THE KAYAK SHOP: THREE ELEGANT WOODEN KAYAKS ANYONE CAN IN THANE

The Kayak Shop includes complete plans and step-by-step instructions for building Yare-a 16-foot, 28-pound high-performance single that can be built in 40 hours from two sheets of plywood; Cape Charles, an 18-foot, 38-pound expedition kayak; and Pocomoke, a 20-foot toring double that, at 52 pounds, is light enough for one person to paddle. Also included is a section on designing your own kayak, and plans for building paddles from wood and epoxy. Most knowledgeable boatbuilders agree that wood is stiffer, lighter, and more fatigue-resistant than fiberglass or plastic. And no one doubts that wooden boats are more beautiful. Here are three gorgeous, ultralight, high performance, human-powered wooden boats anyone can build using only simple handtools and a saber saw. These kayaks can do anything the best plastic boats can do, for less than half the price of the least expensive ones-and at less than half the weight.