I was surfing around the Internet today when I ran across these little jems. FOLDING ONE MAN KAYAK. This is something I have not seen before, or if I have I did not give it much thought. HOW COOL ARE THEY!
I have done a little more research to see how easy, or hard they are to build, and it don't look to bad. I am not sure if I would ever try it, but it is still cool all the same. Here is what I found:
FOLDING ONE-MAN KAYAK
You asked me for the plans for our little fun kayaks that you saw us using and I gave you this address to a special section of our web pages. These little boats always attract inquiries and I've handed out, and mailed many copies of the plans, but no more. Since discovering the Internet, I don't do "snail mail".
I built the two kayaks that you saw about 1968 from plans that a friend had. As I recall, he told me that he acquired them personally from a manual arts instructor that was camping nearby on an Idaho Lake. My friend had built several of them a few years earlier, as had some of his acquaintances. The plans were battered, faded and even had a small section burned, but they were usable, so I built a pair as did other friends since. One of these good folks traced over the plans and retyped the instructions so we could share with others. I have scanned them in for you.
The designer, Jess Rathburn, published an article "Folding Kayak" in Popular Mechanics, June 1963. Someone in our crowd ran across it and gave me a copy a few years ago. It's clearly a very similiar to this, so obviously the design is in the public domain and I'm free to share it with you.
Following are two pages of plans and two pages of text. The text is nearly original, so ignore the estimated cost (VBG). I've added a couple comments, initialed WR, based on our experience. Good luck on the ten foot plywood- it can be hard to find. If you're interested in further info on folding kayaks, go to The Folding Kayak Pages by Michael J. Edelman.
Have Fun, Wayne Roderick
FOLDING, ONE-MAN KAYAK
Materials and methods developed from plans and instructions of Jess H. Rathburn,
Co-ordinator of Industrial Arts, San Francisco Unified School District.
This kayak weighs less than 40 pounds and will carry a full-sized man. It can
be easily constructed with hand tools in a home workshop. Costs will vary between
$12 and $20 depending upon materials used. This design is for a 10-foot model.
The same basic principles have proven to be successful in 8 foot, 12 foot, one and two-
man models. Everything is held together with contact cement; no nails, screws, or
metal fasteners are used.
MATERIALS
Plywood: Use exterior, good on one side, AC for lowest cost. Good two sides
or marine ply will greatly increase cost.
Hardwood: Philippine mahogany is cheapest and is very satisfactorv:
Canvas: Use 14 to 18 ounce material. Can be treated, but test to see
that contact cement will stick completely to treated material.
(RISKY!- the contact cemented joints started failing after
about a year on some treated canvas- Use untreated -WR)
Contact Cement: These vary greatly. Test on canvas and wood. The faster drying
the better. Be sure to follow special instructions given later
in using contact cement. (lnstruction #3)
(Use the real stinking stuff- modern water based glue is not
a good idea. Do it outdoors, in warm weather!!!! -WR)
Paint: Use durable exterior paints and varnishes. Over canvas the paint
must be a flexible type. Some paint solvents will lift the
contact. cement through the penetration of the vanvas. Reglue if
this occurs. An outside prime coat of 1J.P. Fuller's outside latex
water thinned primer is a good protection against this.
(Use only latex on the canvas and glue joints -WR)
All measurements in inches
*Top & Bottom 4 pcs. 1/4 x 11 7/8 x 120 Exterior Plywood
*Seat 1 pc. 1/4 x 9 48
**Back Rest 1 pc. 1/4 x 9 14
**Paddle Blades 2 pcs. 1/4 x 8 15
***Spreader Boards 2 pcs. 1/2 x 11 24
Paddle Bar- 1 pc. 1 x 1 72 hardwood dowel (mop handle)
Bottom Panel Inside Strip 2 pcs. 5/16 x 1/2 60 Philippine Mahogany
Top Panel Inside Strip 2 pcs. 5/16 x 3/4 60
Top Panel Cockpit Top Edging 2 pcs. 3/4 x 3/4 60
Bottom Outside Runner 2 pcs. 1/4 x 1/2 117
Canvas (allow 2 inch overlap on seams. All sizes exact finished size) 3 yds. �36" wide
End Bias-Cut Strips 2 pcs. 2 1/2 x 46
Edge Straight-Cut Strips 2 pcs. 2 1/2 x 96
Center Top & Bottom Seam 1 pc. 10 x 16' 4"
Back Rest Hinge 3 pcs. 2 1/2 x 6
Contact Cement 1/2 gallon (Needed 2-1/2 qts- WR)
Primer Sherwin-Williams Check-Guard (Latex paint- WR)
*Exterior Plywood 1 pc. 1/4 x 4' x 10'
**Exterior Plylwood 1 pc. 1/4 x 2' x 4'
***Exterior Plywood 1 pc. 1/2 x 2' x 4'
Philippine Mahogany 1 pc. 1 x 6" x 10' (preferred)'
or 2 pcs. 1 x 4" x 10'
Page 2 of the Instructions
CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURE
Cut Plywood
1. Top - cut 2 pieces 1/4" x 11 7/8" x 10' from the 1/4" x 4' x 10' sheet of
exterior fir plywood. Cut the 10" x 48" cockpit piece out with a sabre
saw. Save the cockpit piece for a floor board.
