CLC self build kits.

Paddler1977 · Post by **Paddler1977** » Tue Jul 19, 2016 5:52 am

Has anybody any experience of the clc self build kits? I've been told they are relatively forgiving even for those inexperienced in woodwork. Can anybody shed any light on this or share their personal experiences?

bassman · Post by **bassman** » Tue Jul 19, 2016 12:25 pm

My wife built a skiff similar to the "peeler skiff" with her family as a girl. The did a weekend course on the Chesapeake Bay. I'll see if I can get more details about it. Their skiff is still in use and on its second outboard.

keastman · Post by **keastman** » Tue Jul 19, 2016 1:42 pm

They are one of the big names in stitch and glue boats. Many have built them with little experience. Your degree of difficulty will depend on which model you select to build Probably the complete kits would be the way to go for first time builders so you don't have to loft plans and cut all the parts. Price wise, you'll get about the same or more than buying a plastic tub and have a kayak that is a bit fragile for the oyster infested waters we fish in. Building one is on my bucket list though. I want to build their SUP. One of our members has built a couple of strip, wood kayaks, hopefully he'll chime in. Can't remember his name off hand.

CLC also offers regional week long workshops where you build a boat with them. Not sure if they offer any in your neck of the woods. I think their web site has a schedule of workshops on it.

Pontiac · Post by **Pontiac** » Tue Jul 19, 2016 5:43 pm

I built CLC 16's from plans. Why? I figured because I was building two, there was economies of scale, so I chose plans over kit.
In retrospect, plans or kit, it was a lot of work. IIRC, I bought the kit for the hatches, which was a good call for the small pieces. It'd be tough to jigsaw. A lot of the work you do for the plans, you still have to do for the kit. I think I spent two "weekends" worth of free-time cutting out the pieces from plans.

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papanfisher · Post by **papanfisher** » Wed Jul 20, 2016 4:15 pm

That is a good looking kayak. Really something to be proud of paddling in. Nice work!

benny · Post by **benny** » Wed Jul 20, 2016 5:42 pm

I have built a cedar strip kayak from plans, that I later modified to make the cockpit larger so that I could fish
out if it. You will not save any money by building your own, kit or plans. I did enjoy building mine during the winter,
It did take some time as I cut my own cedar strips from cedar 2x4s. If you are handy, can follow the plans ,
and are capable of working with wood and fiberglass you will have no problem that you cannot fix.
My build is 14 foot long, 28 inches wide and weighs about 40 LBs , light, fast, but not real stable as fishing kayak.
I still have and use now and then, However I would not build another kayak to use as a fishing platform. Determine your needs
and buy on the open market, many choices are available and at reasonable prices.

Paddler1977 · Post by **Paddler1977** » Thu Jul 21, 2016 12:16 am

benny wrote:I have built a cedar strip kayak from plans, that I later modified to make the cockpit larger so that I could fish
out if it. You will not save any money by building your own, kit or plans. I did enjoy building mine during the winter,
It did take some time as I cut my own cedar strips from cedar 2x4s. If you are handy, can follow the plans ,
and are capable of working with wood and fiberglass you will have no problem that you cannot fix.
My build is 14 foot long, 28 inches wide and weighs about 40 LBs , light, fast, but not real stable as fishing kayak.
I still have and use now and then, However I would not build another kayak to use as a fishing platform. Determine your needs
and buy on the open market, many choices are available and at reasonable prices.

Thanks for all the info and advice everybody.

Benny, "You will not save any money by building your own". Do you think it would be more advisable to consider looking at a second hand kayak instead in that case?

keastman · Post by **keastman** » Thu Jul 21, 2016 7:11 pm

If and when I were to build a kayak of SUP, it will be totally for the Personal enjoyment of knowing that I built it and the experience of doing it since I'm kind of a DIY guy. I've built a couple of wooden paddles that were fun to build and inexpensive since very little glass and epoxy are used. There is quite a bit of time involved in the final finishing of the fiberglass and epoxy coating. Once the boat is built and looks like a boat, there is a butt load of glassing and sanding involved to make them look good, then you still have the final painting or varnishing to do

If you have the time and ambition I'd say go for it, if it's only to save $, maybe not.

Pontiac · Post by **Pontiac** » Thu Jul 21, 2016 9:25 pm

keastman wrote: If you have the time and ambition I'd say go for it, if it's only to save $, maybe not.

x2

Paddler1977 · Post by **Paddler1977** » Thu Jul 21, 2016 11:28 pm

Thanks for all the advice guys and the extremely helpful pm Benny. I'll let you know what I decide and how I get on.

hydrophilic · Post by **hydrophilic** » Sat Jul 23, 2016 9:31 pm

I have never used CLC plans or kits though I have built several boats. They are time consuming and best done in the winter or they cut into your fishing. Make sure you have a shed or basement workshop protected from the elements and out of the way so as to not interfere with your daily routine.

That said there is no better feeling than to catch a fish out of a boat you built.

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