So my son really wants a kayak! After his first wet exit from a Stomper at the family Cooper Campout he wont stop talking about paddling.

I'm happy, and a little scared to be honest... He was actually paddling where he wanted to go by the end and I don't think I would do well if the paddle was twice my height and the boat was up to my armpits...

He is only 3'8" and 40lbs (He just turned 6, but he's small for his age)

The only real production option I see is the Jackson Fun1. I'd like to have a creek type boat because it would be more stable. Thinking I may buy the Fun1 and start making something as well. Probably a fiberglass kids creeker since he won't be taking it on anything that would break it... The Side Kick looks too big, maybe I'm wrong? It looks like it would be too big for him to roll...

Any advice on where to buy boat/skirt/paddle that he could use? I was thinking of using a weak bungee cord and sewing into fabric coated with that new hydrophobic spray since a real skirt may be too hard for him to pull...

I'd cut down one of my old paddles and grind down the sides to make it proportionally correct if I had to, but maybe someone makes a small paddle?

Making a kayak sounds fun and I'm open to advice!

Here is my thought:
1: Glue together enough pieces of styrofam to make the shape of the boat.
2: Hot wire knife the shape to where I like it (I know this will be hard but I have some experience with custom bodywork/car painting...)
3: Use drywall mud to sand/shape the final inner surface where it's perfect. The rim will be the hardest part, I'm thinking I may use two pieces of tubing, one that will stay wrapped in glass, and one that gets pulled out to make the inverted ledge, but I'm open to ideas!
4: Lay up fiberglass
5: Scrape out most of the styrofoam
6: Pour/spray acetone to melt out the styrofoam (if you don't know what acetone does to styrofoam try it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9Jx8NRkWTo)
7: wash away the layer of drywall mud with water and a sponge
8: Final sanding/finishing/paint the outside with car paint (I have lots of cool colors laying around still)

It's too bad nobody makes what I want, I'm thinking I may buy the fun1 now and try making the kayak I want. Right now my son is so excited he wants to help or do anything he can to get on the water so this may be a fun project. Making a seat will be challenging but I'm thinking just cutting up normal outfitting foam would be best.

The other option is cutting down a small plastic kayak and welding it back together sort of like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Akr2FtJAC_I

I'm afraid the cockpit will automatically be too big for him to use. I want him to be capable of rolling it...

On a crazy sidenote... I wonder if rotomolding is possible in any kind of sacrificial mold? I have lots of plastic and know how to make heat and could hand rotate... This wouldn't have to be the strongest kayak ever.

I have access to maching/fab/welding/rapid prototyping/CAD/robotics... etc and like doing this kind of thing... I've considered making boats myself for many years, maybe this is a good excuse to try.

Thoughts? I know this isn't the normal kind of kayak question, but I'm hoping someone out there has some advice!

Edited by Travisimo - 01 Jul 2014 at 12:04am

Or you could go to someone who knows how to build boats and get a custom boat made. PS Composites is just one example.

When I was a kid there wasn't much available at all unless maybe it was custom built. I had a Hurka (I believe thats the spelling). Fiberglass of course- we're talking 1980-1982 and this was a hand-me-down after my brother used it as his first boat. It wasn't the greatest boat but it was a kid's sized boat. My dad had Jim Snyder build a kid sized paddle. It had magical properties (moon dust).

Thing is, I was 10 or so. Small for my age, but bigger than a six yr old.
So the Jackson is gonna be... Big for him? Not sure didnt check specs. If so it could end up being an asset because essentially his lower center of gravity and lighter wieght might make it more stable.(?)

My second boat was basicly a full sized slalom boat. (The design was called a Blitz and it was metal flake green.) It may have been built by Paul Schreiner himself, for all I know. I know my dad got it through John Shreiner. I made it work but it was too big until I grew into it. My weight wasnt enough to really engage the boat, and I got back endered. A lot. Probably leaning back but I was just learning and didnt have a roll. Got the roll in '84 tho two weeks before my first trip out west - Middle Fork of the Salmon.
First combat roll ever....(sorry its story time kids and if you skip this one I feel sorry for ya...)After a dumbass rafter gave me a concussion while I was rescuing the five gallon bucket his dumb ass threw into the river because he didn't know how to splash battle and probably shouldn'ta been any how since we was above a class IV rapid. Sigh. Some custies. I tell ya. I had the bucket and was about to hand it off to the boatman. The custie yanked my stern grab loop from behind, and my 70lb ass or whatever just slid like nothin in that fiberglass kayak, right into the Oar between me and this dumb ass custie who greedily wanted that bail bucket for a stupid splash battle...I mean, by age 14 I was trained to safety kayak on commercial raft trips and I also understood the importance of a five gallon bucket or two for each boat on a multi day wilderness trip since self bailing rafts did not exist and these rafts had all my sh*t, yeah you can say I was motivated to perform my duties as trained. Muddy high water spike after a few days of heavy it rained... So yeah my head and fingers were all tingling because I had my bell rung and there was no way to stop and eddy out so we rolled into next rapid where I got chundered hard in a pretty big hole for a runt like me. I executed my very first true combat roll because I was somewhere I'd never been that was called "The River Of No Return Wilderness". Anyhow I guess I grew into that boat because by age 14 it seemed to fit a little better. Ran the Gauley in it in '85 and don't remember having any problems.

