Pumpkinseed Kayak -build it- it's easy-sail away and relax!

This Pumpkin Seed Kayak is inexpensive to build , transport and enjoy!

Step 1

Start your Kayak by purchasing a few inexpensive materials. 1 Sheet of 1/4" plywood 4'x8', 1 Qt. Contact Cement, Canvas to cover all seams, 1/2 " plywood 1'x2' , half round molding 1/4" x 1/2" x 8', same molding only 6' long, wood finish of your choice. Scraps for paddle and seat.

Comments

[mysticmoon]

I have a 1930's pumpkin duck boat made in the Albert Lea, MN area.
I would like to sell it, but don't know the value. Any help would be nice.
Thanks

[triumphman]

DO IT !

[skuitarman]

how much did all this cost you?

[triumphman]

 Well ro start: 4x8 sheet of 1/4" plywood was about $20.@ Lowees, quart of contact cement $10.@ Lowees, canvas $8. yard@ Joannes Fabricks, (mine was found in my garage stash), plywood scraps for ribs, get small pieces at Lowees to your needed sizes (price varies, but inexpensive) some kind of wood sealer (I used linseed oil I had laying around) You can use 1 spray can of clear or satin wood spray paint-$3 or so),molding strips for inside and outside $3-4.,  Paddle was made from my leftover 1/4" scraps and a White Birch tree from my woods. Oh yes, Gorilla Glue for the paddles. Thats about it! Very Affordable! The only expensive thing is your time- it is priceless! Enjoy! Happy Paddling. Triumphman.

[Evil is the name]

THANK YOU!!!!!!i built a blue one of these and sold it for $300!!!!!!!!THANK YoU

[triumphman]

Very cool dude!

[triumphman]

WAY TO GO DUDE!

[fastfloyd]

have you considered fiber glassing it can be relitivly easy and extra durable

[triumphman]

I have worked with fiberglass, repairing a hardtop for my 1963 Corvette! Very messy, smelly, toxic to say the least!

[starcad]

Very nicely built, however, I would have liked to see a reference to the orginal designer, Jess E. Rathbun published in Popular Mechanics, June 1963. 

[triumphman]

I appologize for that. My plans were handed down to me from my brother. There were no references provided. Rathbun should get credit from 1963 plans. Thanks.

[Stonehopper]

 I noticed several asking how he got all 4 pieces from 1 4x8 sheet. Looking at the finished boat and reading his dimensions for the cockpit cutouts it is obvious each hull piece is only 1 foot wide. Look closely at the oening and with the 5 1/2" dimension, it appears to have about 7" left.

[triumphman]

Exactly! One sheet of plywood is all you need!

[N8SMITH]

What advice would you share to someone trying to follow these instructions? How would you describe the physics behind what makes it float without tipping over?? I love it, but I will not sacrifice safety when playing with the kids. So, would it be safer to make it a little wider and deeper (Larger)?

[triumphman]

Yes safety is most imporatant. Our water rules now require all humans to wear PFD's (personal flotation devices) which I agree with 100%. Especially with children. Safety is #1, so enjoy the water and get to come back another day!

[triumphman]

not possible, I used one sheet of plywood, you will have to buy many sheets, your choice!

[zevdog]

We had these when we were kids, lots of fun, we used beach balls in each end just in case we took on too much water. I remember many trips down the river...not in any white water. Also we left the end frames loose so we could fold them in half and carry them to the water.

[triumphman]

Yes, thank you. I have since placed flotation material in the bow and stern, hopefully, avoiding any Titanic-like problems. Cheers and Happy Paddling!

[2ManyProjects]

This is a beautiful build of a time tested design. I found this build on line. http://diyfiles.com/kayak.html Looks like popular mechanics from the 60's.

[triumphman]

 Yes! you hit it right on the mark! I got this idea from my Brother who built one in the 60's from the popular mechanic's mag. Only diff. was back then you could purchase a 10 ' piece of 1/4" plywood. No longer available today! So I had to work with 8'. I would have loved to have two more feet to work with. More flex in the bow and stern. But thats all there is available. You can get 10' exterior ply in texture 111 but it is almost an inch thick. Too heavy and won't bend. AND you could not lift it by yourself unless you were Arnold S. Enjoy! Happy Paddling. Triumphman.

