New projects

Monday, January 11, 2021 (kayaks), 11 comments

I have often toyed with the idea of a small kayak for spontaneous trips in the surroundings. Ten years ago that idea even had a name. It was called Nimm (which in the south Swedish dialect means small and handy) in the possible-projects-folder and was supposed to be a "soap dish" without any other qualities other than a certain versatility.

The main idea was a kind of "semi-permanent roof box for the car, that at any time could become a handy kayak for surf, whitewater, and short trips. To explore an exciting stream seen from the road, or try some unobserved whitewater when you happen to be nearby. Or surfing breakers while the other family members enjoy the sun or play at the beach. Adjustable skeg – up it becomes a playful kayak for whitewater, down a kayak for short trips. A locking cover transforms it into a roof box". 

I never finished the project. I liked the idea, but it would have been very hard to construct, boring to paddle, and would make an unpractical box – good-for-everything often means good-for-nothing (as maintenance-free often means impossible to maintain). 

On the other hand, a related idea kept popping up now and then in conversations on kayak meetings and in mail communications with builders: a short and simple tub, but still a real no-compromise kayak. An engaged builder had a clear idea of what such a kayak would look like – so I cleared the desk and started. And now the drawings are finished and the first kayak on its way. I have no name yet for it (the working name has been the 10ft-kayak), but maybe it should inherit the name Nim, since small and handy is precisely what it is (but perhaps not in English, where the word seems to be taken for other purposes).  

This is what it looks like, and it will appear in the catalog in short – but if someone wants to start, the drawings are ready to ship.

Dimensions: 285x72 cm. Displacement approx 120 kg. Not very fast, but very maneuverable and easy to handle on land and in water – and a stable platform for fishing. Can be constructed without any extras, but a fixed skeg will improve the tracking at the expense of some maneuverability – or an adjustable skeg will give access to the full potential. Easy to use with or without hatches and bulkheads

Surfski double

In the computer and soon to be finished, is also a surfski double. Built on the Spindrift's hull shape, it measures 680x53 cm, with optional length 646 and 629 cm indicated on the plans.

I am working on the last few loose ends, but soon...