FAQ

Hi Otis

The KF10 is 10ft 4 inches long, with a beam of 32 inches. The weight of the
boat without the motor or seat is 55 lbs. This weight varies a little with
each builder. The motor , seat and gear are installed after the boat is on
the ground. No tools are required. The load rating is 300 lbs. We used the
coast guard method of determining that. Freeboard is 8 inches with a 165 lb
paddler, motor and series 24 battery on board. You will use 1 inch of
freeboard for each additional 100 lbs of load.
The boat uses a 12 V series 24 battery which are rated at 75 amp hours.
This is the smaller sized battery used in compact cars. However the battery
must be a deep discharge type battery, and are available at Walmart for 49
dollars. The motor draws 10-15 amps at 3 mph

Sorry I couldnt find it on your website, but what is the max -load the boat is rated to carry? Chris

This is one of the reasons, we just completed our new page on the website labeled KF-10 Specifications.

Howdy Jim,

BOY! And I thought I could be creative with "reasons" to go play!! LOL

Cart is a SUPER idea. I had built something similar with bicycle wheels for duck decoy transport a few years ago but this looks better.

Having a devil of a time finding plywood. The Oakland pals claim to have 5/16 (4mm) marine grade okoume in 5x10 sheets. At $22.50 a sheet this is a bargain if it really is BS1088.

They also have 3/4 (18mm) in 4x8 @ $44.00.This is not a normal stocking item for them & they got it by buying somebodies inventory. This would explain the price but when I ask about it's certification nobody there knows. I found out Lauan is not made in those thicknesses, so guess I'll have to run over there & check for stamps etc.

The 12mm I'm going to have to find elsewhere.

I'm thinking somebody must build kayaks around here but the clubs I have found so far build kits & not from plans so they already have the wood included with the kit. Frustrating. Have called so many places have almost lost track! Whoodathunk?

You are right shipping is outrageous.

Hey! Thanks for the springs. Also like your magnet! On my fridge now!

Don't worry about rushing anything, you are right, it will be a while before I need it.

Hoov

Hi Hoov,

always glad to hear from you if it doesn't involve more work for me. This time it does, but not a lot of effort is required. I used ss nails in the past and found them to be workable, but when you start sanding the outer edges of the hull, they tend to get very hot and burn the wood. The Silicon bronze and copper nails are softer and grind off without discoloring local wood. It is a purely cosmetic thing, but cosmetics can be important. The nails holding power is not critical as the epoxy adhesive and fiberglass covering is plenty adequate.

I will send you a couple of return springs with the Controller. I expect to get it off to you around the end of the week. This will give me time to look for a replacement for the original springs. The suggested replacement is too stiff and it likely will not clear the coupling nut.

Karen is aware of the multi unit purchase problem on the site and is working on it (god I love that woman). We will eventually get the rough edges smoothed out and hopefully Karen will still be sane.

I have to take time for some fishing or I will forget why I retired in the first place. Lots of guys around here have that compulsion, and they often invite me out to share their fun. Social etiquette demands that I accept now and then to maintain our relationships. So it is all in the interest of the social stability of our neighborhood that I join them for a little 'quality time' now and then. More benefits flow when we share our catch with the neighbors who cannot brave the Pacific to catch their own fish. I fear if we just mow lawns and care for Honney-doo stuff the community will disintegrate. So it is in the interest of good citizenship that I crawl out at 5 in the am and venture out to chase fish. Feels real good.

Oh by the way, I am also working on a little cart to help get the boat to and from the water. Now that I am past 50, and 60 , lifting the boat is getting more challenging, so this cart may be the answer. The parts run about 60 dollars and I will be checking it out on the river this fall. The wheels are retained with a hairpin (that's what they call them) and can be removed without tools. The wheels also have locking devices so the cart/boat can be made

stable for loading and unloading

This is one of the reasons, we just completed our new page on the website labeled KF-10 Specifications.

A friend of mine sent me your website address & your email address because I have been looking for a kayak or something similar for my husband. My husband is 71 years old, and although he is very active and in relatively good health, his stamina is not as good as it used to be. That is one of the reasons that I was very interested in your electric boat.

He likes working with his hands, and he has built a couple of small boats many years ago, but I am not too sure about the electrical end of things. Do you have anything that you could send me that shows how all this electrical goes together? You say it is controlled with foot pedals, but nothing shows how it all actually works.

