Pakyak Usage F.A.Q. 1. Photos seem to show some flexing along joints with some extreme bends, is this the norm? 2. I am 230 lbs and would feel more comfortable with some more kayak under me. 3. In that vein, have you used heavier plywood? 5/8"? 3/4"? 4. How hard is it to repair the frame and skin in the middle of nowhere? 5. Is there space to carry cargo, such as food and supplies back to an anchored boat? 6. Is this Kayak also a sea Kayak? Does the spray squirt keep water out? 7. Can you do Eskimo rolls easily? 8. Would this be a good scout project? 9. I weigh about 205 lbs. Realistically, will this boat hold me? 10. How does it handle rougher waters? 11. Can you paddle the PakYak without a spray skirt? Photos of boats in the water seem to show pakyak flexing along joints with some extreme bends, is this the norm? This happens if the tension lines are too loose or missing. Look at page 4 of the on-line plans, cockpit end assembly, under cockpit tension cable. This is definitely a factor for big guys. I am 230 lbs (about 100 lbs more than a lot of paddlers) and would feel more comfortable with some more kayak under me. Legitimate concern with this design? If I elect to lengthen, do I have to keep width proportional for joints to work, or can I just lengthen long stringers? I would recommend lengthening the stringers. If you add the same amount to each stringer (4" each to make it 14', 6" each to make it 15' overall) and the aluminum side rails too, all the other parts can stay the same. In that vein, have you used heavier plywood? 5/8"? 3/4"? No, I haven't, and I haven't thought through what effect this would have, but I suspect it would work okay. I think, though, that the only place the 1/2" might not be quite enough would be in the cockpit section, and you could reinforce that with a solid plywood seat (instead of the center thwart piece). How hard is it to repair the frame and skin in the middle of nowhere? Take along a screwdriver and a roll of duct tape. Is there space to carry cargo, such as food and supplies back to an anchored boat? (Of course, a backpack would do, but...) There's at least a cubic foot in each end, fore and aft of the cockpit. Is this Kayak also a sea Kayak? Does the spray squirt keep water out? Pretty obviously it does not follow standard sea kayak design lines, and sea kayaks are generally longer than 12 feet. But aside from that my experience is that it works great on open water. If you are up against a foot of chop, some of it will wash over the boat, but the skirt will keep most of that out of your cockpit. Can you do Eskimo rolls easily? I've done them, but it's not as easy as in a more rounded hull. But by the same token the PakYak hull is more stable, so you're less likely to capsize. And I've worked out a sea sock that seals off the ends from the cockpit, so if you do go over and can't right it only the cockpit will flood. Would this be a good scout project? It could be, but there's a lot more detail work than for most non-folding strip built or skin on frame designs. I weigh about 205 lbs. Realistically, will this boat hold me? Yes, but you might feel a bit cramped if you have long legs. Consider making a stretched version. From the photos on your site, the Pak Yak looks like a great calm-water boat. How does it handle rougher waters? The boat handles rougher water fine, if you use the spray skirt. My wife told me she doesn't want to be enclosed in a spray skirt. Can she paddle the PakYak without one? Sure, on calm water, or if she doesn't mind getting a bit wet. You can make a half-skirt or deck to cover just the front part of the cockpit to keep out occasional spray and splashes. I often start out with no skirt, then just put it on the front if things get a bit choppy.