Wood Duck Double

Product Description

This compact tandem kayak has a single large cockpit for two people to paddle comfortably, with the feeling of an open canoe. Based on the solo Wood Duck series, it is a handsome boat that is easy to build. Like the other Wood Ducks, it has above-average speed and versatility on the water for a recreational boat.

The Wood Duck Double will take two average adults, or a total payload of up to 400 pounds. Like all of the Wood Ducks, it paddles fast and with little resistance. Stability is sufficient for stepping down from a low dock – always a great test of a kayak's stability. Tracking is solid; it shouldn't need a rudder, though a rudder is still a nice upgrade to any two-person kayak, as it eliminates the need for committee decision-making on which direction to go from minute to minute.

Weighing only around 60 pounds, the Wood Duck Double is easy to handle off the water and with an overall length less than 14 feet it is exceptionally handy to transport and store. There are watertight buoyancy chambers at the bow and stern, with flush deck hatches so that they can be used for dry storage.

We expect to see a great many of these equipped for fishing and lots more with various combinations of children and/or dogs aboard.

Construction is as simple as possible in a kayak: all the wooden panels are computer cut and tie holes are pre-drilled. The puzzle joints aid in joining the long panels quickly without misalignment. This is an ideal first boatbuilding project.

Construction begins by joining the plywood hull panels with puzzle joints to reach the 14-foot overall length. Then the panels are brought together along their edges with stitches of copper wire, with four bulkheads helping to form the hull shape. The seams are reinforced with thickened epoxy, then fibreglass fabric. The deck is assembled separately from the hull, then stitched and epoxied in place. All of the copper wire stitches are removed prior to the final sheathing of fibreglass fabric. Finally, the cockpit is laminated in place and the front and rear hatches assembled. Comfortable seats and footbraces, included in the kit, are mounted after the hull has been varnished.

Compact, easy-to-launch boats seem to get used the most. In a tenth of the time it takes to launch a heavy boat on a trailer or drag the big canoe down the beach, you can slide one of these little kayaks into the water and be on your way. Keep your Wood Duck on top of the car ready to use.

There is also a Hybrid version of the Wood Duck Double with a strip-planked deck.

The kits contain:

• Pre-cut wooden panels with pre-cut joints and pre-drilled tie holes
• Epoxy resin and activator
• Epoxy fillers
• Copper ties
• Woven glass fabric
• Fabric covered foam seats and backbands
• Adjustable footbraces
• Construction manual
• Free technical support from a competent builder

A Wood Duck is an ideal first boat building project.

What else do I need?

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. The plans include full size drawings.

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 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

This option contains the solid wood and plywood components pre-cut to the correct size with pre-cut joints, plus the construction manual. It does not contain the plans (these are not required because the wood is pre-cut), 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.