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Order your DVD or view demo video(click here)
through CreateSpace.com, an Amazon.com Company for $39.95
Q Can you modify the design?
A. Yes but… I'm not saying you can't build a better boat! But I'm giving you a plan for one that works well. There were a lot of prototypes before I got to this one. I made them shorter, longer, narrower, wider, and extended the deck to the bow. I thought each design was the cat’s meow. Some got paddled one time. I hate to have you build one of the clunkers on my reject pile and give up on the wood surfboat. I know you are a kayaker. The kayak personality does not like to follow directions and runs with scissors! For what its worth, try to keep the first one simple, get it done quickly, and paddle it before you make a lot of changes. This way, you’ll have a surf kayak that works and your next boat will be that much better and a lot less work.
Q We are interested to know if you use any type of fin system or if you rely on the rails.
A. Try it without fins first because you can always add them latter. The way the boat is built it has a natural bias or "over steer" (think mid engine sports car) that climbs up the face of the wave. Don’t forget that your paddle is really a quick action infinitely adjustable fin system! Adding a fins system is just a matter of adding some reinforcing layers of glass and installing them like in any fiberglass boat.
Q. The external chine/rail looks like a major tripping hazard. None of the commercial boats have such an extreme chine. Is it needed?
A. Everything is a trade off. You can carve or you can slide. The closer the boat gets to snow board performance the happier I am. The nature of the materials we are using in the surfyak does not lend itself to dumbing down the boat (you have to get into the stitch-n-glue to get fancy curves). When you catch the edge you know it. I've included one of those goofs in the video. You don't make the same mistake twice! Controlling the hard edge is not that hard and no different than controlling a ski, wake board, snow board, etc. One builder went through a lot of extra effort to build the boat (special jig) with the bottom rail inside the boat. Its beautiful but the first comment after he paddled
it was "This boat needs fins..." Don’t dumb down the rail until you try it. The rails make this boat!
Q Do you have any kind of paddler weight guide?
A. I'm 150 pounds and the yellow helmeted paddler in the video is 185 pounds. Watch the slow motion shots carefully to see how well it floats him. If you are heavier, every extra inch of width will float another 30 pounds.
Q. Is it hard to roll?
A. We show the boat being hand rolled in the video. Set up your outfitting to allow you to lean back on the deck at the end of your roll. If a broken down old man like me can do it, so can you!
Q. E or S glass?
A. E is cheap and works. The 30" 4oz cloth is around $3.00 a yard at US Composites.
Q. Why don't you use ready-made fiberglass seam tapes.
A. The end result was better with the thin, tight woven 4 oz cloth. It uses less resin for lighter boat. Also the finished edge left a lump that had to be sanded out later.
Q. How much do the materials cost?
A. The first boat will put you back $150. The “leftovers” will keep the cost of a second boat to $100
Q. Do you need any special tools?
A. A brad nailer (1/2" 18 guage") is a must. An air compressor and air tools sweat. Electric nailers tend to be bulky and you'll have to get into the corners. I have seen some thin ones out there. The rest of the tools are found in most home workshops.
Q. Why don't you sell a kit?
A. Shipping long pieces is expensive. All the materials used are readily available to you locally. I'd be embarrassed to take your money. On the other hand, the design and construction techniques are worth every penny.
Q. What about using Carbon or Kevlar cloth?
A. You can go for it but it zooms your costs up. Also the weaves tend to be thinker and hold more epoxy resin. Strips of carbon make great stiffeners and I’ve recently used Kevlar to reinforce the snout after a major hurricane induced pitoning into the sand.
Q. Can I use the cheap polyester resins instead of epoxy.
A. No. It does not bond properly with the wood and your boat will fall apart and your friends will laugh at you when it sinks.
Q. What about sea kayak?
A. We built a 14 footer using the techniques outlined in the video. It looked like a big surfboard. The amazing thing about it was that it tracked like an arrow! It really challenged my design assumptions. If touring is your thing check out www.TourYak.com
Q. Do you have to have the "snout"?
A. We ran the deck up the front on our sea long sea kayak as well as the first prototype surf boat.. Personally, I really like the way the snout works in the surf and feel the extra floatation in the nose is a liability. Also, making a compound bend in the nose will get away from the “girder” effect and reduce strength. Fixing a broke snout is easy. Fixing a splintered hollow nose on a wood boat is going to be a nasty project.
Q. Is the bottom completely flat?
A. No. Attaching the sides gives the bottom a slight bow outward. You can adjust the bow when you attach the top. The foam back pillar locks it in place.
Q. Can you spin the boat on the green wave?
A. No problem. The video opens with a great sequence followed by a slow motion replay.
Q. I want one but I don't have a workshop.
A. Do you have a parent, grand parent, or neighbor that's handy? I'd look for a model airplane builder. Guy's love to build boats. Once you start them, you may have a problem getting them to quit.
Q. I found 3' x 7' luan "door skins" at Home Depot but I can't get the 4'x 8' sheet the plan calls for. Can you help!
A. Check wood suppliers in the Yellow Pages. The same places that stock the hard woods for builders carry the thin luan for cabinetwork. Just don't get the thick stuff!
email your questions to:
surfyak@ec.rr.com
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