"Happy Hour" - 9'(2.80m) Fishing Kayak

This design was inspired by Ross Lillistone’s “Water Rat”. The bow transom was replaced by a pointed stem. Also the internal volume and from there the displacement of the boat were increased by about 20%. Changes were made to the seating arrangement as well. Free board was increased to allow more payload. A new design for a fishing kayak was born. The boat has high stability provided by the wide beam, flat bottom and bilge panels (“cheeks”). Anglers can stand up and cast. It handles waves very well without excessive pounding. Most of the waves get absorbed and reflected by the “cheeks”. The boat is also quite maneuverable. Turns can be made right on the spot. As with all short boats tracking can not be compared with a 16′ kayak but is still quite decent. This is thanks to the large skeg and runner board on the bottom. The runner board creates lateral resistance, protects and stiffens the bottom. There is emergency buoyancy and storage in the front and back. Another nice feature is the light weight of the boat – around 39 lbs (18 kg) if made of exterior grade pine plywood. Easily car topped by one person. There is enough room in the cockpit to take a small child or a dog. The boat can be built for less than $200 CAD (2013).Here is the bill of materials:· Exterior grade plywood 4x8′ (1220x2440 mm), ¼″ (6 mm) thick – 2 sheets;· Fiberglass tape 3″ (75 mm) wide by 6 oz. (200 gr/sq.m) – 33 yards (30 m);· Epoxy resin – 1 gallon (3.78L) plus hardener;· Others – bread flour, chip brushes, rollers, fairing compound or filler, paint, sandpaper;Plans package consists of 3 pages of drawings (metric or imperial) and 5 pages of instructions. Included are plans for a seat and paddle.Price is $30.00 CAD. After payment is processed you will receive an e-mail with two PDF attachments - drawing and work instruction.Plans in imperial units are set up to print on letter size paper at the convenience of your home printer. Metric plans are set up to print on A4 size paper.