Skimalong kayak?

[Rancocas]

Hi all,
My ultimate goal is a strip built melonseed. However, for a first project, I have settled on the Skimalong II kayak found in "Forty Wooden Boats". I think this will give me much needed building experience before I tackle the larger and more difficult melonseed.
The Skimalong II is 16'7", with a beam of 28 1/2". I am 6' and 195lbs. I would use this kayak mainly on streams and lakes here in Tennessee, and occassionally for tours around the sea islands of Georgia and South Carolina.
My question; Can this boat handle my weight, for the purpose I intend?

[garland reese]

The Skimalong should handle your 195 lbs just fine, plus a bit of gear for fishing or whatever. For comparison, the 16'6" x 25.5" Resolute from Bear Mountain Boats is spec'd for a load of 260 lbs. On the design page, it states that the boat can handle up to 340lbs OK. www.bearmountainboats.com (http://www.bearmountainboats.com)
There are lots of good kayak plans for strip building out there. Kayakcraft and the book from Nick Schade are both good information sources and have offsets for building their designs. One Ocean kayaks has some very nice plans as well as some interesting building techniques www.oneoceankayaks.com (http://www.oneoceankayaks.com) You probably already know all that......just thought I'd throw it in here in case.
One other caveat......you might consider a more appropriate kayak design for venturing out in coastal waters. a 28.5 inch beam would be very difficult to roll if you capsized. And, a narrower design would be easier and faster over a long distance. I have never been to the Carolina coast, so I don't really know what the conditions are there, but it would not be the same as gentle rivers and flatwater. Sounds like you have a great place to paddle and sail.

What plans are you going to use for your Melonseed? Have you found some plans for strip building this boat or are you going to use the Chappelle offsets? I really like the Melonseed skiff. I'd like to strip buiild one someday too. I'd prefer the Roger Crawford sail plan over the plan in "American Small Sailing Craft".

Good luck with you projects,
Garland

[This message has been edited by garland reese (edited 12-10-2001).]

[LaMess]

After a long paddle our intrepid kayakist is pleasantly tired but the days' objective is near and he is thinking of the mucilaginous gruel and Armagnac that promise a pleasant repast. An unexpected squall comes up driving a cold wind into his face. Oops it's too late to get the paddle jacket out. Now on the edge of exhaustion he must paddle into growing seas or relax and be blown somewhwere interesting. He is not worried at first because he's practiced rolling on many a pleasant day. But now the lactic acid is burning in his deltoids, his fingers feel like turnips and he has a weeks worth of gear stuffed into his boat. He starts to wonder if maybe he didn't fear the sea enough.

The question is what sort of kayak is our hero better off in? One that rolls easily? Do such boats also depend on the paddlers strength and skill to remain upright when the spray starts flying? Iguess that's true of any boat given the right conditions but.....

[Rancocas]

Thanks for the replies.
I did look over quite a few different kayak models before deciding on the Skimalong. I'm not interested in speed, so a fast, slim boat was not one of my concerns. I like the larger than average cockpit on the Skimalong so that I can bend my legs and otherwise move around some. Also, I think it would be a more stable platform for occassional fishing, and even duck hunting.
Of course, this boat being strip planked, and also requiring lofting, should give me needed building experience.
Later, I will probably just go with the 16' melonseed plans as shown in "Forty Wooden Boats", although I'm not locked into that yet. (An alternative construction method listed is wood strip) I actually like the smaller version better, but with 9 grandchildren, so far, I think the bigger boat is a wiser choice.
I grew up in New Jersey, and spent a lot of time down on Barnegat Bay. Those Melonseeds, Sneak Boxes, South Jersey Beach Skiffs, and Garveys still have a strong hold on me. I think any of them would do well here on Chickamauga Lake.
Anyway, if the kayak doesn't meet my needs, I'll give to the grandkids, and start on another one.

[Don Maurer]

Lamess,

He's better off in the sea kayak. It's next to impossible to capsize a moving sea kayak headed into the wind. Besides, he would be a whole lot closer to his destination than the guy in a touring kayak. The last thing you want to do is stop paddling and let the wind and waves take you. When you stop paddling, the kayak turns sideways and there is no forward motion to help maintain stability. Any breaking wave could flip you. He should be paddling with his torso muscles, not his arms. By using your whole body to push the paddle, you get a more powerful stroke and tire less quickly. You can also flex your fingers to help keep them warm anf flexible. He is probably glad to have the weeks worth of gear in the boat for the added stability and momentum when breaking through waves.

Rancocas,

This boat is well suited for quiet lakes, backwaters and slow moving flatwater streams. I assume you know that it is not a whitewater boat suitable for river running. It is not really the best for paddling long distances, surf or open ocean paddling. It will carry your weight, but I cannot tell you whether your feet will fit or not. This is actually the biggest complaint I hear from kayaking students. In many cases, hard sole shoes will get stuck between the hull and upper deck, making wet exits difficult, if not frightening for novice paddlers. If you cannot sit in a completed kayak first, you should at least plan on soft sole shoes or paddling with no shoes. Kayaks with flat bottoms and forward decks tend to have more foot room, however, this design may be wide enough that your feet will stay close to center and not have a problem.