Bottom - cut 2 pieces 1/4" x 11 7/8" x 10' for the bottom.
2. Each piece Should have a 1/2" straight section on the end. See plans - detail A.
3. Plane or file and sand all edges round and smooth.
Cement
4. Cement 4 pcs. 5/16" x 1/2" x 52" and 8 pcs. 5/16" x 1/2" x 5" on the inside of
the top and bottom pices of 1/4" plywood. See plan.
5. Cement 2 pcs. 3/4" x 3/4" x 60" on the outside of the top pieces. See plan.
See 9 and 10 below.
6. Lay out area to receive cement with Pencil lines 1 1/2" from the edges.
7. Apply top-grade contact cement with a cheap 1" brush liberally to both surfaces
and allow to dry until paper will not stick to the cement.
8. Apply a second coat to both pieces and allow to dry until paper will not stick
to the cement.
9. Bring the pieces to be cemented into proper position and squeeze them. (Clamps
are not necessary.)
10. Cover the joints thoroughly with many blows of a rubber mallet or block of wood
and a hammer with the panels resting on a heavy bench.
11. It may take 30 days for contact cement to reach full strength. Do not fold the
kayak until the cement is thoroughly set after approximately 24 hours.
12. Prime and/or paint the inside surfaces of all 4 pieces of plywood with two coats.
Do not get paint on the outside surface before cementing the canvas strips in place.
(Prime with Sherwin-Williams Check-Guard.)
13. Assemble top and bottom in proper position using 3 1/2" spacer blocks. See
plans - detail C1.
14. Draw a pencil line 1 1/2" from the edge all around top and bottom pieces. Apply
two coats of contact cement to this 1 1/2" edge area and to the canvas bias strip.
See steps 7 and 8 above.
15. Start in the center of the bias strips. Pull the strips taunt and bend simultaneously
Cement both sides down evenly and roll the canvas down with a paper hanger roller
first, then place it on a concrete floor and mallet the joints on both sides.
16. Apply two coats of cement to the side edges and to the canvas side strips.
Position-them properly, then roll and mallet in place. Allow to set for
approximately 24 hours.
17. Cut the spreader boards out of 1/2" exterior fir plywood. plane or file and
sand all corners smooth.
18. Cut the canvas center strip out of 14 to 18 oz. convas or #10 Duck (see sketch).
19. After end and side canvas strips are thoroughly set, set the spreaders in place.
Mark the edges 1 1/2" in for cement. Then apply two coats of cement to the.plywood
and canvas center strips. After it has dried, bring the canvas into position, roll
it down and then mallet the joint tight all around. Start in the center of the
bottom and work towards both ends.
20. Allow the center strip cement to set for approximately 24 hours. Then collapse the
kayak and cement the two bottom runners in place. Use clamps to hold the ends down
tightly for a few days.
21. Seal the canvas and all cement joints with an exterior latex water thinned primer.
Note: oil or solvent base paints may soften the cement joints. After sealing,
the kayak should be painted with a good undercoat and then finished with
two coats of marine enamel all over.
22. Cut the paddle blades out of 1/4" exterior fir or hardwood plywood and attach to
a 1" fir or hardwood round. Use a good mop handle about 1 1/8" diameter for paddle.
Obtain from industrial janitor supply.
This was one set of instruction I found. Here is another set of instructions I found on Instructables.com.
I made an 8' Folding Kayak for around $100 based on plans by Jess E. Rathburn originally published in Popular Mechanics in 1963. The plans have been modified by multiple people and instructions are available online for free in various locations:
http://www.vintageprojects.com/boats/folding-kayak.pdf (original plans)
http://www.ida.net/users/tetonsl/kayak/
http://www.vhcbsa.org/camping/kayak.pdf
http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/00/DM1999/articles/foldingkayak/index.htm
I've attempted to gather the most helpful tips and modification from each set of plans.
The kayak is made of plywood and canvas, and is bonded together with contact cement. The entire boat is coated in latex primer and paint, which waterproofs it. It folds up for easy storage, and is relatively easy to carry short distances.
Step 1: Gather and Prepare Materials
These are the materials you will need to make one kayak:
One of the sheets of plywood must be cut into four 1' x 8' pieces, the home improvement store will likely make these cuts for you for free if you ask.
- 2 - 1/4" 4' x 8' Sheets Untreated Plywood, smooth on one side
- 1 piece wood lath
- 1" x 2" wood for seat support rails (about 2' - 3')
- Exterior Latex Primer
- Exterior Latex Paint
- 200" Heavy Canvas, untreated
- Waterproof Wood Glue
- 2 - 2" Screws and Matching Nuts
- Heavy Duty Velcro
- Contact Cement (the strong stuff that creates fumes that will explode without good ventilation!)
- 6 or more - "C" Clamps
One of the sheets of plywood must be cut into four 1' x 8' pieces, the home improvement store will likely make these cuts for you for free if you ask.
