Photo courtesy of Nick Millward.

 

Sea Kayaks

Hand made wooden boats are inherently superior in strength-to-weight, but they have been overlooked and underdeveloped due to the pressures for cheap factory production.  My goal is to change that.

 
 
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Mahogany laminate construction

Also called stitch-and-glue or plywood boats, these are a pleasing blend of wood's remarkable structural properties with fiberglass fabrics' strength, and high quality epoxy resins.  Unlike most kit boats, I use a heavier, bias-wove glass fabric.  Aesthetically, it does not wet-out for that glass-like wood revealing finish, but it is stronger, has more fibers crossing the length-wise seams, and complements lower-maintenance paint finishes.

Design freedom

  • bomber surf-touring day kayak
  • SUP
  • fishing kayak
  • closed deck, low windage sail touring canoe
  • "mule" boat: tandem, sealed deck, stable/easy friend hauler
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Built like a ship

The guiding principle of LSK sea kayaks is that these boats should be overbuilt to match the demanding Oregon coast.  The intention is to make a boat that I would trust after pitch-poling on a sand bar, grinding over barnacle-covered rocks, and getting wedged in a crack by a surge while exploring a sea cave.