Petrel Play Stitch-and-Glue

Product Description

Acknowledging the market demand for stable recreational kayaks but unable to resist the urge to play in big water, Schade created the Petrel Play, a 14 foot recreational kayak based on the stitch-and-glue Petrel. This shorter, wider kayak will suit a beginner for exploring lakes, or an expert surfing big waves.

For many paddling trips the greater speed and tracking of the 17 foot Petrel is unnecessary. A shorter boat can be more responsive, lighter, easier to store and still paddle fast enough to get where you want efficiently and comfortably.

The versatile Petrel Play is suitable for a novice paddler who just wants a stable, easy to paddle kayak as well as the more experienced paddler who wants a responsive and manoeuvrable boat for playing in surf or rock gardens. It will appeal to paddlers of all shapes, sizes and skill levels for moderate pace cruising and has good stability in waves, with the ability to lean comfortably.

Like the stitch-and-glue Petrel, it has super-waterproof rubber hatches, giving it a rugged, business-like look. These hatches are recessed to minimise spray and ease rescue techniques and the cockpit is also recessed to make rolling easier. It can be built with the same retractable skeg used in the stitch-and-glue Petrel, but this is not included in the kit for the Petrel Play.

There is now also a strip-planked Petrel Play available.

The Petrel Play is a sleek, West Greenland-style kayak with advanced handling qualities in all conditions, especially waves. A sport-oriented kayak for surfing, it is fast enough to keep up with most full length sea kayaks as long as you don't want to race.

The stitch-and-glue Petrel Play is a sophisticated design that is not the easiest to build but the complexity pays off in the paddling.

Read a review of the Petrel Play SG in the final issue of Sea Kayaker magazine.

Petrel Play SG-L

Designed for larger paddlers, the Petrel Play SG-L is a scaled-up version of the standard Petrel Play with a greater displacement. The boat remains manoeuvrable and responsive for playing around in tide races and exploring rock gardens.

This is a great all-round kayak for heavier paddlers seeking high-performance characteristics in rough water. It is also suitable for taller paddlers who need extra foot room.

Kit contents

The kit includes:

• Pre-cut wooden panels with pre-cut joints and pre-drilled tie holes
• Epoxy resin and activator
• Epoxy fillers
• Woven glass fabric
• Rubber hatches
• Fabric covered foam seat and backband
• Adjustable footbraces
• Foam knee pads
• Deck hold-down lines (bolt-on)
• Comprehensive building manual
• Free technical support from a competent builder

The Petrel Play does not come with a retractable skeg, but it can be built with one. It should be installed before joining the deck to the hull.

What else do I need?

To install the rubber hatches, a marine-grade adhesive sealant will also be needed.

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 boat 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 (not required by kit purchasers)

The plans contain sufficient information to build the boat from scratch rather than a kit. They include full size drawings. Please note that there is currently no manual for building from plans. The Petrel Play is not very easy to build from plans unless you have plenty of experience. We strongly recommend novices to build from a kit.

Wood

This option contains only the building manual and pre-cut wooden parts for the boat. This option is for those wanting to obtain the other materials from other sources.

Compare this kayak with others.