Four Hour Kayak!

You can build a kayak of green willow shoots, a blue tarp, some wire and Grip Clips in just four hours!

Step 1 The amount of willow used to make the kayak.

amount of willow used. You can use any flexible saplings or branches.

Comments

[TheRealPeregrinus]

I like it. Good job. If you use the material that river rafts are made of you could have a tougher (although more expensive) craft. I once made a raft from tarps, an inflatable bed and tubes, 700+ lbs of people went on it down a river for 10 miles. It survived intact but the tarp ended up leaking since we caught a rock. If I make one again it will be from something tougher so I can hit more rapids. :)

[Raydon]

The pictures wouldn't come up on my computer. Just got an Internet Explorer error message. It reminds me of a project in Boys Life many millenium ago.

[hossweightlifter]

I have Mozilla Firefox so I didn't have a problem.

[Terivia]

i wish boys life did something adventurous like that nowadays....

[dj whatever]

I have that problem too on steps 5 6 7 8 9 and 10

[Matin]

If this is the Kayak project you can see it at: http://www.shelter-systems.com/kayak.html for the time being. The images are down on instrtubles right now

And Yes. Always Wear a Life Jacket.

[Djembejim]

Do you think it'd be plausible to use 3 plastic drop cloths you'd use for painting?

You can buy them in a pack for 5 dollars at home depot, and tarps are a bit more on the expensive side

[ddenny3]

You probably could, but the tarps are a thicker material, where as the plastic drop cloths are very thin and rip with minimal pressure. I would stick with a more heavy weight material if it was me.

[wakefiec]

A thought on connecting the willow frame - use the wire ties that are used to hold rebar together (available at Lowes and Home Depot) - There is a small hand tool involved - but it would sure make short work of that part of the project.

[jtpoutdoor]

what a cool kayak- for ties how about those plastic cable ties- on one way locking ones. Obviously not as strong as wire but easy to do up

[ilpug]

those are called zip-ties. in some cases they are stronger than wire.

[pitzhr]

Great project, here are the two photos of my version - built yesterday :)

[militiaguy]

Very clever. I could see where this could have survival applications, but seems mostly fun. I like it!

[Mbrito]

Thats the kind of knowledge that can save your butt in certain emergancies. Good work, great inspiration.

[rowerwet]

a friend of mine in high school made a tyvek kayak, the frame was simple 1X2, 2X2, and 2X4 lumber, the tyvek (comes in large rolls as vapor barrier at hardware stores for house building) was wrapped underneath the frame and stappled around the top, above the water line. It worked well and was faster then my canoe with two of us trying to keep up with him. Whenever it got a hole he just put some duct tape on it. (there are better fixes I just can't remember them right now) It was rather heavy due to the dimensional lumber frame, but that was also its reserve floatation, I remember one time we were just about back to the boat ramp when his kayak sank, due to the lumber it was floating just under the surface so he could still continue to paddle it along. There were a bunch of clammers going out at the time and they thought it was a riot to see him paddling into toward the boat ramp with no visible boat! all they could see was his paddle and life jacket!

[rock climber]

Wow, great idea, i bet it goes pretty fast too.

[bongo matt]

I had that idea ages ago! Haha, really glad somebody has actually done it an put it on the net, good effort!

[linuxlifer]

thats, awesome and weighs less than my 9 foot lightweight lobo

[Pornostache]

very cool! dunno about "and is good looking" but it kind of reminds me of my truck. Ugly and blue but runs like a dream.

[marian h]

I'm gonna try this one! Has any one got a story, or tips to share? How about wrapping frame in plastic garden netting before the tarp for extra strength?

[kraken1988]

Dare someone to make one and take down rapids!! video please!! =D

[Junk Mail]

That is just plain cool

[motorbreath]

you posted this on primitiveways.com to. I like the idea but do u no if pennslvania has green willow shoots? if not what would you recomend as a substitute? I'm going to make a canoe version using deer hide.

[Matin]

Yes, you can find the kayak at primitiveways.com. While there be sure to check out some of the other fun how to make pages. Willow grows near creek bottoms world wide, so you should have some. However, almost any flexible sapling will work, if you can bend it into a hoop for the ribs.

[LuisWalker]

the images seem to be broken?

[Matin]

I see what you mean. Not sure what is going on, seems there is an instrutable dis function. You can view the same at my Shelter Systems' site: http://www.shelter-systems.com/kayak.html

[LuisWalker]

thanks for that link this kayak looks awesome. i think im going to give it a try and test run it at my local park....

[dominic.tarr]

now, hitchhike up some river with tarp sleeping bag and food. build kayak and paddle back down. take photos and post it on here or something. I double dare you!

[Matin]

sounds like fun if the river is flat (this boat is Not for rapids); the harder part may well be the paddle; f anyone does it let us know;

[Vinstepula]

This looks pretty cool. I want to make one but willow trees are hard to find around here.

[Matin]

Willow is found along the banks on most creeks but you can use any flexible branches or saplings.

[thermitemaster]

Cool idea! I would freak if I was going down rapids and I started to hear twigs snap. lol

[Matin]

NOT for rapids!

[CanDo]

THIS IS DIRECTLY FROM http://www.shelter-systems.com/kayak.html....

[Matin]

This is the same author; me.

[vertex181]

Or you could put the willow rods thru the the floaties and cut acordingly and such it make it more stable and if it did colapse uve got cushions so it doesnt crush ur legs :)

[ironsmiter]

oh my, tytyty I almost threw out my old sea kayak because the paint had split, and the canvas rotted. since the frame was still ok, i gave it a fresh coat of sparvarnish, and skinned it with a heavy duty blue tarp. Granted, it weighs closer to 75 lbs, but it's worth it. for the extra weight, I get a seat, back rest, twin rudders, and a sail. The tarp works beautifully. As you mentioned, it's not as tough as it could be, but going with a heavy duty tarp(about twice the price) does add to it's durability. My first try was with a light blue tarp, simmilar to yours, but my first beach landing tore of the front end terribly. the heavy tarp helps, but to aid in longterm usage, I cut a bicycle innertube so it was a straight tube, then split it in half. cemented it to the tarp, along the length of the keel pole(bottom middle, that runs the entire length, for the non-boaters) This summer, if i can find a willow tree, willing to give up a few branches, I may try your approach...from scratch. I think I will use twine to lash the joints though... pokey wire, near a fragile tarp, scares me a little. Will probably add a few more stringers on the bottom, as i tend to carry gear with me when out on the water. Radio, cell phone, spare paddle, food, beverages, and a change of clothes ; all packed in ziplock bags, and then stashed in a tied garbage bag. bonus being, if you DO sink, the gear will remain afloat, and make rescueing your boat easier(always easier to retrieve a floating boat(even partially) than a sunk one.

[Matin]

Good idea about the bike tube bumper. What kind of glue did you use and is it still sticking?

[PaulE]

I thought for extra flotation for safety. Instead of innertubes, get some of those noodles they sell at wally-world in the swimming pool section. They are cheap and can be cut to fill in odd shaped places. You can also punch holes in them (in addition to the hole down the center) to connect them with a piece of rope. BTW, your project looks great. kudos

[led555]

do you have to be an experienced kayaker to keep this from afloat? how does it behave compared to a machined kayak? nice job!