdf format here, should you desire to build one yourself.
