Kayakers, Just to sexy it up a bit and increase my on-the-water suffering, I've contemplated lowering the deck and installing an ocean cockpit on one of my two identical Point Bennett sea kayaks. The original PB built in 2004 was due for a paint job this winter. I thought that if I was going through the trouble of painting it, I might as well cut the deck off and install a new one 1 1/2 inches lower with an ocean cockpit. I already had all the materials laying around, except for the fiberglass cloth and paint, so the project is rather inexpensive. I'm reusing the VCP hatches, and by the way, the 3M 5200 sealant used on the hatch rims is tenacious stuff, so I had to chisel off the fiberglass and plywood. This week I'll be attaching the new deck, which will have a height of 6 1/2 inches at the back of the cockpit. The ocean cockpit is 16 inches wide and 22 inches long. For a retro Brit boat look, the day hatch is centered rather than offset. A photo of the kayak right after the deck was cut off is at: http://www.rollordrown.com/news.html Duane *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Duane Strosaker wrote: > Kayakers, > > Just to sexy it up a bit and increase my on-the-water suffering, I've contemplated lowering the deck and installing an ocean cockpit on one of my two identical Point Bennett sea kayaks. The original PB built in 2004 was due for a paint job this winter. I thought that if I was going through the trouble of painting it, I might as well cut the deck off and install a new one 1 1/2 inches lower with an ocean cockpit. > > I already had all the materials laying around, except for the fiberglass cloth and paint, so the project is rather inexpensive. I'm reusing the VCP hatches, and by the way, the 3M 5200 sealant used on the hatch rims is tenacious stuff, so I had to chisel off the fiberglass and plywood. This week I'll be attaching the new deck, which will have a height of 6 1/2 inches at the back of the cockpit. The ocean cockpit is 16 inches wide and 22 inches long. For a retro Brit boat look, the day hatch is centered rather than offset. > > A photo of the kayak right after the deck was cut off is at: > > http://www.rollordrown.com/news.html Have you considered rebuilding it as a cedar trip deck/stitch-n-glue hull hybrid? Take a look at the lower rear deck on this one: http://www.redfishkayak.com/king.htm *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
John F., Thank you for the link to that photo of a recess for a cockpit. I'm able to get the shape I want from plywood, because I love flat panels. So I haven't really thought much about a stripper/ply hybrid. Plus, I like to paint my kayaks anyway. I've seen that recess photo before and can't help but wonder if the recess would weaken the structure of the hull, because it thins out so much there. It's probably plenty strong for most kayaking (but maybe not Doug Lloyd), but the interruption of a beautiful sheer line bothers me anyway. Duane --- On Mon, 12/1/08, John Fereira <jaf30_at_cornell.edu> wrote: > Have you considered rebuilding it as a cedar trip > deck/stitch-n-glue hull hybrid? > > Take a look at the lower rear deck on this one: > > http://www.redfishkayak.com/king.htm *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Joe builds beautiful boats and his workmanship is impeccable, but the "Roller's Recess TM" always bothers me. Seems to me it is much bigger than it needs to be to serve the purpose of rolling easily. If he had taken the back deck back up immediately behind the coaming, it would have served just as well. It is really the back of the coaming you need low, not the back deck. The extended recess looks a little odd to my eye. Of course my opinion should be taken with a grain of salt as I am always looking for ways to counteract my competitive jealousy at Joe's work. Nick On Dec 1, 2008, at 7:48 PM, John Fereira wrote: > > Take a look at the lower rear deck on this one: > > http://www.redfishkayak.com/king.htm Nick Schade Guillemot Kayaks 54 South Rd Groton, CT 06340 USA Ph/Fx: (860) 659-8847 http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Nick Schade wrote: > Joe builds beautiful boats and his workmanship is impeccable, but the > "Roller's Recess TM" always bothers me. Seems to me it is much bigger > than it needs to be to serve the purpose of rolling easily. If he had > taken the back deck back up immediately behind the coaming, it would > have served just as well. It is really the back of the coaming you > need low, not the back deck. The extended recess looks a little odd to > my eye. One of thing I did on the Outer Island I built was to cut the cockpit open such that I could place the foam seat 3-4" in front of the back section of the cockpit combing. Then, instead of using a backband, I have a mini-cell foam "ramp" that slopes from the seat back to the rear bulkhead and edge of the combing. That allowed me to lay back much easier (I can put my head on the rear deck) than if the seat were closer to the rear combing. Some of you may remember that the Outer Island I built was essentially broken in half when a large maple branch fell on it during a storm a couple of years ago. Although there were only 4 strips on the entire boat that were intact from bow to stern, Nick convinced me that I should try to rebuild it. That was about the time that my son started to required more care from me (we stopped using an Au Pair), my wife took on a second job (owns a small business) and I started getting involved in another hobby. As a result, the boat is still sitting in my garage. However, I do have the hull completely rebuilt and essentially all I really need to do is replace all the strips from about a foot in front of where the cockpit was to just behind it. I considered building something like the "Roller's Recess TM" but will probably just rebuild it like it was before (except I'm going to put an ocean cockpit in it instead of the small keyhole I had before). My current plan is to have it finished in time to launch when the local lake has thawed in the Spring (and take it with me on a planned vacation in Maine next July). *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
