A Quick Overview of How a Cedar Strip Kayak Is Made

Building a cedar strip kayak by hand is a very difficult and complex process. Handmade kayaks require much experience to get it right, and the initial plans have to be studied very carefully. Some design them by themselves, while others acquire them from someone else.

Lofting is the process by which experts outline the forms and shapes of their new kayak based on either the blueprints. This part requires a great deal of patience and precision, as getting it wrong could spell disaster.

A handmade cedar strip kayak requires a large platform on which the body will be built. Once the platform is acquired or built from scratch, the long and tedious process of cutting the forms to scale from planks of cedar will have to begin. Cedar strips are fashioned, glued along their edges to the skeleton of the kayak and then prepared for the final stages of the process. The strips have to be laminated, and their edges have to be trimmed and milled.

Once the boat takes shape, exterior and interior fiberglass layers are added for extra support and stability. Then the deck has to be built and attached, and details like bulkheads and foot braces are added to get the kayak ready.

Although this lengthy and difficult process can be tiresome, you’ll find that those who have mastered the art of building a cedar strip kayak by hand enjoy the work in full and are able to do it with remarkable precision.