Hi!
I'm from Sweden and found this really interesting forum just now.
I'm doing a lot of adventure racing and paddling is one of the main parts in competitions.
So, i would really like to make my own kayak, but this one will be like a surfski, something like this;



I have a few questions I hope someone can help me with:
First, I would like to build a boat as light as possible, in carbon fiber / kevlar. How thick should have the hull and deck.
Then I do not know if it is possible to make use of rasin infusion technology or whether to try to vacuum bag. I am puzzled, however, if you have time to wet-laying the entire hull and then on the vacuum bag before the rasin time to solidify.
If one would use rasin infusion, how often you need to outsource distribution tubing to cover the entire hull?
Then I also wonder how best to put together the hull and deck. I saw the movie on kayak repair and which used some form of kevlar tape. Is it the best thing to use or is there something else?
Hm, these issues are perhaps slightly messy but I am so grateful for all the help I can get.
Thanks in advance,
Staffan, Sweden                                                    

Go and have a browse of double dutch and vajda kayaks.  Yes, I know they are slalom boats but have a read at the construction lay-ups.  Might also be worth looking at murky water and angst kayaks.  These are squirt so are a heavy construction but will detail the seams.  Typically for a boat like you are suggesting a single layer of 600g followed by 4mm PVC foam and then 2x200g layers will give a nice light rigid boat.  Seams are typically 4-6 layers of kevlar tape.  The very ends of squirt boats have an 'end pour' as the ends are inaccessable.  This is a mix of chopped ends and resin poured in to seal the ends.  Shouldn't be needed for a surf boat though.  Hope this helps?

Thanks for all your tips a ideas!

Great to know approximately how thick kayaks are, because it's one of my major concerns.

Concerning the choice of the type of fabric, I guess they are plain CF is best for kayaking, or am I wrong? Could it be good to use Kevlar / carbon hull to get a little more durable hull?

Interesting what you write on the planning of the infusion Warren. I looked at this video,
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and where they seem to use the spiral tube to distribute the vacuum around and then add resin spiral tube in the middle and spread it on three different sites. Do you think it will work? It feels like it should be the most evenly around the entire canoe.

So, FLD, you believe in a sandwich construction. I've been thinking along those lines but most kayaks of this sort are not built with sandwich construction.

Now I'm planning the orders from composites easy! I'm really looking forward to get started!