Thread: Off Topic - Launching Kayak!

We paddled about a mile and a half today between my dad and myself. When I carried it down to the lake, I could hear water in the aft compartment. After paddling I heard water in the fore compartment also. I opened the inspection port and toweled out a little bit of water. We also drilled a hole in the deck where the aft hatch is going to go and drained out maybe a tablespoon of water.

I am guessing the issues are going to be the deck/bulkhead connection, and I can add a fillet in the interior of the compartments (the aft after I cut the hatch opening - the fore now). But, how worried should I be about that water intrusion? I washed the boat out thoroughly last night and am guessing that is when the water made it into the aft compartment. (One guest did manage to tump the boat upon her second time to enter to go paddling)

Thanks again for all your support!

Danielle

I don't know about the rest of you, but my first boat building attempt, couldn't possably have been brightly finished, which goes to the caliber of builder we've found in Danielle. Boy, dad looks mighty proud too. I wonder which he's more impressed with, the boat or his daughter . . . I'm betting on daddy's little girl.

Did you get water inside the cockpit? Next time take a sponge and remove all the water continuously ... then if the ends get a bit of water it might not be from the cockpit. Might be just one hole from the wire stitching.

Very glad you were there to help too PAR! But biggest credit to D and Dad!
MIK

Par - The inside is ugly ugly ugly. CLC's kit was largely good, but I hear (from John Harris himself) that the Mill Creek suffers from having been the last analog designed boat in their "fleet". I hope they keep it around because it is a pretty neat boat.

That said, as Par will attest to conversations we have had, I already have my eye on the next boat (easy, my Eureka - needs to be glued now, should go together pretty quick I would think). I am looking at another canoe/kayak for the SO that is short enough to move around some of the tighter turns around here. I am thinking something that is like a deckless kayak, but not sure. After that I am looking at something I can learn to sail on the little lake behind me. Might be a Oz Racer or a GIS or who knows. I love the look of Stevenson's Weekender, but frankly think it is trying to be too many things and honestly I will never camp/cruise, so ... Anyway, I will ask all those questions probably when I start the third personal craft. (Or, my third boat might be a surfboard if I can find plans )

Thanks again for all the encouragement. I am sure I will be back with questions on the Eureka (like, can I do my final winding/tightening with the boat on the floor? I fear not because of its weight distorting the rocker, but it sure would be a lot easier for me.)