[Alan D. Hyde]

Although I have never paddled a kayak, what Don says about paddling technique makes a lot of sense to me.

The same is true of rowing, paddling a canoe, swinging an ax or a sledgehammer, all of which I have done all day long for many days (when younger, however).

If you get into a rhythm, it's surprising how much you can do without succumbing to total exhaustion. You will sleep well, though.

Alan

[BrianCunningham]

They make special soft soled water friendly shoes for kayakers.

As far as whether you'd fit or not. Try to get to one of the bigger get togethers, and see if you sit-i/fit into the model you want.

http://www.kayakforum.com is a great resource.

and if you can ever get to one of the WoodenBoat shows lots of designers/builders bring boats for you to try out.

[Rancocas]

Thanks guys;
I am familiar with the differences between whitewater kayaks, flat water, and the open sea. I live only 10 miles from the Ocoee Whitewater Center, where the 1996 whitewater kayak Olympics were held. I worked part time last summer as a whitewater rafting guide on the Ocoee River, plus I have quite a bit of experience in canoeing both whitewater and flatwater. It's just that I have never been in a kayak!
I just plan to use the Skimalong on flatwater streams, lakes, and the sheltered bays around the coastal GA. and SC. sea iles. I plan to use it without a "skirt". Hopefully, I won't roll it, but if I do - well, I get wet.
I already have two canoes, and I don't NEED this kayak. However, if it suits me I will use it. Although, the main reason for building it is as a relatively cheap learning experience before tackling my dream boat of a melonseed.

[LaMess]

The lines shown by a lapstrake melonseed are SO gorgeous. A strip built one would be a crime against nature.

[PugetSound]

Worry, worry, worry . . . . . aah nuts, go ahead and build the boat (remember the pictures)! I've looked at the design and it has several things going for it (despite the previous criticisms):
- OK so it isn't going to be the fastest, nor will it be the slimmest but actually the 28" beam is the maximum beam. The boat has a 24" waterline and a round cross section so it will handle quite well (alot better than the Cape Charles). As for its ultimate seaworthiness, the Klepper Arieus (folding kayak) has gross dimensions and hull form very similar to the Skimalong and nobody who knows the history of that famous design would question it's seaworthiness.
- I have paddled hundreds of miles in unprotected waters in nothing more than an old whitewater kayak. By comparison, the Skimalong should be a greyhound! Also, the boat has plenty of buoyancy and volume for gear storage.
- The boat has reasonably full ends and a low profile so it should handle waves fairly easily and won't weathervane.
- As for rolling, I have seen a 95 pound woman roll a fully loaded canadian canoe (setup for whitewater) so I have a hard time believing that, with practice, Rancocas can't develop a bomb proof roll. Also, a boat like the Skimalong really will enable a wetwater entrance - without buoyancy assist - because of it's beam (assuming you miss your roll). Don't discount this advantage since it is likely to happen to anybody.
- Since Rancocas has admitted that he has other boats, one more advantage should definitely be considered; the boat will be beautiful and very very attractive for other would-be kayakers to purchase. It makes an excellent boat for beginners and intermediate kayakers.

Go for it Rancocas!

[This message has been edited by PugetSound (edited 12-10-2001).]

[Todd Bradshaw]

I'll echo Don's comments about rough water paddling and Puget's about this particular boat. When you look at the design, it's actually a pretty interesting hull and I think it's performance might surprise a lot of hard-core kayakers. The stations remind me more of an Adirondack Guideboat than what you see on most fat kayaks. The deep "V" shape, lots of flare and narrow bottom board were all used on Guideboats, which were pretty efficient craft.

You shouldn't have any trouble fitting inside, even with big feet, though I wouldn't wear snowshoes. As for rolling, it's not going to be a particularly easy boat to roll, mostly because it's not designed with that "small cockpit - like a glove" fit that narrower kayaks have. In real conditions if you do flip, you will probably fall most of the way out before you even think about bracing yourself-in and trying to roll. To add a bunch of foam blocking, trying to wedge yourself in for a snug fit in case you ever need to roll, is pretty self-defeating on what's supposed to be a comfortable recreational touring boat.

As long as you don't try to go surf kayaking or run whitewater in it, I doubt you'll ever need to roll it anyway. If it flips, bail out, roll it back over and climb back in. It's such a big volume boat that it's not going to take that much water in the short time that it's upside-down.

It's not a pure-bred kayak, but it's worth building and probably hard not to like. A good transition boat for a canoeist who wants to try kayaking.

[This message has been edited by Todd Bradshaw (edited 12-10-2001).]

[N. Scheuer]

Hey Roncocas! I've got the urge to build a strip Melonseed, myself. Probably a retirement project a couple of years hence, but I believe in planning.

I consider the melonseed just about the lovekiest small sailboat ever!

I'm thinking about a strip deck, also, but with an Airex core underneath for stiffness, and flotation.

Moby Nick