Shrike, a lightweight sea kayak for home construction.^

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Sat Jul 21, 2018 5:43 pm

Peter M. enjoys lunch and the view of Daymer Bay.

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Mon Jul 30, 2018 2:51 pm

Today I received this photo from Ben in Australia with his elegant new Shrike:

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Thu Aug 09, 2018 10:06 pm

Photo received this week from Jeff in the USA.

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Wed Aug 15, 2018 12:07 pm

Ariel in Spain has just completed his very pretty Shrike. He has installed the optional three-part foredeck, rather than using our standard single sheet of 3 mm plywood. Sometimes builders do this because they are only able to source thicker plywood that is unable to bend to the complex shape required, and sometimes the builder just wants a very high knee position. We have the plans for this 3-piece deck and they are available on request, but we know of only two others who have opted for this.

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Mon Oct 08, 2018 3:01 pm

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Sat Oct 27, 2018 10:58 pm

She is Zeka's second Shrike:

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Fri Nov 09, 2018 5:49 pm

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 5:44 pm

Selkie Kayaks from Newhaven, Sussex, UK, is producing Shrikes with some fine workmanship: https://selkiekayaks.co.uk/

Robert Craig · Post by **Robert Craig** » Mon Nov 19, 2018 1:51 pm

The workmanship is stunning!

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Wed Nov 28, 2018 9:46 pm

Peter M. snatched a paddle on Monday near Polkerris just before the heavy gales arrived:

mcgruff · Post by **mcgruff** » Thu Nov 29, 2018 7:38 pm

It's amazing what a nicely-shaped kayak can be made with a few flat sheets of ply.

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Fri Dec 14, 2018 8:45 am

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Tue Dec 25, 2018 5:09 pm

Neall in Devon, U.K is making good progress:

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Tue Jan 01, 2019 10:56 am

...and Happy New Year to you all.

Beryl · Post by **Beryl** » Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:14 pm

Just joined the forum on the basis on this inspirational thread. I read all the pages yesterday and most of them again today. Two blokes, a dad and son get an idea in their heads and it goes global. Easy enough today,; you just click on ‘like’, But with this you have to build a very long sea kayak out of a sheet of wood.... Brilliant!

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Mon Jan 14, 2019 2:25 pm

Beryl, you've brightened up my day/week/year. Our project is based on love of life, and love of paddling and sailing on our wonderful waterways. Our only reward is the knowledge that we've helped spread this love around the world, so we're always very happy and grateful to receive messages of support.
Thank you!
Nick, of www.cnckayaks.com

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Mon Feb 11, 2019 8:36 pm

mcgruff · Post by **mcgruff** » Mon Feb 11, 2019 10:07 pm

The white hull / natural wood deck looks very nice :)

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Fri Mar 01, 2019 10:32 am

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Wed Mar 20, 2019 5:22 pm

Costa, from Transylvania, Romania, has obeyed the instruction from his 7 year old son to decorate his Vember with animal drawings.
Nick

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Fri Mar 22, 2019 12:26 pm

I've not previously seen one with quadrilateral hatches.

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Fri Mar 29, 2019 10:04 pm

almorris1 · Post by **almorris1** » Thu May 02, 2019 7:22 am

Hi all, looking at having as crack at the Shrike 2. Has anyone used 4mm ply as opposed to the 3mm?

Seemingly difficult to obtain 3mm in Ireland as opposed to 4mm

Also what quantity of epoxy did people end up using? Was 4kg enough or is 6 kg needed?

Thanks,

Al Morris.

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Thu May 02, 2019 8:01 am

Al, I buy 3 litres of the non-blushing low viscosity MAS epoxy from here:
https://www.ecfibreglasssupplies.co.uk/ ... -slow-cure

Epoxy is heavy and expensive, so try to use the minimum commensurate with strength. I use tongue depressors to form the fillets. By varying the angle at which you hold the depressor against the joint one varies the size of the fillet:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wooden-Tongu ... TvZhAs21jQ
I aim to put an excessive dollop of epoxy at the start of a joint, and drag it steadily along the joint, leaving two small ridges of epoxy at the sides of the fillet. I then put the depressor on its edge, and sweep the ridges along at an angle so they can be removed. When all the fillets are complete in the hull I give it all a thin coat of epoxy all over. One of my granddaughters is the best I've seen at this.

I buy my 3 mm Elite plywood from Robbins, who will deliver worldwide. Superb quality and service, with the sheets wrapped and fitted with bump -resistant corners:
http://www.robbins.co.uk/Pdf%20Files/pl ... oods_1.pdf
http://www.robbins.co.uk/main/delivery.asp
4 mm ply would make the kayak heavier to transport, it would detract from the sparkling performance, and make the one piece foredeck more difficult to shape.

I'm delighted you are considering building a Shrike. Please let us know your progress.
All the best, from Nick.

almorris1 · Post by **almorris1** » Thu May 02, 2019 10:18 am

Cheers Nick, As I've young children of my own, no need to borrow your grandchild, much appreciated anyways. And thanks for the other info.

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Mon May 06, 2019 9:57 pm

almorris1 · Post by **almorris1** » Wed May 15, 2019 10:24 am

Hi, All. Can anyone recommend a place for printing the plans off? Tried various places in Eire and N.I. but still no closer to a print. Have ply and epoxy plus bits and bobs. Need paper.

Mowgli · Post by **Mowgli** » Wed May 15, 2019 10:52 am

I used Hobs in Bristol. They were able to post the plans out, I think it was £20 including post. You need to remind them to scale the PDF to 200%.

Oisin · Post by **Oisin** » Wed May 15, 2019 6:05 pm

Hi Al,

Hacketts printing on Baggot St in Dublin printed the plans for me, 35 euro in 2016. I got 4 mm ply from woodworkers.ie. West epoxy from chmarine in Cork. Getting cedar for the sheer clamps was tricky, ended up ordering/buying some lengths of tongue and groove cladding from mcmahons and cut that to size.

Oisin

nickcrowhurst · Post by **nickcrowhurst** » Tue May 21, 2019 7:01 pm

UKRGB

The UK Rivers Guidebook

Shrike, a lightweight sea kayak for home construction.^

A Shrike at Daymer Bay, North Cornwall

Ben from Australia with his Shrike.

Another Shrike from the USA

Another Shrike in Spain

Ivan from Greece has completed his Shrike

Another Russian Shrike is born

John in Scotland has just completed this beauty.

Re: Shrike, a lightweight sea kayak for home construction.^

Re: Shrike, a lightweight sea kayak for home construction.^

South coast of Cornwall, U.K

Re: Shrike, a lightweight sea kayak for home construction.^

Mike H's first roll in his Shrike

A Shrike in progress

Peter M. at a beach on the Fowey River, Cornwall

Re: Shrike, a lightweight sea kayak for home construction.^

Thank you, Beryl

From Australia, Ben Flora's Shrike

Re: Shrike, a lightweight sea kayak for home construction.^

Paul from Plymouth built this beauty

A Vember in Transylvania

In Luxembourg, good progress on a Shrike

Peter stops for a coffee break near Polperro, Cornwall, U.K

Re: Shrike, a lightweight sea kayak for home construction.^

Re: Shrike, a lightweight sea kayak for home construction.^

Re: Shrike, a lightweight sea kayak for home construction.^

Peter's Shrike on the River Camel, North Cornwall, UK

Re: Shrike, a lightweight sea kayak for home construction.^

Re: Shrike, a lightweight sea kayak for home construction.^

Re: Shrike, a lightweight sea kayak for home construction.^

Another Russian Shrike from Zeka in Vladivostok