How to Build a Carbon Fiber Canoe

Kayaks are made out of many different types of materials, including wood, fiberglass, Kevlar and carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is extremely strong and light, and is used primarily in racing kayaks. There are many companies that sell carbon fiber kayaks, and also companies that sell plans for you to do it yourself. Building carbon fiber kayaks are molded and require a lot of space, equipment and parts to build properly.

Things You'll Need

  • Kayak design blueprint
  • Carbon fiber
  • Parts (varies, based on design)
  • Wood
  • Foam
  • Paste wax
  • Mold
  • Epoxy
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Instructions

    • 1

      Review various kayak designs and kayaks and determine what size and design you need. Many companies sell plans for building your own kayak that clarify the pros and cons of each design. These plans also detail the many parts needed, from seat materials to sealant.

    • 2

      Purchase all the parts based on your design. Carbon fiber kayaks are made in a mold and sealed together with epoxy. The specific design you chose determines what specific parts you need to buy. Some designs have wooden or foam elements to reinforce the hull.

    • 3

      Create or purchase the mold for your kayak. If you want to be truly do-it-yourself, make your mold first by creating a plug. The plug is a version of your kayak carved out of wood. Coat the plug with paste wax and fiberglass resin, let it harden and remove the wooden plug. Coat the inside of the mold with more coats of paste wax before applying the carbon fiber.

    • 4

      Wet the carbon fiber strips with epoxy and apply them to the mold. Consult your design to know how many layers of carbon fiber to apply. As you lay out the layers, trim off any excess with scissors or a razor blade.

    • 5

      Cure the epoxy at least 18 hours before pulling it out of the mold. There may be small air holes from bubbles in the epoxy; sand these down and apply more epoxy. When that has dried, sand until the kayak is smooth. As the kayak comes out of the mold, you may need to clamp the edges into place to prevent it bending, since it is still somewhat fragile.

    • 6

      Attach your seat, foot pedals and any other internal parts.