Chesapeake Double and Triple

Product Description

Multi-seat expedition kayaks which will carry a large load.

The boat is fantastic – absolutely bombproof in the water. Handles swell and chop really well, gave A. a huge confidence boost, and she was thrilled to have seals playing around her, as well as a pod of porpoises!

SB (Chesapeake Triple owner)

The highly regarded Chesapeake hard chined hull shape is available in a double and triple kayak. They offer the same efficiency, great handling characteristics and ease of building as the singles. They are very stable, track superbly, resist weathercocking and, thanks to a 20 foot waterline, are very fast.

At about 30 kilos (including hatches, watertight bulkheads and deck rigging) these boats are 30 percent lighter than most comparable fibreglass kayaks. The maximum capacity is over 300 kilos but tracking is excellent even with children paddling.

Although many people use these for family day trips the Double and Triple are designed for rugged expedition use. The gunwale construction is strong and rigid. The cockpits are supported by laminated deck beams and structural bulkheads. The large hatches make loading easier and keep equipment safe and dry.

The Triple has three full size cockpits: the centre one is great for taking a child or pet along.

The Chesapeake Kayaks are expedition touring boats that excel in rough water and steep seas. With their high volume bows they cruise over big waves. Their radically cambered foredecks shed water quickly and provide plenty of foot room on those 35 mile days. The stern design assures train-like tracking and minimal weathercocking, even in fierce crosswinds. The hard-chine hull is strongly influenced by West Greenland designs. It is easy to lean and turn, handles following seas with ease, and surfs beautifully. The long waterline and moderate rocker assure plenty of speed.

More than 7,000 Chesapeake series kits have been shipped over the last 10 years. An enduring favourite among paddlers, the Chesapeakes are the gold standard for build-it-yourself sea kayaks. They are easy to build but handsome and fast. High-volume bows lift you over rough seas, or powerboat wakes, while the skeg-like stern prevents weather-cocking in blustery winds.

Epoxy end-pours at the bow and stern simplify construction and provide extra impact strength. The outside of the hull is shrouded in fabric set in epoxy for abrasion resistance. This coating is transparent and will allow the owner to leave the wood grain showing for a beautiful finish which is virtually maintenance free.

Kit

The kit includes:

• Pre-cut wooden panels with pre-cut joints
• Pre-cut solid wood components with pre-cut joints
• Epoxy resin and activator
• Epoxy fillers
• Copper ties
• Woven glass fabric
• Woven glass tape
• Fabric covered foam seats and backbands
• Adjustable footbraces
• Deck hold-down lines (screw-on)
• Comprehensive building manual and plans
• Free technical support from a competent builder

What else do I need?

Study manual

This is intended for pre-build study or to help with the decision to purchase. This is the comprehensive manual that accompanies the kit; reading it will help you decide whether or not you can build the boat. It describes all of the techniques that will be used during the build and also a step by step guide to construction. It contains a photograph or diagram of every step.

If, later, you decide to purchase the kit the cost of this will be deducted from the kit price.

The manual does not contain the cutting instructions so it is not possible to build the boat from scratch using only this.

PDF study manual

The construction manual for the boats is also available as a PDF download. After credit card authorisation a download link will be sent to the email address put on the order form.

Plans and manual (not required by kit purchasers)

These plans and manual contain sufficient information on the cutting of the panels to make it possible to build the boat from scratch rather than a kit. This is an easy boat to build from the plans.

PDF plans and manual

This option is to download the complete plans and manual for building the Chesapeake kayaks in PDF format. You will need access to a printer/plotter capable of printing a ARCH-D size sheets (36″ × 24″ or 914 × 609 mm) in order to build the boat using these plans.

After credit card authorisation a download link will be sent to the email address put on the order form.

PDF study plans

These study plans are intended to give you an overview of the construction of the boat. They are in PDF format that can be viewed using Adobe Reader. There are two pages and they measure 279 × 216 mm (11″ × 8½″). They can be printed for carrying around.

After credit card authorisation the plans will be sent to the email address put on the order form.

When you have studied the plans, your next step might be to order the printed instruction manual, which will walk you through the project step-by-step.

Wood only

This option contains the solid wood and plywood components pre-cut to the correct size with pre-cut joints, plus the construction manual and plans. It does not contain any of the epoxy to glue and coat the boat, the fabric or tape nor any of the hardware or rigging.

Compare this kayak with others.