You could install sheer clamps on the sides and glue the deck to them, then glass the seam on the outside. You still need some access to the rear compartment, though, which could be a hatch in the bulkhead. But where will you put your lunch?

dm,

If you look carefully at the gallery images, you;ll see that the WD10 prototype built by Eric Schade has no hatch. He got away with this because it had no bulkhead. The bukhead was added by CLC because of durability concerns. I had the opportunity to handle the prototype and that rear deck did some serious flexing. It was also a seriously light boat, BTW.

So, the orginal designer didn't think the bulkhead needed to be there and all those people paddling it in the gallery photos went home safe & sound.  If, at entirely your own risk, you as the builder were to leave out that bulkhead, you would be returning to the original designer's intention and not need the hatch. Just be aware that designers have changed their minds in the past.

If I was leaving off the bukhead, I'd put extra glass under the deck to make it a true composite structure and to keep the long term flexing from causing material fatigue problems.

Laszlo

Couldn't you build it without the bulkheads and add glass them in later? Haven't people used minicell foam for bulk heads?

Just a thought,

Chris

thanks to all for the feedback.

I saw the "Ducks" without the hatch in the photos, it is avery clean look.

Good point about the lunch! I am thinking i will put in a hatch in.

I plan to build a Wood Duck 12 hybrid as soon as my shop warms up enough after the coming winter and will install a small flush hatch like I did on my Merganser hybrid, which you can view at www.twofootartist.com
-Wes

You could also put a screw off day hatch on the bulkhead and then you would have access to the compartment for storage, etc.

Yes, the flush hatches with invisible holdowns are a very clean look, almost as good as no hatch. Here's the one on my WD12:

Laszlo

I'm also considering leaving the hatch off a Wood Duck 12 hybrid.  For just afternoon recreational kayaking, is there any reason I can't just put a few items in the cockpit with me, or strapped to the aft deck?

Sorry if this counts as thread hi-jacking.

Scratch,

It's not hijacking, it's the same answer - you need the hatch to be able to attach the deck unless you leave out the bulkhead. Don't know how it works on the hybrid, but on the stock WD12 the rear deck really needs the bulkhead for support.

Laszlo

I am thinking of using a kit to bulid a wood duck.  Does the Kits contain a rear hatach.  It does not look like it does in the pictures.  Clay

Clay,

The 10 & 12 kits both contain rear hatch components. Click on "view contents" by the kit prices to see all the parts. The WD10 in the pictures is the prototype built by the designer (Eric Schade) who didn't think that it needed a rear bulkhead, so it didn't have a hatch. CLC has added the hatch since then. The WD12 always had a hatch.

Laszlo

Hello, first time poster long time lurker.  Been slowly working on my second boat, a WD10 since November.  My first was a Glen-L Zip.  I love the "quick build" nature of the CLC pre-cut and drilled kits.

 I also want to build my wood duck without a hatch.  I do not want to leave out the bulkhead permanantly though.

Can the rear bulkhead be put in place and glued in after attaching the deck to the hull and fiberglassing the seam? 

 Im thinking I could glue in four 3/8" square blocks of wood inside the hull where the bulkhead goes and tap the bulkhead into place against the blocks then fillet.  Does that sound workable?

 Thanks,

Chris  www.woodduckayak.blogspot.com

Opps, link doesnt work put two "k" in it and it will

 www.woodduckkayak.blogspot.com

My daughter and I built a 13' Ganymede with bulkheads but no hatches in the deck. We did put access ports in the bulkheads, though. We installed the bulkheads with silicone caulk so they can be removed if we ever have to repair the hull. You should be able to build the Wood Duck the same way. Attach the deck with fiberglass tape inside the sheer seam. Photos and description can be seen at http://twofootartist.com/ganymede-construction-notes/
-Wes

you can always install a hatch in the bulkhead, one option I have seen somewhere on this site is to install a deck plate in the bulkhead.  besides the lunch issue, there is floataion issue.

http://www.clcboats.com/shop/products/boat-gear/deck-plates.html

Another is to install frame style bulk head.  It will give you the rigidity but still access, I would suggest 6MM ply for this application.  This is how I built my SOF, worked great but had to add float bags :)  http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/miller/egret/