I can’t recall exactly when the seed was first planted. It might have been half a lifetime ago when I had the opportunity to paddle a sea kayak on Lake Winnebago. It might have been articles I came across describing epic sea kayak voyages. Whatever the genesis, somehow I got the idea that it would fun and interesting to build my own kayak. I spent at least fifteen years researching the topic – at first reading books, and then doing internet searches. Over the years I pondered all the options. Strip built or plywood stitch & glue? Plans or a kit? How would I really use a boat if I made one? That would have a bearing on the size and design. Finally which designer or company offered a boat that inspired some passion?

Especially in later years, the growth of the internet allowed me to see lots of different boats and and plans from different designers. This really helped me to settle on a design, and a model that truly ‘spoke’ to me. When life circumstances finally allowed me to pursue this dream, I settled on a strip built kayak from designer Vaclav Stejskal of One Ocean Kayaks. ( One Ocean Kayaks – Cape Ann Storm ). His web site offered an amazing amount of information, and the lines of “Storm” model really called to me.

Set Up. After purchasing the appropriate number of western red cedar, pine and redwood planks from a local hardwood seller, I set up the table saw to rip the boards into 1/4″ thick strips. Next I ran them through the router to put a bead and cove on each strip. Once the set up was complete, it took an entire day to prepare all the strips I would need for the boat.

The boards were 10′ long, so I needed 20′ of space to run the boards.

Table saw with extended fence and feather boards.

The router set up. The same bit had both bead and cove blades.

My home made router table and vacuum fence. Cost next to nothing, and worked brilliantly!

The finished product. As you can see, the strips were slightly thicker than the router bit. This didn’t seem like it would matter, but added several hours of sanding down the road.

Construction. I am thankful to the many builders who documented every step of their project. I’m not going to go into that level of detail. My goal here is to give a general overview of the process for anyone who might be interested in understanding what it takes to make a strip kayak. If anyone has specific questions, I am more than happy to share info. Simply email me or leave a message below.

Step 1: The form. Pictures are worth a whole bunch of words

The station plans are cut out and glued to particle board….

…and then cut out.

A long, straight “strongback” is constructed.

The stations are aligned and attached to the strongback. It was a real pain, but a critical step in a getting a properly aligned boat. Notice all the strips to the left.

Step 2: Attach the strips. I used softer pine at the seam between the top and bottom half. The pine bent more easily and provided a nice visual at the waterline. Western red cedar was used for the bulk of the boat. I used a strip of redwood on the deck.

The first strip of the bottom half.

I used a combination of clamps, staples, and shrink wrap to hold the strips in place. Each of the strips was also glued to its neighbor as they were put in place.

During construction, the ends overlapped and extended beyond the bow and stern.

There was definitely a learning curve to efficiently placing the strips…but over all it was an enjoyable process. I really like Vaclav’s plan for finishing the bottom and top. Rather than hand trim every single piece as they came together, I simply needed to get close to the center “finish” strips. You can see them in the last picture. Then using a strip with no bead or cove, I traced a line, cut along the line, and placed in the last piece on either side.

The trips are roughly trimmed just to get close to a center strip. This is the redwood strip on the top.

A strip is used to mark a line.

I cut along the line.

The strip is added giving a nicely finished appearance. I did this on the top and bottom.

Step 3. Finish the ends. For some reason I had a hard time visualizing this step.

During construction, the ends overlapped and extended beyond the bow and stern.

Those overlapped extensions were carefully trimmed and shaped. Several thin strips of redwood were laminated and glued over the bow and stern, and then carefully sanded into shape.

Step 4. Complete the top half. If I were to do it again, I think I would have sanded and perhaps even fiberglassed the bottom before proceeding. That was an option, but I was eager to see the whole boat take shape. I re-worked the stand, flipped the boat, and completed the strips on top.

At this point, the boat was really taking shape.

I placed a redwood strip the length of the topside for contrast, and for ease in finishing the strips.

All done except for the two finish strips.

Step 4. Sanding. With the strips done, it was time to remove all the staples. There are techniques for holding the strips together without staples. I think if I was concerned about building a museum quality vessel, I might consider that. I simply wanted a nice looking boat, and I don’t feel the staples detract from the beauty. Just my humble, yet devastatingly accurate opinion. Once the staples were removed, it was time to sand. Well, actually, I starting by using a block plane. It didn’t take long before I realized my mistake of making the strips a bit too thick. With apologies to woodworking purists, I broke out the belt sander. I followed that with another round with the block plane, and eventually graduated to a long, homemade sanding block. I did lots, and lots, and lots of sanding. Eventually though I ended up with a silky smooth surface.

