: As I said, I just wondered if a ply Nikumi had been done, so I could see
: someone else's solution to the challenge of the bow.

: Would there be a significant difference in the amount of storage volume in
: similar 17' x 21" models of a baidarka vs Greenland? I ask because
: the reason for the build is to have a hardshell for weekend overnight
: trips.

there is certainly a difference in cargo-carrying capacity between styles, models, and plans for boats of the same length and width. Look at the boat designs from above and you cna see that some are shaped more like cigars, and others are more like double-pointed needles. Those which are blunter (cigar shaped) will have more volume, with larger areas going further forward and aft.

Look at a boat from the side and you cna see that some have a shorter waterline than others. Those with a shorter water line frequently have the bow starting to rise from a point closer to the center of the boat. Those with a maximum waterline frequently have the bow coming up at almost a right angle to the keel. It is had to generalize about sterns, but some rise quickly, and smoe come up in lon gentle curves.

Looking at these silhouettes you can compare two designs side-by-side to see which has a greater volume.

But that is not enough, and can be very misleading.
We have only discussed two dimensions--length and width. There is alos height to be considered. You are buildingthe boat, and it is not too difficult to change the profile of the deck, or raise the deck height in order to gain more cargo capacity.

In general, the hull shape affects how the boat moves through the water, while the deck shape affects how the boat moves through the air. Since water is far more dense than air, we spend a lot of development time on getting a good hull shape. After that we design for a safe amount of freeboard, and then we top things off with a decorative slab of wood.

Our basic concerns in deck design are to get a deck high enough in front of the paddler to allow room for big feet and maybe some wiggle room for the knees. Then we want the deck behind the paddler to be low enough so the paddler can lay back flat to make rolls easier.

We may have a flat deck to reduce the amount of surface area which can get caught by a gust of wind, or we may have a deck which is curved or peaked so that water rolls off. The deck can be fabric, plywood, or woodstrips. Heck, it can even be missing. Then you have a nice open canoe.

Since you are building the boat, YOU can make significant changes in the volume of the boat ( the amount it can carry) by either changing the design of the deck shape, or by raising the sidewall height (increasing the freeboard).

I think the simplest way is to raise the sidewall height, but if you are planning to make a hybrid (plywood hull with a strip-built deck) then you are already tinkering with the deck, so keep it up.

The first thought on raising the height of the boatis that more will be exposed to wind, so there may be weathercocking concerns. Also, with a higher boat there might be some stability concerns. However, if you are building this boat with the thought of carrying gear, then the added weight of that gear will cause the boat to sink deeper into the water.

In an ideal compromise, you would increase the height enough to allow your gear to fit in (let's say one inch) then the weight of the gear would displace enough water so that the boat ends up an inch deeper in the water. Then you end up with the same "sail" area catching the wind, while just increasing your draft an inch and slightly increasing your wetted surface area and drag. Lowering the boat in the water could also lower the center of gravity and increase your stability.

Your question can be restated (I believe) as: "will this design give me enough space for me and my camping gear, or won't it". The answer to that question has several parts, but in general I believe that most kayak designs will meet your needs.

First, we need to know how much you plan to carry. it is probably a little early to start packing for the kayak -camping trip before you have even started building the kayak--but you need to get a grip on the volume of what you are going to carry, as well as the weight. If you have a few very heavy items (are you an anvil salesman carrying samples?) then you might need to work around them.

If you travel like a backpacker, and can fit all your gear and food for a week in one pack whch weighs under 40 pounds, then you could probably wrap that pack in a waterproof sheet and tie it to the deck of almost any design. On the other hand, if you like to cook on a cast iron griddle, on top of your two-burner Coleman(R) stove, and carry a dutch oven for your gourmet baked items (please don't laugh, I personally like these comforts and frequently carry similar items in the car, or canoe, when I travel) then you will need to have a boat which is wide enough to accept the big stove and griddle somewhere other than the cockpit. You don't want to travel with this on your lap.

Next we need to know how you are planning to pack your gear. If yo are using separate bags for food, clothes, cookware, tent, water, camera gear, and maps then each bag is going to be fairly small, and you can put some in front with others in ack to amintain balance and trim. But if you have jsut two big bags, then we need to see how you are going to divide your gear--and then how big each bag.e will be. So, get your gear together and actually pack it. When I camp with the car as my vehicle I like the separate bags plan. I used to pack my canoe that way, but my trip to the Boundary Waters, and the experience of the numerous portages, has changed my mind on that. It is just too awkward to carry the separate bags. For another trip like that I want to put my gear in no more than two packs, and both should have wide shoulder straps. No duffel bags. Or, I'll take a backpacking frame which can carry the weight of the boat on the portages (works well with kayaks) and which I can bungee the small bags to when portaging. I'm sure there are other ideas out there which would also work. What YOU need to do is decide what ideas YOU want to use for your gear. then you can measure the actual shape and weight of your gear and see if the shape of a boat will carry what YOU want to carry.

: As always, thanks for the very informative posts!

Glad to help.

PGJ