How to Make a PVC Kayak

With every passing month, it seems like new PVC crafts and projects sprout up. A material originally used for plumbing applications, PVC now appears in fencing and marshmallow guns and many places in between. With the right pieces, you can even put together a PVC kayak.

Things You'll Need

  • Ten 10-foot PVC pipes (1/2 inch)
  • 4 28-inch PVC pipes (1/2 inch)
  • 8 5-inch PVC pipes (1/2 inch)
  • Duct tape
  • Tarp
  • Tarp clamps
  • 20 PVC elbows (45 degrees)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Take two of your 10-foot pipes and four elbows. Place an elbow on each end of each the pipes and then run a five-inch spacer between the two elbows. You should end up with a rough oval. Repeat this twice to get three sets. This will give you the exterior ribs.

    • 2

      Take two of the 28-inch pipes and six spacers, along with eight elbows. Put two elbows on the ends of the 28-inch pieces and then put spacers in the other ends. Put elbows on the other ends of the spacers, and then put two more spacers between the last elbows. This will give you the interior ribs. Repeat this to get one more set.

    • 3

      Measure 42 inches in from each end and attach the internal ribs to one set of the external ones so that they stand straight up. Use duct tape to hold the ribs in place.

    • 4

      Repeat Step 3 for the other exterior ribs. Attach one to the third rib from the top and the other to the highest elbow. Go down to the end and duct tape the ends of the second and third outer ribs together.

    • 5

      Wrap a tarp around the kayak, starting from the bottom. Secure the tarp across the top of the kayak, and down in the compartment, using duct tape.