Seguin, a sports car of a kayak, will reward experienced paddlers with spirited performance.

Designer Rob Bryan has added a retractable skeg to this kayak to assure positive control without the compli­cation of a rudder system. Spectators watching sea kayaks working into big waves often comment on the daring of the paddlers. In fact, blasting to windward is the easiest part of rough-water kayaking in terms of the skills required. Sea kayaks, with their low profiles and pointed noses, love that game.

Line drawing of Seguin kayak.

Rob Bryan’s Seguin kayak design will reward experienced paddlers with spirited performance

The real test of operator ability occurs when paddling across, or off, the wind. Some kayaks tend to dig in and root when traveling with wind and wave. Many kayaks want to round up and face into the wind, no mat­ter where the paddler might want to go. By raising or lowering Seguin’s skeg, you can head where you wish at will.

With Seguin’s cockpit tailored to your own dimen­sions (using specially shaped foam pads), this kayak becomes an extension of your body. You’ll be able to lean, brace, and Eskimo roll with great ease and style.

Seguin’s cockpit details show the custom-fitted padding helpful for bracing and rolling.

Despite all its sophistication, Seguin is easy to build. Simply cut the hull panels to shape, stitch them together, and finish the seams with epoxy and fiberglass tape. At 42 lbs, this is a clean, light, and strong boat. And it is extra­ordinarily handsome on the water.

Plans for the Seguin Kayak include profile, deck plan, and panel layout; three sheets of construction details; full-sized patterns for skeg and cockpit; and a 40-page construction manual. WoodenBoat Plan No. lll, $60.00.

Seguin Kayak Design Plan Details

DESCRIPTION
Hull type: V-bottomed sea kayak
Construction: Stitch-and-glue plywood
Featured in WoodenBoat No. 115

PERFORMANCE
Suitable for: Protected waters
Intended capacity: 1
Trailerable or cartoppable
Propulsion: Double paddle

BUILDING DATA
Skill needed: Basic to intermediate
Lofting required: No
Alternative construction: None

PLANS DATA
No. of sheets: 5 plus instruction booklet
Level of detail: Above average
Cost per set: $60.00
WoodenBoat Plan No. lll

Particulars

LOA: 17′ 10″
Beam: 21 1/2″
Weight: 42 lbs

Launching Your New Sea Kayak

So, you’ve built your Seguin Kayak and are ready to launch. But how and where to? Check out these other articles for a handy DIY boat cart you can use to transport your new kayak to the water, and a couple adventure stories for some inspiration.

A DIY Boat Cart: Transporting boats with ease and economy

Dallying Downeast: Meandering the Maine coast by sea kayak

Rowing the Broughton Archipelago: A British Columbia cruise