And here’s a dorky but good-natured dad chronicling his build of an SOF similar to the one I have:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6suHfKpLJcA
There seem to be several good options for you on State College craigslist including a 14 foot kid size kayak for $200. I bet having the fastest boat in the group might be fun for your 8 year old.
@TomL said:
There seem to be several good options for you on State College craigslist including a 14 foot kid size kayak for $200.
Is that this one? Or did you see other better options?
https://altoona.craigslist.org/boa/d/polo-kayak/6225263555.html
Oh wow. Thanks guys for the videos! Yeah, that’s definitely within my skill set. I’ll have to look more into this path. Sure looks like a fun way to go – probably for next year. (If I build boats instead of finishing remodeling our kitchen my wife may have words.)
I’m certainly well enough convinced about the durability of SOF designs!
The drawback with that “polo” kayak for sale is that it looks to have a lot of rocker (curvature in the keel). This makes a boat turn quickly but not track straight. It’s a characteristic of whitewater kayaks and canoes so they can zig zag through rapids easily. And if these kayaks for sale were made for some kind of water polo that’s what they would be intended to do. That would be very frustrating for somebody trying to keep up with other people paddling in a straight line.
I noticed that and wondered but didn’t know how much of an issue it would be.
That gets into the questions of my other thread hear about how to think about upgrading as our skills and interests grow: how to know what kind of boats will do what we enjoy and which styles wouldn’t be right. Obviously a 6’ long extreme WW boat would be lousy for what we’re enjoying right now, but if an older style longer WW boat like that one would work ok for flatwater cruising I’d consider it. But we don’t know enough yet to know what we don’t know! 
Hi Sam, I’m a canoe guy. The one I saw that seemed best was just below the polo boat…called an EPI SEA kayak…a 14 footer.
Oh cool! Thanks! Have to see if I’ve got any cash left in the couch cushions…
Finding a kids sized SOF kayak sounds like a good long term solution, short term just learn to use a tow line, your child can still paddle and you just give him a little extra horsepower. I’ve seen this done a lot with wives and girlfriends who did not have the experience or upper body strength to keep up.
By the way, I paid $150. For the Piccolo!
Nice buy, Andy.
Epi Sea Kayak Specs and link. Should work, for what you want. Needs some added floatation.
https://altoona.craigslist.org/boa/d/epi-sea-kayak-children-small/6225260987.html
http://www.pathspeakspaddles.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=1928
I have contacted that seller to see if it’s still available. That seems a wonderful deal.
I’m probably getting too far afield of the scope of this discussion with this but I’m really fascinated about building SOF or wood strip boats now! Looks so do-able and rewarding!
So I don’t see any mention of, or any pictures showing, bulkheads or extra floatation in those home-built boats. Is that just not considered useful or important? Or do more advanced builds include that kind of thing? I see some kits do feature hatches. But I’m having a hard time picturing those working quite the way polymer or composite or fiberglass boats would with really sealed compartments.
@Sam1911 said:
I’m probably getting too far afield of the scope of this discussion with this but I’m really fascinated about building SOF or wood strip boats now! Looks so do-able and rewarding!So I don’t see any mention of, or any pictures showing, bulkheads or extra floatation in those home-built boats. Is that just not considered useful or important? Or do more advanced builds include that kind of thing? I see some kits do feature hatches. But I’m having a hard time picturing those working quite the way polymer or composite or fiberglass boats would with really sealed compartments.
Even without hatches, inflatable flotation bags in the bow and stern would take care of…well…flotation. They are available in many sizes from places like NRS or Harmony Gear.
http://search.nrs.com/search/?p=Q&w=flotation%20bag
https://www.harmonygear.com/search/flotation%20bag
They’re also a very good idea in any kayak - like a rec boat - that lacks sealed compartments.
Another interesting idea is a sea sock, although I’ve never seen one used…
I’ve been paddling skin on frame kayaks for 15 years (folders and a rigid Greenland replica) so I have always used flotation bags. They are just part of the routine. I also have sea socks and can tell you that they are a pain in the ass. Besides being hot (imagine having your lower carcass encased in a garbage bag on a warm day) they interfere with having your feet on the footpegs, make entry and exit fussy and get in the way of the spray skirt at the coaming. I would only use mine if I was paddling with a lot of gear bags in the hull (rather than flotation bags) and was in a cold water expeditionary situation. Others may have a different opinion of them.
You can build a wooden kayak with bulkheads and many people do. For your kid’s kayak if you get the plastic one, just get some flotation bags. You can even displace sufficient water for safety by cutting foam pool noodles and bundling them together to pack into the bow and stern hull areas, but figuring out a way to fasten them so they don’t shift or pop out can be a hassle for the bow area (in the stern the seat will usually contain them). Actually anything inflatable and relatively sturdy will work to fill in the cavities in the hull. I know somebody who used a pool toy shaped like a dolphin that he wedged in and partially inflated. If you get something roughly boat shaped and larger than the space inside you just have to blow it up enough that it wedges in place.
Pool noodles are very useful for many kayak modifications. I’ve used the skinny ones to wrap around the back half of the kayak coaming to make a snugger fit for a small person or child in the cockpit. Half or a third of a closed cell foam yoga mat can also be tucked into a cockpit to make a closer fit for a small person. I like to fold a piece of yoga mat (or an Ensolite camping pad) in half to tuck under my thighs to elevate them for comfort in some of my boats.
Well yes, it is possible to build a wood boat. S&G, SOF, Strip and hybrid. The Stitch and Glue is the easiest to start with. Here is a link to CLCs Cheasapeake 14. With a picture of a young person paddling.
clcboats.com/shop/boats/kayak-kits/chesapeake-14-sea-kayak-kit.html
This boat is a touring seakayak with bulkheads. The hull design is a nice tracker and moves well.
Of course you are interested in going difficult so go to the web site and look at the strippers like the petrel, night hawlk, great auk, and some of the hybrids (S&G hull/Strip deck).
@Sam1911 said:
@TomL said:
There seem to be several good options for you on State College craigslist including a 14 foot kid size kayak for $200.Is that this one? Or did you see other better options?
https://altoona.craigslist.org/boa/d/polo-kayak/6225263555.html
The picture caption said, “Fiberglass polo kayak. good play boat for children and small adults.” Its a play boat. You said the problem was he couldn’t keep up. Play boat and **fast **are not linked.
No, I get that. That wasn’t the right boat, but rather there was another, small touring boat for sale. Unfortunately it was listed 16 days ago and I’m sure it has sold by now. No response from the seller.
There’s also a Piccolo for sale not too far away, but the asking price is just a bit out of reach this month.