KAYAK SPECIFICATIONS

Hull Specs - Hull weight is not the weight of a stripped hull, but the weight you can actually expect to have to lift onto your car. This weight includes deck rigging, footbraces, seat, and other typical fittings. Completed boats can be lighter or heavier depending upon options, construction techniques, wood density, and other variables.

Cockpit Size - Cockpit size refers to the opening in the cockpit coaming that is provided in the kit as standard equipment.

Recommended Paddler Weight - Recommended paddler weight should be considered a rough guide. The weight ranges shown will be comfortable, although as you reach the high and low limits other variables like height and shoe size become important. For tandem kayaks, paddler weight is the combined weight of all people.

Maximum Shoe Size - Maximum shoe size is expressed in men's sizes and assumes the paddler is shod in the usual neoprene booties. Larger sizes are sometimes possible at the cost of comfort. Custom cockpits are sometimes possible, call for details. See our shoe size conversion chart.

Maximum Payload - Maximum payload is the safe load of the boat and is not the same as the maximum paddler weight. A paddler who weighs near the maximum payload has a center of gravity too high for stability. Properly stowed gear, however, does not affect stability. 

model
dimensions hull specs (lbs)
knee height (inches)
cockpit size (inches)
paddler weight (lbs)
max. shoe size - mens
max. payload (lbs)
 stitch-and-glue kayaks

 Wood Duck 10 

 10' x 30"  36  13-1/2 38 x 20 60 - 200 13 250

 Wood Duck 12 

 12' x 30"
 40 13-1/2 38 x 20
 80 - 250
 14 300

 Shearwater 14/Hybrid

 14'6" x 23"
 39 10 31 x 16.5 100 - 150
 10 200
 Shearwater 16/Hybrid  16'2" x 23"
 42 10 31 x 16.5
 120 - 190
 10 240
 Shearwater 17/Hybrid 17' x 22.5"
 44 10-1/2 31 x 16.5 150 - 220
 12-1/2270
 Chesapeake 14
 14' x 21" 36 10-1/2 31 x 17  60 - 135
 8 175
 Chesapeake 16LT
 15'7" x 23"
 42 11-1/2 31 x 17
 100 - 160
 10 220
 Chesapeake 16
 15'8" x 23.5"
 42 12-1/2  31 x 17 120 - 180  13 260

 Chesapeake 17LT 

 16'11" x 23.5"
 45 12-1/4  31 x 17 160 - 220
 13 300
 Chesapeake 17
 17' x 24"
 45 12-1/2  31 x 17 180 - 250
 14 345
 Chesapeake 18 18' x 24.5"
 48 13  31 x 17 210 - 270
 14 350
 Stitch/Glue Night Heron 18' x 20"
 41 11-1/4 29 x 16
 150 - 220
 11 300

 Hybrid Night Heron

 18' x 20"
 40 11-1/4 29 x 16
 150 - 220
 11 300
 Hybrid Night Heron - HD
 18' x 20"
 40 12-1/2 29 x 16
 150 - 220
 13 300
 West River 18
 18' x 22"
 45 12 31 x 17
 140 - 220
 12 275
 Sea Island Sport
 15'6" x 27"
 48 OPEN 58 x 18
 100 - 275
 OPEN 325
 Matunuck 8'6" x 24"
 21 9-1/2 31 x 19
 80 - 200
  
 Arctic Hawk
 18' x 22"
 44 11-1/2 16 x 20
 160 - 210
 12 350
 Pax 18
18' x 21.5"  38 11-1/2 31 x 17
 120 - 175
 11 175
 Pax 20
 19'8" x 19.5"
 40 11-1/4 31 x 17
 170 - 230
 12 245
 Sport Tandem
 21'8" x 22"
 65 12 31 x 17 250 - 400
 13 475
 Chesapeake Double
 21' x 30"
 65 14 31 x 17 300 - 600
 14 700
 Chesapeake Triple
 21' x 30" 68 14 31 x 17 300 - 600
 15 700
 Mill Creek 13
 13' x 29.5"
 40 OPEN 57 x 17  125 - 250
 OPEN 300
 Mill Creek 16.5  16'6" x 33"
 62 OPEN 88 x 21
 230 - 400
 OPEN 450
 
model
dimensions
 		hull specs (lbs)
knee height (inches)
cockpit size (inches)
paddler weight (lbs)
max. shoe size - mens
max. payload (lbs)
 strip-planked kayaks

