Surfski cockpit – Jan-Olof Karlsson

Latest updated Sunday, November 29, 2015, 6 comments

From Jan-Olof Karlsson who built a surfski prototype, a couple of ideas for a wood strip cockpit.

A simple and efficient pedal construction...

Fitting a SmartTrack rudder

Construction photos

Wood strip surfski cockpit
On a couple of plywood supports, the main structure is stripped and laminated

Wood strip surfski cockpit
The cockpit with the forward bulkhead (with a hatch). The boxes on the right sheer are cutouts for the rudder uphaul lines.

Wood strip surfski cockpit
Fitting the side panels. Note the exit for the rudder lines (just aft of the clamp on the right).

Wood strip surfski cockpit
Another view

The finished side panel, with the wooden block for the rudder line exit

Comments

1 Ian Smith
8/17/2016 10:32 PM

Just a thought. An ergo fit ski cockpit is a complex shape. Would it be possible to take a moulding from a good fitting ski cockpit and use a wood veneer or foil and clear resin to create a wood look for a strong ski cockpit?

2 Björn Thomasson
8/18/2016 8:04 AM

Yes, absolutely doable – but the complex shape makes the fitting of veneer a formidable task.

A cockpit pod built like an old wooden racing kayak (three or four layers of 0,8 mm veneer), would be strong and beautiful.

I do not know what you mean with foil, but if you are thinking of a wood grain vinyl or similar, I am not too enthusiastic – I would prefer a carbon cockpit to a fake wooden one.

3 Ian Smith
8/18/2016 12:17 PM

I was thinking of thin veneers as a 'best' option. I experimented on a model boat moulding many years ago. It came out looking like varnished wood. As it was never used, I had no idea if the laminate would last. Having moved to a very rural part of Cornwall where most boats are very traditional, I feel that a wooden ski would fit in better. I feel a winter project coming on :)

4 Björn Thomasson
8/18/2016 5:44 PM

Struer in Denmark dominated the racing scene for a number of years with their beautiful and efficient wooden kayaks – approx 3 mm softwood core with a 0,4-0,5 mm hardwood veneer on each side, the outer longitudinally oriented, the inner athwartships. They were light and stiff and, of course, delicate – but easily repaired if necessary. Something like that might work...

5 Per
11/23/2019 1:44 PM

Snygg cockpit, vilken funktion fyller uttaget i baljan mellan knäna?

De flesta stripbyggda cockpitarna är av naturliga skäl en 2-profil sett från sidan, att bygga kroppsformad med strips blir en utmaning.

Med detta i åtanke, är det ett problem att ytan man sitter på är bredare än rumpan?

6 Björn Thomasson
11/26/2019 10:15 AM

Urtagen är ett bra ställe för länsen, lägsta punkten i skrovet och inom bekvämt räckhåll.

I en surfski är det en fördel med bra sidostöd, så att man sitter centrerad över mittlinjen – antingen att bygga sitsen med rätt bottenbredd från början, eller att sätta dit pads för att anpassa.

I en havskajak finns det däremot goda skäl att inte ha sidostöd i sitsen, eftersom rollar, höga stöd, balance brace mm blir enklare om kan kan sänka tyngdpunkten en aning genom att glida ner någon cm mot bordläggningen under momentet när kajaken ligger på sidan.

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