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The Unlikely Story of How I became a Kayak Builder
Phil's Number 2 Kayak resides on the coast of
Vancouver Island, BC
It started for me long ago - more than 25 years. My wife
and I built a two place 14-foot kayak kit from Waters Dancing
predecessor Polarcraft kayak kits. It was built with pine
stringers on plywood frames all carefully glued and screwed in
place. Then the structure was covered with a tough vinyl - all
in your choice of colors. By the time the seats, floorboards and
other finishing touches such as double vinyl on the bottom were
added, you had a pretty heavy craft. The construction process is
a blur in my memory. We were new to building almost anything.
But soon there it was - our boat. Sure it took some effort to
build, but the boat performed well as a day paddler. You could
put two adults and kids in it and get out on the water. Kayak
number one did its job, so well, in fact, that today you can
still see these boats in the water and on car tops. Times have
changed. The clear pine stringers are long gone at almost any
price.
Number 3 boat under construction.
Phil's Number 3 boat lives in Hudson, Quebec
(Algonquin Park)
Number two and three were stitch and glue kits. They were two
place, open cockpit, hard chine, stable and had beautiful wood
grain. Number two was for my wife and I. this boat currently
resides on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island, British
Columbia. Number three was built for my daughter who, as an
architectural graduate-she had dad build the boat for her while
on vacation in Montreal, this boat has traveled widely in
Algonquin park and on the Ottawa river. And now resides in
Hudson Quebec.
Phil's Number 4 Kayak (Lightning 17) in Victoria,
BC
Phil's Number 4 Kayak (Lightning 17) in Victoria,
BC
Now we come to number four. The first truly complete kit is
here, and is from Waters Dancing. She is a 17-foot
single, the Lightning 17 and is absolutely beautiful. With a
subtle shape created by more chines and a double sheer at the
deckline, there is beauty from every angle. At around 45 pounds
this boat is a high performance, with a beam of 24" she’s
very stable. You can paddle her all day in comfort. She handles
waves and wind in style - much better than the older design.
The amount of effort to move her is remarkably low, but strong
paddlers find her exhilarating. And the best part is the ease of
construction.
Every piece comes cut by computer controlled routers - they
are exact. And they are labeled clearly for easy assembly. You
follow the instruction book that comes with the kit. Everything
is supplied right down to mixing sticks. This kit approach means
that you, the builder, assemble the boat. You don’t have to cut
the pieces of the boat like the old days. Within a few hours,
you are stitching the pieces together! The most woodworking
experience you need here is knowledge of a little sanding. The
same stitch (with copper wire) and glue (with epoxy resin)
concept is required. It is amazing how in less than 100 hours
you have a spectacular boat, that you built. Number four is
beautiful and it attracts attention wherever she goes. She likes
long paddling trips and is good for carrying all the gear you
need for a three to four week trip. The seats are highly
developed and very comfortable.
The word is getting out about the
Waters Dancing
approach to kayak design. The products are so mature and well
designed. But when you think about how long they have been in
the business, it is understandable. I believe anyone can build
today’s Waters Dancing boat kits. The company is stable
and has proven in the last approximately 50 years that they are
here for the long term. If you need help, they provide great
assistance. You get treated as an individual not a number.
I am sure I will build again. Oh, I hear there are plans to
produce a 21’ double/triple-kayak kit. I can feel number five Waters
Dancing kayak coming to life as we speak. She is going to be
a beauty.
Phil Makin
Victoria, BC.
11/27/98
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