John, I'll second that! I'm a firm believer in 4 inches between the paddler's back and the back of the cockpit. It's just enough for good layback, not too much to have the backband in the way during re-entries, and still easy to reach to put the back of the spray skirt on. Duane --- On Tue, 12/2/08, John Fereira <jaf30_at_cornell.edu> wrote: > One of thing I did on the Outer Island I built was to cut > the cockpit open such that I could place the foam seat > 3-4" in front of the back section of the cockpit > combing. Then, instead of using a backband, I have a > mini-cell foam "ramp" that slopes from the seat > back to the rear bulkhead and edge of the combing. That > allowed me to lay back much easier (I can put my head on the > rear deck) than if the seat were closer to the rear combing. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Dec 1, 2008, at 7:29 PM, Duane Strosaker wrote: > I thought that if I was going through the trouble of painting it, > I might as well cut the deck off and install a new one 1 1/2 inches > lower with an ocean cockpit. A fellow builder understands and embraces this statement. Jim et al *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Jim et al, Speaking of builders, I'm re-reading "Baidarka" by George Dyson. What a builder he was! He strikes me as being a bit of a genius. And gosh, he cranked out some kayaks in his time. It's inspiring to read the book again ten years after the first time. Duane --- On Mon, 12/1/08, James Farrelly <JFarrelly5_at_comcast.net> wrote: > On Dec 1, 2008, at 7:29 PM, Duane Strosaker wrote: > > > I thought that if I was going through the trouble of > painting it, I might as well cut the deck off and install a > new one 1 1/2 inches lower with an ocean cockpit. > > A fellow builder understands and embraces this statement. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Can't be any weaker than the whole deck being the same height as the rolling recess. Dave Houser http://howsergoing.smugmug.com/photos/71708073_2EA2x-L.jpg > [Original Message] > From: Duane Strosaker <strosaker_at_yahoo.com> > To: <jaf30_at_cornell.edu>; Paddlewise <paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net> > Date: 12/1/2008 5:18:48 PM > Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Kayak Chop Job > > John F., > > Thank you for the link to that photo of a recess for a cockpit. > > I'm able to get the shape I want from plywood, because I love flat panels. So I haven't really thought much about a stripper/ply hybrid. Plus, I like to paint my kayaks anyway. > > I've seen that recess photo before and can't help but wonder if the recess would weaken the structure of the hull, because it thins out so much there. It's probably plenty strong for most kayaking (but maybe not Doug Lloyd), but the interruption of a beautiful sheer line bothers me anyway. > > Duane > > --- On Mon, 12/1/08, John Fereira <jaf30_at_cornell.edu> wrote: > > > Have you considered rebuilding it as a cedar trip > > deck/stitch-n-glue hull hybrid? > > > > Take a look at the lower rear deck on this one: > > > > http://www.redfishkayak.com/king.htm *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Dave - She has some nice lines. Good job. john --- On Tue, 12/2/08, The Housers <houser4_at_earthlink.net> wrote: From: The Housers <houser4_at_earthlink.net> Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Kayak Chop Job To: "Duane Strosaker" <strosaker_at_yahoo.com>, jaf30_at_cornell.edu, "PaddleWise" <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net> Date: Tuesday, December 2, 2008, 6:27 PM Can't be any weaker than the whole deck being the same height as the rolling recess. Dave Houser http://howsergoing.smugmug.com/photos/71708073_2EA2x-L.jpg > [Original Message] > From: Duane Strosaker <strosaker_at_yahoo.com> > To: <jaf30_at_cornell.edu>; Paddlewise <paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net> > Date: 12/1/2008 5:18:48 PM > Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Kayak Chop Job > > John F., > > Thank you for the link to that photo of a recess for a cockpit. > > I'm able to get the shape I want from plywood, because I love flat panels. So I haven't really thought much about a stripper/ply hybrid. Plus, I like to paint my kayaks anyway. > > I've seen that recess photo before and can't help but wonder if the recess would weaken the structure of the hull, because it thins out so much there. It's probably plenty strong for most kayaking (but maybe not Doug Lloyd), but the interruption of a beautiful sheer line bothers me anyway. > > Duane > > --- On Mon, 12/1/08, John Fereira <jaf30_at_cornell.edu> wrote: > > > Have you considered rebuilding it as a cedar trip > > deck/stitch-n-glue hull hybrid? > > > > Take a look at the lower rear deck on this one: > > > > http://www.redfishkayak.com/king.htm *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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