My dad had Jesse Whitemore build me a custom squirt boat in '86. sh*t, I guess I musta been a spoiled brat. But the Mouse Bat was rad. It was severly chopped down from a Lazer Bat mold Jesse had. I couldn't sink it or bow squirt it, but I used to stern squirt the sh*t out of it and splat all sorts of rocks. Mostly on the Lower Yough. Followed my brother down the Upper Yough for the first time in that boat. fu*k I was terrified because the run was so steep and pushy. I want to say it was 2.6' but maybe it wasn't that high. But when we went back to the Middle Fork Salmon I was solid. Leading adults down somewhat and probably recuing some kayakers. Splatting a few rocks...this is funny: and, get this, back in 1986 Idaho boaters largely had yet to be exposed to squirt boating (the original playboat). So some saw me splatting some rock and hooting (seemed to me like it should have been obvious I was having fun), and these western kayakers would paddle up to me in the plastic turds of the day (refered to as Dancers and Mirages) all distressed and freaked out asking me if I was ok "yeah! I'm having a great time- you should try it!" Anyway that boat was a good fit but it was custom built and I couldn't fit into it today.

Sorry, drifting off into the past, thinking of my own dad and how he got me so permanently hooked on kayaking...

Travis, its an awesome thing to foster in a kid. I always tell people I take rafting that running whitewater kept me out of more trouble than it got me into as a teenager w/ a freshly issued drivers liscense. And the trouble it got me into was healthier than my schoolmates were getting into, really. The sh*t they did for excitement was boring to say the least.

The difficult thing will be to teach him technique while quaranteening your own closet full of skeletons. In other words, try not to pump you fears into him by being an overly worrisome parent. On the other hand My dad was a little more cavilier about it. He occassionally threw me into some sh*t. Like, in that very first boat, a few years before I learned to roll, I remember running the Cheat Canyon when it was muddy (well, I guess it never did run clear with all the tanins from the strip mines- it would polish your gold for ya though if you wore it on the river and the rocks are all still very orange.) I will say this for my old man: whatever trouble he got me into, he was always capable of getting me out of. So I guess I learned how to be bold while being scared. But technique did come with that, so its not like he didn't give me a good toolbox with which to succeed. He was really good at surrounding me with talented people to learn from. I bet I had a solid 50 some mentors, most of whom were very experienced and smart about how they approached this sport. There is a piece of wisdom for any boaters out there who lead beginners: either be smart enough to keep your baby ducks out of trouble, or skilled enough and dedicated enough to rescue them after you drag them into trouble. Due to the inherent unpredictability of this sport, a good balance of both is required if you want people to feel good about sticking it out.

Father with 4 kids that all got into paddling.

Thanks for the advice everyone so far!

I'm looking into all of this, and after I talk to him tonight I'll see what my son thinks and decide what to buy this week. Darren where did you get the Fun1? I may try several options, I'm not worried about the cost. I'll sell whatever he doesn't like.

That Vaya does look like the best option for river running... I'd like to try him at rolling though, he's interested and only one way to find out!

Still entertaining the thought of glass, especially after JP's novel.

Edited by Travisimo - 01 Jul 2014 at 10:26am

I've got a Fun1 and a Fluid Vaya. The Vaya can only sustain a kid of about 50 lbs. My kids are 60, and they sink it on flatwater these days. The Fun1 is a crazy boat for a child- a playboat! They can barely handle it on flatwater. I take them rafting on the Wenatchee and they can see kayakers. They are 8 and 9. I'm waiting patiently for them to ask to kayak whitewater, which they have never done. I scared the sh*t out of them first time rafting (lower sky)and I'm still looking at them wondering when they will be ready. Can't force them can't wait till they are ready! Best thing out there is the Eskimo topo duo. Jackson makes one now. Christian has one and Im jealous. For now, its lake paddling and rafting for us. I don't want to scare em again. If they get comfortable on the water its all over, a lifetime of paddling rivers for us. if I scare them, they may not ever want to try it.

Cool post by UpNover. Loved reading how this actually can happen. fingers crossed....

I have a Fun 1 and a small inflatable you could borrow or buy (super cheap).  My son kayaked the inflatable down the Skagit and Wenatchee.  He only took the Fun 1 on the lake.  Both are taking up room in my garage and I'd like to find a home for them.

Email or PM me if interested.

Good luck!  Take it slow.  I scared both my kids and a few years later my son in finally interested in going out again but he's outgrown both his boats.