Making a SOT from a SIT

Submitted byrafacacho onMon, 04/16/2018 - 14:14
Forums
Kayak Building

Hi, new here, I am a fisherman, handyman who loves woodworking and the ocean. I usually paddle to fish in the sea. I actually own two plastic SOT, wich I want to get rid off. 

Heres the question, I want to build a SOT wooden kayak, can I use a SIT sea kayak  plan and modified it?  Making a large self bailing cockpit area with drain holes. Intead of sitting in the bottom, I' ll be sitting like 3 or 4 inches above. I like greenland models, I want it to be fast, and able to cut  the surf, but stable at anchor for fishing. 

Thanks! 

There are a few SOT designs out there that have been built using fundamental strip-built methods; if you search through the archives you will find one or two examples.  However, if you consider carefully how strip-building works, the SOT is quite a challenge to make happen successfully.

It would be best to gain experience through several conventional strip-built projects, and then to consider such an advanced task, I'd say.