Step 5. Fiberglass. This was an exciting step. I taped the joint between the top and bottom halves, and draped plastic to protect the half not being glassed. I used 4 oz e-glass on top, and two layers of 6 oz. glass on the bottom.

First of several thin layers of resin. For subsequent layers I used a roller.

Loving it!

Step 6. Cut the cockpit.

The cockpit dimensions are drawn on some particle board and transferred to the boat.

Measure 47 times, then verify a few dozen more times, then measure a few more times…

…and end up with a perfectly sized and placed cockpit hole. Whew!! Super nerve wracking.

Hot glue and white glue a bunch of leftover strips around the perimeter of the hole.

Cut the strips a consistent height above the deck, and place a layer of foam.

Tape and put plastic in place. (Resin doesn’t stick to plastic)

Then put several layers of fiberglass and carbon fiber to make the cockpit lip.

After the resin dried, the ring was removed and attached a bit later. I really like the contrast of the carbon fiber with the wood.

Step 7. Separate the halves and fiberglass the inside. With a little firm love, the top and bottom were pried off the form, and the form was discarded. The insides of both halves were sanded smooth (royal pain) and fiberglassed. The wood was now completely sealed inside and out with fiberglass and resin.

Step 8. Attach cockpit rim and hatches.

I used thickened paste to glue the cockpit rim in place.

The hatches were carefully cut.

After taping, the hatch location was marked and then cut with a jig saw.

The hatch was then taped back in place and a layer of plastic was placed inside the deck. Multiple layers of carbon fiber were wetted out.

After trimming, the rim was glued in place. I ended up with a flush hatch cover.

Step 9. Join halves. It took some more firm love and some BF & I (brute force and ignorance) to rejoin the halves. I used 3″ fiberglass tape inside and out to join the halves. A few layers of resin and it is almost impossible find the joint. 

Step 10. Varnish. Ultraviolet rays will degrade fiberglass resin, therefore it needs to be protected. I added several coats of good quality varnish with UV protection additives. Not only did this provide UV protection, it gave a beautiful glossy finish. This will need to be reapplied every three years or so, depending on usage and exposure.

Step 11. Fitting out. At this point I actually have a boat, but it needed lots of detail work to be truly functional. 1) Bulkheads in front of and behind the cockpit. This gives two water tight storage areas. The front bulkhead is also strategically placed to serve as my foot rest.  2) Bungie attachment points for the bungy cord holding the hatches in place, and for on deck storage. 3) Carve a 3″ piece of hard foam for the seat. 4) Resin pour in the ends to strengthen the bond between halves and provide a place to attach carry handles. 5) Misc. I’ve gradually made tweaks here and there to improve functionality and comfort.

The finished product.

The christening…a little beer on the bow.

The maiden voyage.

Apache Lake, AZ

Colorado River

This boat is not a garage queen. She was designed and built with just this sort of thing in mind.

Final Thoughts.  You’ve heard it said about some trips that it’s all about the journey, not the destination. This boat was both. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. I was able to lose myself for hours at a time, placing strips, sanding, etc. It might seem like an overwhelming task, possibly beyond your capabilities. But really, building a strip kayak is just combining lots and lots of small, relatively straightforward tasks. A number of people have asked me how long it took to build. I was going to keep track of the hours, but quickly gave that up. It took about 8 months to have a usable boat, and then a few more months to gradually get it completely fitted and adjusted the way I wanted it. If I were to do another, with what I learned on this boat, I feel I could probably complete one in half the time.

It was about the journey, and it was also a joy seeing the boat gradually take shape. And having now arrived at the destination, I have a boat that I love. I love how it paddles. I love how it looks. I love how it fits me perfectly. I love that it can transport me to beautiful locations. If you have even the slightest inclination to take on a project like this, I would without hesitation encourage you to start. Seize the Carp!

Update…2020 Refinish

Odd year 2020 eh? One of the positives of ruined trip plans and isolation is that I had time to refresh my now six year old boat. As much as I enjoy the beauty of it, I determined early on that this was a boat that was going to be used. As a result, it definitely needed some loving. Given the age and condition of the varnish, I decided to do more than lightly sand and recoat. I removed all hardware and attempted to remove all the varnish. In a few spots where there were especially deep scratches, I added some new epoxy. After four coats of new varnish, new deck lines and bungees, it amazingly looks almost like new.