Step 2: Cut the Wood, Paint the Interior
One of the sheets of plywood must be cut into 4 - 1' x 8' pieces.
Clamp two of the pieces together (good sides of the wood touching) to cut the cockpit opening. The cockpit opening should start around 41" from the front of the kayak, and can be whatever shape you'd like. The cut should have a depth of about 5", and be about 28" long. See the attached photograph.Now you get to decide what your kayak will look like. Clamp all four pieces of wood together; clamping the wood together will ensure your cuts match and the kayak is symmetrical. Round the edges of the kayak creating whatever shape you'd like. Don't make the front and back too pointy, or it will be hard to attach the canvas later. We left two inches flat on each side. See the attached photos for a better explanation. Tape the wood where indicated in the second photo, wood strips will be installed here, and will attach to unpainted wood more securely. Prime the inside of the kayak with a exterior latex primer.Paint the inside of the kayak with at least two coats of a flexible exterior latex paint. Porch and Floor Exterior Paint worked well, and was in the cheap-o mis-mixed color table for $5.
Step 3: Make Spacers and Spreaders
2 Spreaders
Cut 4 - 11" x 24" pieces of 1/4" plywood. Each spreader will consist of two 1/4" pieces of plywood bonded together. Using wood glue and "C"-clamps, bond the wood, creating two 1/2" thick rectangles.
Cut the spreaders to the dimensions specified on the attached photograph. The center of the spreaders can be cut out to reduce weight.
2 Spacers
The spacers will be used to hold the kayak pieces together and in the correct configuration during application of the edge canvas. Scrap wood can be used to make these.
Cut 2 - 3" x 3" pieces of plywood (dimensions are critical).
Cut 4 - 2" x 6" pieces of plywood (size of these is not as important).
Drill a hole through the center of all pieces of wood. Sandwich the 3" x 3" pieces of wood between two of the 2" x 6" pieces, attach with 2" screw and matching nut.
Step 4: Prepare the Canvas, Cut and Assemble Kayak
The kayak will be assembled using 5 strips of canvas of the following dimensions:
2 - 4.5" x 46"
2 - 4.5" x 72"
1 - 13' x 12" (this may vary, don't cut this one until step 6)
Draw outlines of the strips on the canvas. Paint the canvas with two layers of contact cement, allowing cement to dry between applications, before cutting. Applying the contact cement before cutting will prevent the edges from fraying.
Assemble the kayak with the spacer blocks according the the attached photo. Draw a line 2" inches in from the edge, all the way around the kayak. Apply two coats of contact cement to the 2" marked border, allowing to dry between applications. Repeat on the bottom of the boat.
Apply canvas strips using the 2" marked line as a guide. The shorter strips are applied to the front and back of the boat, the longer strips on the sides. Stretch the canvas, and apply slowly, smoothing wrinkles as you go. After each strip has been fully applied to one side, flip the kayak over and apply the remaining canvas to the bottom.
The strips will overlap, apply contact cement on the canvas where the overlap occurs, and secure.
This is the most difficult part of the kayak assembly, it requires patience. This step is easier with two people.
Allow to dry for at least several hours before installing the spreaders.
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Step 5: Install Stop Blocks
Eight stop blocks will hold each spreader board in place. The spreader board will pop into place between the stop block.
Cut 16 stops blocks from wood lath. Mine are about 1.5" x 1.5".
Determine where you would like your spreader boards to be positioned by installing them and getting in your kayak. I installed mine 22" from the front of the kayak and 22" from the rear, giving me enough room to sit with my legs extended.
Install stop blocks using waterproof wood glue. These will be installed on the unpainted sections of the inside of the kayak.
Step 6: Install Center Canvas
Install the spreader boards. Measure the largest gaps, at the front and end of the cockpit. This will determine how wide your center canvas strip will be.
You should add 4" to the largest gap to allow for at least two inches of canvas glued to the wood on each side. The strip will be approximately 13' long.
After you cut your strip out , center the strip and clamp it onto the kayak. Mark the canvas at the front and back of the kayak. Taper the canvas in these two spots to match the width of the front and back of the kayak. See attached photo.
Install the canvas with clamps again, and draw an outline around the canvas on the kayak. This will be your guide for contact cement application.
Apply two layers of contact cement to both the canvas and the kayak, and apply starting at either the front or the back.
Step 7: Assemble and Install the Seat and Seat Rails
The seat consists of two pieces of plywood, joined with a canvas hinge. The seat sits on 2 rails that are glued to floor of the kayak. The seat is attached to the kayak with velcro.
Cut two rails from 1" x 2" piece of wood, mine are about 17" long. Attach these to the floor of the kayak on the unpainted sections.
Cut two plywood rectangles for the seat. Determine the size of each piece with the spreaders installed in the kayak. Measure the distance between the seat rails to determine the width.
Cut out a small piece of canvas to use as a hinge, attach the two pieces of wood together. Paint and prime.
After the kayak and the seat have been painted attach velcro to the seat and the rails.
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