Kayak Construction Methods

The Inuit, people inhabiting the arctic areas of North America and Greenland, used kayaks for hunting and transportation for over 1,000 years. They used driftwood and seal skin to make the original boats. In modern times, kayakers still paddle boats made from a wooden frame and skin, but kayak manufacturers use other construction methods, such as composite, thermoforming and rotomolding.

  1. Skin-on-frame Kayaks

    • The Inuit built the original kayaks from wooden frames covered with seal skin. The frame formed the kayak's shape, and the skin provided a waterproof covering. In treeless areas, the builders cut the frames and paddles from driftwood found on beaches. Most of the original kayaks had one cockpit and were paddled by one kayaker, but in Alaska, the baidarka -- the Russian word for Aleutian kayaks -- could have up to three cockpits. In modern times, several manufacturers build collapsible kayaks based on the skin and frame concept. Traditional-style kayaks are popular with homebuilders, who build a wooden frame, cover it with a nylon, canvas or polyester fabric and then paint it with a waterproof coating.

    Composite Kayaks

    • Composite construction techniques use a fabric impregnated with a resin to form a kayak. When the resin hardens, it forms a stiff structure that keeps the kayak's shape. The fabrics used in composite construction included fiberglass, which is the most common, Kevlar and carbon fiber. To make the boat, the manufacturer first creates a female mold. He then lays the fabric into the mold so that it covers all the surfaces, then adds the resin. After the resin hardens, the manufacturer removes the part, combines the hull and deck and then adds outfitting, such as bulkheads, seats, deck lines and a skeg. Composite kayaks are light and stiff, but more susceptible to damage than plastic kayaks. In 2011, fiberglass kayaks ranged in price from $2,800 to $3,600. Kevlar and carbon boats cost more.

    Rotomolded Kayaks

    • Some manufactures use plastic rotomolding techniques to form a kayak. To make the kayak, the manufacturer makes a female mold, pours in powered plastic and heats the mold in an industrial oven while rotating it. When the powered plastic turns to liquid, it coats the mold. When cooled, it gets pulled from the mold, and the manufacturer outfits it like a composite kayak. Rotomolded kayaks flex more and weigh more than composite kayaks, but are more durable. They also cost less to make, starting at around $250.

    Thermoformed Kayaks

    • Thermoforming uses sheets of plastic formed over a male-shaped mold to make the kayak. During the process, the manufacturer heats the plastic in a large industrial oven. After heating, the builder places the plastic over the mold and uses vacuum suction to pull the plastic tight to the mold. After the plastic cools, it holds the kayak's shape. The manufacturer then outfits the kayak. Thermoformed kayaks end up lighter and stiffer than rotomolded boats, and some manufacturers claim as stiff as composite boats. Thermoformed kayaks aren't as durable as rotomolded or composite kayaks, but they typically cost anywhere from $500 to $1,000 less.