Design
Pinocchio
Designed by Plyboat
Pinocchio was commissioned by the designer's seven year old son, who wanted a kayak that looked like a boat rather than a plastic brick. It is 2.34 m long with a 0.73 m beam, and rather than a dead flat bottom it has a flat central panel with bilge panels either side, trading a little initial stability for real secondary stability and better manners in small waves. The ideal load is a child of 30 to 50 kg.
The hull is 6 mm exterior plywood, heavier than the usual 4 mm for a kids' boat but easier to find and much tougher, and the whole boat comes from one sheet. Taped seams, two big breasthooks and the seat back stiffen it, and a full-length skeg helps it track. It weighs about 12 kg. The designer insists on adult supervision and capsize practice in warm water.
What building a Pinocchio actually takes
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Builds of this boat
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Start the first log of this boatBoats like this one
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| Design | Plans from | LOA | Logs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goldfish | Plyboat | 2.3 m (7′ 7″) | 0 |
| Cardboard Boat | The Cardboard Boat Book | 8′ 0″ (2.44 m) | 0 |
| Paddleboard | Glen-L Marine | 8′ 0″ (2.44 m) | 0 |
| Wood Duckling 8 | Chesapeake Light Craft | 8′ 0″ (2.44 m) | 0 |
| Matunuck Surf Kayak | Chesapeake Light Craft | 8′ 6″ (2.59 m) | 0 |
| Kidyak | Glen-L Marine | 9′ 0″ (2.74 m) | 0 |