02/28/11 Started cutting parts out.
Today it is ready to go fishing.





Full story:

http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=158180

That is really cool. Might have to give this a try myself. Are you going to paint the rest of the boat now or leave it "foamy"?

Dave

Styrofoam is an easy material to work with. As far as i know this is the first kayak built of Styrofoam sheet panels, although plenty of other craft have been built of various Styrofoam products.

Styrofoam is degraded by UV, so I am planning on painting it a golden yellow (Corvette yellow). The bottom is coated with a graphite powder, epoxy mix. Graphite powder lubricates the bottom and makes it slide over things more easily with less damage so the bottom will remain black, the same as my other kayak HYBRID.

Looks pretty cool. But I think I would have to loose 100 LBS to be able to take it through any waves.

That is a cool build, but I am afraid I'd have to skin the bottom with something to feel safe fishing around all the stumps I do.

Sandy is 99.9% covered with Fiberglass inside and out. Bottom is 6 oz glass. 4 layers thick in the nose region 3 in the tail. And of course there is the Graphite powder epoxy all over the bottom. Bottom is nearly flat with only 1.875" rocker and it drafts only about 3.5" loaded. This is the same as my kayak HYBRID. In HYBRID I have run over rocks and stumps with hardly any effect, other than just slide off.

What did the over all weight come out to be? Looks like it would be easy to load and unload.

Current weight with the paddle but without the cooler is is under 30# digital. I can hold it in one hand or set it on my shoulder with ease.

Nice job, RBR. I'm always amazed at your handywork. You're an engineer at heart....

Thanks.

im a lil slow. are u leaving the foam board as the outer shell or do you put wood or something else on that foam

very cool project

Awesome build!

The Gunnels and hatch are trimmed with 1" corner molding and there is a small piece of Balsa on the tail piece and also the nose. There is a piece of pine on the top of the nose under the handle and the padeye. These are for something to screw into and for a little extra strength in these areas. The rest of the structure is 3/4" thick sheet Styrofoam (blue).





All of the Styrofoam is covered with epoxy and fiberglass inside and out. Sort of like a complicated surfboard. When epoxy is applied to the fiberglass it makes the fiberglass clear. You can see through it almost like it wasn't there, so you can see the printing on the Styrofoam right through the epoxied fiberglass.

Styrofoam comes with a thin plastic film on both sides. The film must be removed for proper adhesion of the epoxy. But the printing is on the sheet foam itself. That printing can be sanded off but why bother as the whole boat is going to be painted for UV protection. Bottom already has a coat of graphite powder epoxy and the rest will get painted hi-gloss golden yellow.

If you read the post on TKF, you can follow the process.

http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=158180

Styrofoam has to be the easiest of any of the materials I have worked with. It cuts easily with a knife, hacksaw blade or a saw. Shapes and sands with 60 grit sandpaper almost too easily. (Note the nice corners on SANDY.) Mistakes are easily rectified. Epoxy mixed with Microballoons fillets nicely and makes a great filler / bonding agent. Epoxy bonds well with no surface preparation required. (Polyester resin is a big no-no, as is contact cement.) And this stuff cost 13 bucks a sheet. Makes a "ham fisted hacker" approved project. Might not be as nice looking as something Gerald builds but it works and it is cheap, easy and relative quick. This kayak minus the seat cost about 275 bucks. If I had it to do over again I would have made it a hard back seat and saved some money and some weight.

thats the bee's knees