 Guillemot 

 17' x 21"
 41 11-3/4 29 x 17 150 - 220
 12 300
 Guillemot L
 18' x 23"
 4 12-3/4 32 x 18
 190 - 275
 14 375
 Guillemot S
 16' x 20"
 40 10-3/4 29 x 16
 100 - 175
 9 250
 Expedition Single
 19' x 21"
 42 11-3/4 29 x 17
 150 - 250
 14 350
 Play 16'5" x 22"
 38 10-3/4 29 x 17
 110 - 190
 10 250
 Guillemot Double
 20' x 28"
 60 12-1/2 31 x 18
 200 - 500
 14 700
 Fast Double
 25'6" x 21"
 58 11 29 x 17
 200 - 400
 14 600
 Night Heron
 18' x 20"
 40 11-1/4 29 x 16
 150 - 220  11 300
 Night Heron - HD
 18' x 20"
 40 12-1/2 29 x 16
 150 - 220
 13 300
 Greenland Night Heron
 18' x 20"
 3911  20 x 16
 150 - 220
 10 290
 Petrel 17' x 20"
 40 10-3/4 31 x 16
 120 - 200
 11 280
 10 Foot Little Auk
 10' x 28"
 30 13-1/2 35 x 19
 110 - 190
 14 250
 11 Foot Little Auk
 11' x 28"
 31 13-1/2 35 x 19
 120 - 200
 14 260
 14 Foot Great Auk
 14' x 24"
 37 13-1/4 33 x 19
 120 - 200
 12 270
 Great Auk
 17' x 24"
 41 13-1/4 33 x 19 150 - 220
 12 350
 High Capacity Great Auk
 18' x 30"
 55 13-1/2 32 x 23
 300 - 400
 14 600
 Razor Billed Auk
 19' x 20"
 46 11-3/4 30 x 17
 150 - 220
 11 350
 Great Auk Double
 21' x 26"
 56 10-3/4 33 x 19
 200 - 400
 13 600

 

All shoe sizes on this website are in US Mens. Use the conversion chart below to find your equivalent shoe size. Please note that the conversions are not exact and different shoe manufacturers use varying systems of measurement.

 SystemShoe Size 
US & Canada | M
7
7.5
8
8.5
9
9.5
10
10.5
11
11.5
12
12.5
13
13.5
14
US & Canada | W8.5
9
9.5
10
10.5
11
11.5
12
12.5
13
13.5
14
14.5
15
15.5
Europe | M & W 39
40
41
41.5
42
42.5
43
44
44.5
45
45.5
46
47
47.5
48.5
UK | M
6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
9
9.5
10
10.5
11
11.5
12
12.5
13
13.5
UK | W
6
6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
9
9.5
10
10.5
11
11.5
12
12.5
13
Australia & NZ | M
6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
9
9.5
10
10.5
11
11.5
12
12.5
13
13.5
Australia & NZ | W
7
7.5
8
8.5
9
9.5
10
10.5
11
11.5
12
12.5
13
13.5
14
Japan | M
25
 25.5
 26
 26.5
 27
 27.5
 28
 28.5
 29
 29.5
 30
 30.5
 31
 31.5
 32
Japan | W
24.5
25
25.5
26
26.5
27
27.5
28
28.5
29
29.5
30
30.5
31
31.5
Mexico | M & W
5.5
6 
6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
9
9.5
10
10.5
11
11.5
12
12.5
Inches
9.910
10.110.3
10.5
10.7
10.911
11.1
11.3
11.5
11.7
11.9
12
12.1
Centimeters
25.1
25.4
25.7
26.1
26.7
27.127.6
28
28.3
28.7
29.2
29.7
30.2
30.5
30.7

 

Kayak Buying Guide

Here are a few considerations to help you select a kayak that's right for you:

Chesapeake 14

Chesapeake 14 

Build this boat if:

  • You weigh less than 140lbs and are shorter than 5’6”
  • You want a traditional touring kayak that’s nimble, fast, and comfortable
  • You prefer a large cockpit and firm primary stability

Builders also looked at:

Shearwater 14 | Shearwater 16 | Wood Duck 10 | Wood Duck  12

 

 16LT Side Top View

Chesapeake 16LT

Build this boat if:

  • You weigh between 125 and 175lbs and your shoe size is 10 or less
  • You want a traditional touring kayak with excellent handling and a comfortable kayak
  • You want nimble handling without excessive windage
  • You prefer high primary stability

Builders also looked at:

Chesapeake 16 | Shearwater 16

 

 CH16 Side Top View

Chesapeake 16

Build this boat if:

  • You weigh between 140 and 195lbs
  • You favor a large cockpit and strong stability in a traditional touring kayak
  • Ease of construction is important

Builders also looked at:

Chesapeake 16LT | Chesapeake 17LT | Shearwater 17

 

 17LT Side Top View

Chesapeake 17LT

Build this boat if:

  • You weigh between 140 and 220lbs
  • You need the most versatile possible touring kayak
  • Paddlers of varying weights might share this kayak
  • You prefer speed and good handling in waves combined with a big cockpit

Builders also looked at:

Chesapeake 16 | Chesapeake 17

 

 CH17 Side Top View

Chesapeake 17

Build this boat if:

  • You weigh more than 200lbs or need a huge amount of storage space
  • You need lots of extra legroom, knee room, and foot room.
  • You need a high volume kayak that handles better than high volume plastic kayaks

Builders also looked at:

Chesapeake 17LT | Guillemot L | High Capacity Great Auk

  

 CH18 Side Top View

Chesapeake 18

Build this boat if:

  • You weigh more than 220 pounds
  • You need a very large amount of storage capacity
  • You need lots of extra legroom, knee room, and foot room.
  • You want a large kayak that still handles will in wind and waves

Builders also looked at:

Chesapeake 17 | Guillemot L | High Capacity Great Auk

 

 CHII Side Top View

Chesapeake Double

Build this boat if:

  • You want a high-volume touring double with high speed in all conditions
  • You need a lot of storage for camping

Builders also looked at:

Chesapeake Triple |  var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www."); document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));