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Skin-on-Frame: Retrieval kayak
By:Liz Leedham
Date: 6/18/2003, 8:11 pm

Has anyone had any experience with making a retrieval kayak, using the David Zimmerly plans from the Museum of Civilization, Ottawa, and some of the details from Robert Morris's book? I finished my second Greenland SOF but I misjudged the masik height and can barely get my creaky robust body in or out of the boat even with a struggle :( However, the Greenland boat tracks like a dream, with no weathercocking or other problems that I had with my first SOF so I got something right. Well, live and learn, and somebody will get a nice boat. Good excuse to make another :)
Now I fancy building a small, fat SOF kayak of a decent volume to allow me to use a camera or binoculars. Stable generally, but hopefully OK in sudden winds and moderately iffy weather conditions. The retrieval plans call for a length of 9.5 to ten feet, and a width of 23.5 to 25 inches. I like the sharper ends of the traditional retrieval rather than the wide Morris "recovery" boat and would want to keep these. What would I have to consider if I stretched the boat to 11 feet? Is it just a matter of adding the length in the middle and working out the new spacing for deckbeams, etc. or is there something else I should think about? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Messages In This Thread

Skin-on-Frame: Retrieval kayak
Liz Leedham -- 6/18/2003, 8:11 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: Retrieval kayak
Tony -- 6/18/2003, 11:02 pm