Strip-building – assembling a pile of thin wooden strips into a functional hull – has been a popular canoe-building method for many years. Now boatbuilder Nick Schade, an engineer by training and a self-professed sea kayaking addict, has refined this time-tested method to build the more complex shapes of sea kayaks. The method is simple, forgiving, allows a liberal amount of design flexibility, and requires a minimum number of tools.
In The Strip-Built Sea Kayak, Schade presents full plans for three elegant designs inspired by the grace and seaworthiness of the Inuit and Aleut skin boats. Profusely illustrated instructions provide the details that will guide you through the process.
Nick Schade's strip-built designs are available as kits from Fyne Boat Kits and many of these include a copy of The Strip-Built Sea Kayak.
The book covers the techniques of building and also tools and materials and fitting out and maintenance of a completed strip-built kayak. It will also tell you what to consider when choosing a kayak design and how to create artistic patterns with the wooden strips.