Wooden Surf Kayak - Build and Surf

My fifth kayak that I have built.

This time I tried using wood - 4mm marine plywood with S fibreglass and epoxy resin. Lots of challenges in the build....but the finished product floats....and early days, but seems to surf OK. The video shows the kayak build, mainly in sequence (bottom, sides, top and 'finnage') interspersed with clips from a 'shake down' surf session.

link to video

Keppel Sea Kayak Symposium 2024 (near Rockhampton, Queensland)

 

vid link...

https://youtu.be/B2HjU74MJeg

Paddling on Wagona Inlet

 vid link

https://youtu.be/echZQNLHjuM

lakes near me

low light on local lakes

gliding on evening glass

winding paths through reeds

paddling heaven here at home

vid links below....

https://youtu.be/w2Tq6ysa4Ro

https://vimeo.com/877072467?share=copy

Summer Build, Autumn Surf - Surf kayak from conception to fruition

Summer Build, Autumn Surf

Surf Kayak from conception to fruition - vid link below

This video is a weird mix, showing me building a surf kayak in summer, and surfing it in autumn.

Before the build, was eight months designing, which was in my head, which doesn't video that well.

The clips of the build are in sequence - i did three decks, but thankfully kept the same hull.

The clips of me surfing the surf kayak, are sprinkled throughout and not in sequence.

Did I like the build? Unsure, but it keeps me off the streets...and that was my fourth build.

Do I like the way it surfs? It basically does what I thought it would do, so i'd give it a satisfactory, and there is nothing wrong with satisfactory. 

If you can customise something and you are the customiser, there is a tendency to keep on customising in the quest for 'beyond satisfactory'. That'll do.

https://youtu.be/jSMocgtb_XA

https://vimeo.com/830369554

Spills and Thrills - surfing in whitewater kayaks

(Vid links below)

You need a decent roll if you go surf kayaking.

I don't subscribe to a bomb proof roll - sooner or later, in the right set of circumstances (the 'perfect storm'), your roll will fail.

Usually I 'bomb out', once a year on average, but live to write this piece and collate this video.

Hope your surf kayaking is more thrills than (recoverable) spills

https://youtu.be/oiWPwPe_cuM

https://vimeo.com/811856832

spring/summer 22/23

 mucking about catching waves in 3 boats and 1 paddle

vid link below

https://vimeo.com/793535450