Re: shortning the beam

Posted by Terry Mcadams on Oct 4, 2004

Interesting thread I missed over the weekend. I've modified a few plans, but only to make a short boat wider to give me a bit more room and still have a very light weight that my weak back can lift. It's not all that hard, but you do have to think through how it will impact other parts and handling characteristics of the boat. I start with the bottom panels at midships, then gradually reduce the addtional width as I work towards the ends. I also then have to make the shear panels a bit longer (and higher, for my big feet). The bulkheads are best custom made for each boat anyway, as the kit/plan ones rarely fit.

But for narrowing a hull to increase rollability, perhaps you should see if you can borrow a 17 built to the plans and roll it (CLC has demos at various places). I can roll my 17LT ok if I really have to.

For added speed, the other guys are right, you need a different hull shape for reduced wetted surface and maybe lighter weight.

Fiddling with the plans is a pleasure in my book and quite useful to make the boat exactly what you want. You end up with a boat that is somewhat more your's than the designer's.

One of these days, I'm gonna break down and get some decent software to design kayaks, as there are a few gaps in the designs with available plans, like a 14-footer for adults on day paddles, and a much shorter, narrower lighter tandem for day paddles, and an amphibious, diesel- powered, air-conditioned kayak for yuppie suburbanites.

terry

In Response to: shortning the beam by Ety Bahar on Oct 2, 2004

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