Chesapeake 17 Kit

This is my 3rd year using this kayak. DO NOT be put off by having to build this kayak. By building it, you learn how to fix it IF anything ever goes wrong. And it won't. It's a very strong build. At 17feet long x 24 inches wide and around 45 pounds, I can carry it from my car to the beach without any issues. It absolutely does not need a rudder, tracks like a train on the tracks, and has never had any weather cocking problems. I've been out on my local lake in 30 mph winds, two strokes forward, one stroke backwards, with the biggest grin immagineable. You will have to get comfortable with edging this boat to get it to turn quickly, Take a class, get wet, gain experience, and this kayak will reward you with years of boating fun.

The Chesapeake 17 is just an all round more efficient, sea worthy, and comfortable ride. The many comments garnered at the gas pumps don't hurt anything either. The capacity is abundant but not a con in any way,(of course I chose it for my week long Maine island trip). I have never really paddled a comfortable kayak, but with the happy bottom pad and the Thermarest seat and thigh pad, it's as comfortable as any kayak I've ever paddled. I installed the rudder when I built it and would not ever do that again. It's just not needed.

Bottom Line: If I could only have one kayak, It would be the Chesapeake 17. I love it. The other kayaks I own have their pros and cons, but the Chesapeake 17 is my choice, hands down.

One reviewer mentioned the fact that it uses nails to attach the deck. I like this look. The nails are copper and when they are shined up before sealing with epoxy, they create a very impressive contrast to the wood. One note on the epoxy supplied with the kit. It's a slow hardening epoxy, so be aware that it can flow for quite a while after its applied. Overall, this is a very impressive kayak that I anticipate will offer me many years of enjoyable paddling experiences.

Don't get me wrong, the Chesapeake is an excellent boat. It has tons of stability--I really think a 24"-ish beam is great for beginners. A lot of beginners rush out and buy 27-30" beam recreational kayaks, and hate them because they're so sluggish. 24" is nice, because you can start to feel the effects of good edging and leaned turns, but not so twitchy that you're afraid to go out and play in larger and larger waves. I've been in 5' boat wakes with it, and had no problems at all. In fact, I was so comfortable in it, I probably outgrew it quicker than I would have in a different boat--because it helped me "feel my edge" as I slowly progressed in my skills learning. If you have a hard time packing small, you would have no problems packing the Chesapeake. I think the front hatch is a bit too small for the volume it offers, but other than that, it's a dream to pack. If you pack like a backpacker, you can fit two people's gear in this thing! I learned a lot from my Chesapeake--I can roll it--it's not the easiest touring kayak to roll, but it is rollable.

I don't want anyone to get the impression that I'm knocking the Chesapeake--it's just a very large boat, and often larger than most people need for a day-paddling boat. It is very comfortable in big seas, and for carrying larger people or lots of heavy gear. I have no problems squeezing my 6'-6" frame and size 14's into it.

It's a good boat, but not a great boat. More like a canoe than a kayak. An able and seaworthy craft capable of carrying huge loads, but bigger than 95% of the people out there need, and not an ear-to-ear grin fun boat. It's like driving a pickup on a windy road. You can do it, but it would be more fun in a sports car, and not necessarily more dangerous, either.

I also have paddled the boat on Central Florida rivers and creeks. The boat carves edged turns nicely, allowing me to maintain full power strokes while negotiating river bends.

I built the boat with additional strengthening ('glassed deck and bulkheads, through-bolted deck hardware, additional deck ribs, additional 'glass inside hull), resulting in a total weight of 52 pounds.

Two friends of mine, weighing over 200 pounds, have paddled the boat in open water conditions, and the boat handles better for them than for me. It has less of a tendency to weathercock.

It does track nicely and handles well with a following or quartering sea with little tendency to broach. In 2 to 3-foot chop, the high-volume bow will rise and fall to the water with a slap.

I talked a friend into building the Chessy 17 LT version, and it is virtually identical in handling to mine. With both being hard chine boats and relatively light, they accelerate quickly, but have an initial tippy feel that "goes away" during the first hour of operation. They track very well, and for that reason must be leaned quite far on the chine to turn quickly. I'd give mine a 10 for fun, but since I'm 5'-10" and 160 lbs, the 17 rides high with no additional load and I occasionally hit the coaming with my paddle when trying to go fast. The LT is better in this regard.

The Chesapeake folks furnish a first-rate kit , reasonably priced, and are very responsive to questions. The rank beginner should turn out an excellent kayak from their kits by following directions and taking care in the process. Although I am not partial to construction materials, the wood boat has an indescribable "feel" as compared to a plastic kayak of the same size, but you'll be committed to scratch removal and repaint during winters if you want it to look nice over the years.

I'm 60 and feared the legs-out kayak sitting position as being bad for my aging back, but the boat is more comfortable than I thought it would be. 2-hour paddling periods thus far are no problem.

Not only does it look good, it tracks straight, has great initial and secondary stability, GLIDES over the water with very little effort, has large hatch covers, rigging is solidly attached to the deck and turns on a dime! It does scratch easily when I disembark on a rocky beach. (light sanding and a quick coat of varnish gets rid of the scratch).

The kayak is relatively easy to assemble with simple tools and some patience. Highly reccomended!