[2ManyProjects]

I am not sure where you are, but if you are in the north east you can get 5X10 1/4 Marine ply at http://www.newmilfordlumber.com/plywood.html. Looks like a speciality ply but you should be able to get it ordered at an non-superstore lumberyard.

[triumphman]

thanks for the info, I would love to do a ten footer! It would be so much better with a foot more at the bow & stern. But what is the cost of that specialty ply?

[tigle]

Hola, yo este fin de semana hice uno, fue muy facil y rapido, solo me queda probarlo en el agua, alguien sabe cuanto es el peso que soporta? Saludos

[triumphman]

No habla espanol !

[tigle]

Hello, if you want some pictures of the kayak made by me, you can send an email to this address [e-mail]. Regards

[mylamahasahat]

This looks like a fun project but i agree with indigo needs a new instructable

[claudg1950]

Mylamahasahat: Please see my reply to IndigoBlueMan here.
Or you may link to http://foldingkayaks.org/kayak.doc
All the best.

[claudg1950]

Myla: Please see my reply to IndigoBlueMan here. It may help. All the best.

[IndigoBlueMan]

I'd love to build one of these, but this instructable isn't too detailed. Maybe you could be more detailed in the measurements of each piece and more pictures.

[claudg1950]

Indigo: No problem. If you google "rathburn folding kayak" or "rathburn Popular Mechanics" or similar combinations you should retrieve several sets of instructions with measurements et.al. Some of them have so-so drawings but some others are really very good. All of them describe the same design originated by schoolteacher Jess E. Rathburn.
There is also another instructable for a yellow version of this same design nicely built by a lady.
To digress: Some ten years ago, a gentleman by the name of Pax Rolfe built the same folding kayak but he used coroplast instead of plywood (you may google it for a couple of photos). It seems like a great idea, though I wonder how he managed to glue the top and bottom together, as coroplast is reluctant to bond to most ordinary glues.

[Slainte1]

These are amazing little boats. Our scout troop built them back in the mid to late sixties, and paddled from Blythe to Yuma on the Colorado River every Easter vacation. Very stable and reliable. We used ten foot sheets of 3/8" ply, and saturated it with old formula Thompson's Waterseal. (We tried eight footers, but they were squirrely and required significant runners or skegs.) The canvas, also treated with Thompson's and coated with a rubberized paint, had to be cut on the bias to provide maximum flexibility. We rigged longitudinal hammocks beneath the gunwales for storage, and our bulkheads were easily removed for transport. Some of us made "bras" just in front of the cockpit to minimize water scoopage, which was a bit of a problem when dealing with rough water. These boats are a great, simple project, and provide a super way to get out on the water, rather than just looking at it and wishing.

[triumphman]

Too much rhetoric dudes! Just make it and enjoy doing it!

[projectbronco]

Could you use 3/8 plywood for this? I was just thinking about adding strength. Maybe even taking out the canvas and not making it folding, but rather solid top and bottom. Any ideas?

[projectbronco]

Nevermind, I realize 3/8 would be too thick to properly bend.

[srghot18]

On you tube there was something similar to it but was look like PVC and plastic it did fold flat if anyone could help me with it I don't know I thought about 45 degree elbows and i really don't know from there the video is under fold up kayak on you tube there kinda cute looking also. it just shows them unfolding them i also saw the plans for this a few time BOY SCOUTS build them a lot and then i also saw the same but it not boyscout. if anyone could help.

[jimbo480]

is the boat flat bottomed?

[projectbronco]

I found the plans for the kayak here: http://www.foldingkayaks.org/ Click on "Build Your Own" in the left side column and then read on and you will find them. They have them in word and PDF format. Apparently the plans are public domain. I wasn't so inclined to pay $20 for them. This is an incredible instrucitable, great job triumphman!

[popscott3]

Does water get into it?

[tigle]

yes, but I made a modification to it will not happen, to put a little overboard.

[popscott3]

Ok, Thanks!