I have looked over your website and watched your video several times, I have also gone to your store, but I only see a photos of a completed boat. Do you have anything you can send me that would show me how this all goes together.

I noticed at the end of the video that the boat is less than 80 pounds, but I could not find any other size information. How long is it? How wide is it? Do you recommend a trailer or can it be carried in the back of a pick-up? I would apprecaite any information & photos you could send. If there is a cost, please let me know how much and where to send it.

Very Sincerely,

Linda

Hi Linda,

Thanks for you interest in the KF10 kayak. The web site is still under cosnstruction and we have more work to do to make it user friendly and more informative. We will get there, but it takes a little time. I will answer some of your questions by mail.

The KF10 is a wood panel over frame construction. The frame gives the boat strength and places to attach the seat, pedal assembly, steering cable guides and a motor. I believe this construction method is more forgiving of construction errors and eliminates the need for temporary forms. Full size drawings are provided for the more complex boat frames, making it easy to transfer the drawing information to the wood.

The KF10 is 10 ft 4 inches long with a beam of 32 inches and a height of 14 inches. It has 8 inches of freeboard with a 165 lb paddler, motor and battery on board. It is rated for a 300 lb load. The boat draws about 3 inches of water with the paddler mentioned above (not counting the motor depth), and will draw an additional inch for each additional 100 lbs of load. The motor extends about 6 inches below the keel and can be tilted up/down from the paddlers seat to get thru shallow water or for launch and recovery.

The boat is usually transported without the motor and seat installed, and in this configuration weighs 55 lbs, making it easy to get into or on the transporting vehicle. The motor and seat are put in place with the boat on the ground, or in the water. No tools are required for this installation.

The seat and backrest are adjustable fore/aft and the cockpit dimension is 19 x 56 inches. The battery is located under the rear deck and all of the cockpit is available for paddler and gear. The battery is a 75 amp hour series 24 deep discharge unit you can find at Wallmart for 50 dollars. At 3-4 mph (fast walking speed) the battery draw is 12 amps, less if you want to paddle to reduce power consumption. At trolling speeds the draw is about 7 amps and you can fish all day on a charge.

I have found that it is sometimes necessary to transport the boat some distance from the car to the water. We are now introducing a cart that puts wheels on the boat allowing easy transport of the boat with motor and gear installed. The cart straps to the boat and floats, so the boat can be launched while on the cart (in fresh water). The wheels of the cart are removable without tools so the cart stores easily in the car or garage. The documentation is now being completed and I expect the cart will sell for about 100 dollars.

I believe that anyone with basic woodworking skills, like building a garden trellis, can build a Kingfisher-10 with no problem. A complete "newbie" could also get the job done. It would just take longer. Our kayak plans are very clear and easy to understand with colored pictures making it easy to see the steps to take to construct the Kingfisher-10. We are also available for any questions or other concerns.

We use Okoume plywood; which is one of the most beautiful and stongest woods available. Okoume plywood is an African mahogany.

We fiberglass the outside of the Kingfisher and it has framework inside. This combination makes the kayak at least as strong. The Kingfisher-10 is also lighter than a fiberglass boat.

This answer may be changed later, but as of now the box would be approximately 8.5' x 16" x 5". We are still in the process of working out all shipping and packing details.

A garage fills the need for space. You need to be able to walk around the kayak. I place my work on a bench with walking space around it in my shop. You can use a driveway or other outside area in warm dry weather. I'd hate to think you would have to use a room in your home, but it would be possible. Make sure you have a planned exit for the finished kayak.

With our complete kayak kits, we furnish the components to complete your boat. We will also offer the components as additional purchases for those that need them. Most of us would like a paddle as we don't want to be up a creek without one. LOL. A life vest (PFD) and you could want another floatation device such as a floatation bag. We plan to carry accessories on our site in the near future.

Yes, we do offer a completed kayak. We build all the kayaks ourselves making sure that our quality control is always in place. We do not have other builders do our work for us.

It takes me approximately three weeks to complete a kayak. A lot of that time is waiting for fiberglass and paint to dry. I am very experienced so add on a bit of time if you are unfamiliar with building anything like the Kingfisher-10.

Send mail to winchuckriver@charter.net with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2007 Kingfisher Electric Boats Last modified: 09/22/07

Send mail to winchuckriver@charter.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2007 Kingfisher Electric Boats
Last modified: 09/22/07