Here are the building plans for a kayak based on the general lines of the canoes used by the Eskimos. Seal is essen­tially a one-man boat but she may be made longer and the cockpit lengthened out a little so that two persons may be accom­modated. This may be accomplished by re-spacing the frames about three or four inches farther apart than shown.

The lines should be laid down on the floor, full size and carefully faired up. There are always slight errors which are certain to creep in on any offset table and corrections can be made only from the full-sized plans. Make an exact duplicate of the lines to full-size scale. It is best to make this drawing on a smooth, level floor, setting down first the baseline and the centerline. Then comes the locations of the frames and finally, by referring to the off­set table, the body plan or sections. Each section should be drawn in and faired up by working on the waterlines and the di­agonals. The offset table is not complicated and simply represents a series of dimen­sions given in feet, inches and eighths. In the offsets the first number in each group of three represents feet, the second inches and the third eighths of an inch. Thus the dimension 1-1-1 means one foot, one inch and one eighth of an inch. The dimension 0-2-7 means two and seven eighths inches and so on. Study the thing and you will have no difficulty at all.

There's adventure in every inch of this   16-foot  Eskimo kayak.

Suppose we have the drawing made full size on the floor. We want to make frame ½and frame 5½. Both are exact dupli­cates. We take our material for frame ½ which should be ½ inch thick by about 12 inches wide by about 14 inches deep. First, drive a row of little brads around the outline of frame ½ in the full-sized drawing. These brads are driven in about halfway and then the frame material laid on top of them and by tapping the wood with a hammer or by treading lightly on it, each brad will leave an impression in the frame material. Connect these up with a fair curve and saw off the excess material. We then take the material, turn it over, carefully line it up on the centerline and repeat the process. This gives us the shape of both sides and our first frame is com­pleted. The camber of the deck may also be cut in after the same method. Two of these frames are made, one for each end of the boat.

Make frames 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 along the same manner but these frames we find are built up from several pieces and not solid like the little end frames. There is one piece across the bottom, two pieces forming the sides and a piece at the corner forming a gusset to hold the other pieces together.

When the various parts are cut to shape, they may be laid down on the floor right on top of the drawing, fitted and fastened together with the gussets which may be screwed or riveted together, but be sure that there is no give anywhere in the struc­ture. Frames 1, 2, 4 and 5 should have the deck beam piece across the top as soon as finished. Frame 3 should have a temporary piece across it which should not be removed until everything is in place and the boat ready to be covered.

Next, get out the keel batten to the size required and then set up a series of blocks on the floor, each of a height to give the proper curve to the bottom of the keel. These heights may be secured from the table of offsets. Of course, you may reverse the whole process and build the boat upside down using a piece of tightly stretched wire overhead as the baseline and taking all dimensions down instead of up. This method is a lot simpler.

At any rate, set up the keel and fasten it to the blocks so that it has the proper curve from end to end. Then make the stem and stern pieces, which are exactly alike, and rivet these fast to the ends of the keel batten. Note that the keel batten is tapered from end to end. Next, mark off accurately the exact locations of the vari­ous frames. Put frame 3 in place and then the others. First get in the clamp piece which is notched into the frame right up at the sheer. Fasten this in place, starting with the 'midship frame and then working out toward the ends. It is advisable, in order to equalize strains, to work both clamps into place at the same time.

Now, divide up each frame into an equal number of parts so that there will be six battens on each side. Note, however, that the lowest batten does not go any further forward than frame ½, nor aft beyond frame 5½. Cut notches in each frame so that the battens will set in flush with the outside of the frame. Each batten should be a fairly tight fit and should be screwed or nailed to the frame. Note from the drawings how these battens are brought into the stem and stern pieces and screwed fast.

You now work the center deck stringer from bow to stern. Note that it is notched into the stem and stern pieces flush. It is also notched into each deck beam, as are the other deck stringers. They are divided up so that there will be four on each side. They do not follow the side of the deck but run straight fore and aft until they come to the inside of the clamp where they are beveled off to fit snugly and then fastened in place. Run each one through and when all are complete, cut away for the cockpit, putting in the headers as shown. The cock­pit may be any shape but don't make it any larger than shown.

The boat is now ready for the canvas. Put it on in one piece from sheer to sheer and tack along the outside of the clamp. This line of tacks will later on be covered with the sheer molding. The decking should be put on in one piece also, from sheer to sheer. All the canvas should be put on soak­ing wet; when you are about ready for it, put the whole business in the family washtubs and let the canvas soak up all the water possible. Tack it in place while still wet and when it dries it will be as tight as the proverbial drum. It would be advisable to smear the outside of the clamp and the outside of the keel batten with marine glue before the canvas is applied, setting the canvas into this so that there is no danger of a leak at these points.

  Outside of putting on the coaming and the flooring and painting, the kayak is now complete. In painting do not put the paint on too thick. Several thin coats are much better than one or two thick ones. Thick paint makes cracks. Give it at least three or four coats, lightly sanding down between each coat when dry. Wind up with a coat of regular canoe enamel. Colors are, of course, optional. A kayak should not be in the water except when being used.

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