Goldfish

"Goldfish" is the slightly smaller version of our "Happy Hour" fishing kayak. Splicing of plywood sheets is not required as is the case with "Happy Hour". All parts of the boat fit within the length of a standard sheet of 1/4" (6mm) exterior grade plywood 8'x4' (2.4x1.2m). Two sheets are required. Stitch and glue construction with 3" (75mm) fibreglass tape in epoxy along the seams inside and out. As with all our designs the boat is sturdy, lightweight, easy to transport and store. The entire hull is impregnated with epoxy resin which increases the lifespan greatly. Storage/emergency flotation chambers in the front and back. During the initial sea trials "Goldfish" proved to be stable and tracks really well for a boat this short and flat thanks to the long fin keel. I even managed to stand up in the boat but wouldn't do it on regular bases. The front bulkhead acts as a foot brace while paddling. A 7' (2.1m) long paddle would be optimal. "Goldfish" is a very suitable boat for fishermen, bird watchers or nature photographers. It can be built for less than $250 CAD (2018).

Here is the bill of materials:

• Exterior grade plywood 4x8' (1220x2440 mm), ¼" (6 mm) thick - 2 sheets
• Fiberglass tape 3" (75 mm) wide by 6 oz. (200 gr/sq.m) - 30 yards (27 m)
• Epoxy resin - 1 gallon (3.78L) plus hardener
• Others - bread flour, chip brushes, rollers, fairing compound or filler, paint, sandpaper

The plans package consists of 4 pages of drawings (metric or imperial) and 25 pages of instructions with lots of photos. Included are plans for a custom seat. Plans in imperial units are set up to print on letter size paper at the convenience of your home printer. Metric plans are set up to print on A4 size paper.