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Chesapeake Sport Tandem Wooden Kayak Kit
Sale
Two girls paddling a Chesapeake Sport Tandem wooden kayak at OkoumeFest
Sale
John R. and teammate (#354) competing in the Tully Lake Race in their Chesapeake Sport Tandem wooden kayak
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Chesapeake Sport Tandem
Chesapeake Sport Tandem Wooden Kayak Kit Thumbnail
Two girls paddling a Chesapeake Sport Tandem wooden kayak at OkoumeFest Thumbnail
John R. and teammate (#354) competing in the Tully Lake Race in their Chesapeake Sport Tandem wooden kayak  Thumbnail
Chesapeake Sport Tandem Thumbnail

Chesapeake Sport Tandem

Builder Testimonials

A tandem racing kayak that is VERY fast in smooth or rough water. It is designed for paddlers with some experience. Despite its speed, it has sufficient storage capacity for camping gear.

  • Skill Level Beginner
  • Estimated Build Time 80 Hours

Build this boat if...

  • You need a racing kayak for two.
  • You plan to participate in some long-duration adventure races.
  • You are athletic and like to move over water quickly.
  • You are a strong paddler who wants to share your kayak joy with your dog or child.
  • Need for Speed

    For racers seeking escape velocity

  • In-Depth Manual

    Meticulous, fully-illustrated instructions

  • Quality Materials

    Only the best professional-grade materials

Build Your Kit

Take One of our Boatbuilding Classes

We offer classes for many of the boats we sell. Teaching sites stretch from Maryland to Washington State and from Maine to California. Click here to find out more.

Specifications

Length
21'8"
Beam
22"
Cockpit Size
31" x 17"
Hull Weight
65 lbs.
Maximum Total Paddler Weight
250 - 400 lbs.
Max Payload
475 lbs.
Knee Height
12"
Max. Men's Shoe Size
13

Performance

Stability

1 out of 5
Very Tippy
Very Stable

Speed

5 out of 5
Cruiser
Racer

Cockpit Room

2 out of 5
Close Fit
Huge Cockpit

Payload

5 out of 5
Day Tripper
Freight Hauler

Ease of Construction

4 out of 5
Requires Patience
Very Easy
Chesapeake Sport Tandem Wooden Kayak Kit
Chesapeake Sport Tandem Wooden Kayak Kit

Overview

When we unveiled the Chesapeake Sport Tandem in 2002, there was a lot of demand for it, but hardly anything else like it on the water. This very narrow, very fast double is perfect for athletic couples who want to really cover the miles, whether they are doing it for exercise, super-fast touring, or winning races.

Most of our Sport Tandems are sold to people who watched one disappear over the horizon in front of them during a race. While intended for racing or working out, the Sport Tandem can still carry a good load of gear, making it ideal for multiple-day unsupported races like the WaterTribe Everglades Challenge.

Do you fit in this kayak?  Our kayak fit chart will help you see which of our kayaks will work best for you. 

Buying Options

Choose Your Boatbuilding Experience

Start your kit-building experience by choosing the option that best suits your experience and itinerary. Don’t have the confidence to build on your own? No worries! Join a boatbuilding class or hire us to build a custom boat for you.

  1. Select Your Configuration

    Build From a Kit:
    Most builders start with the Base Kit. It’s all there.
    Build From Scratch:
    Build from scratch using full-sized plans.
    Build From a Wood Parts Only Kit:
    For those who have their own supply of epoxy, fiberglass, and hardware.
    Order Study Plans or Manuals:
    Like to study up a bit first? Download study plans or a copy of the assembly manual. 

  2. Choose Options and Add-ons

    Additional Components:
    Add rudders, skegs, hatch options, spray skirts, and more.

  3. Get Building!

    Computer-cut kits feature all of the latest tweaks to ease assembly, including slot-together frames, pre-drilled holes for stitching-and-gluing, puzzle joints, and precision in the fitting of parts.

Standard Configuration

Sale
$1,869.00 $1,650.00

This Chesapeake Sport Tandem kit ships with computer-cut okou...

Alternative Configurations

$1,098.00

This Chesapeake Sport Tandem "wood parts only" kit ships with...

$89.00

This Chesapeake kit includes plans and instructions.  This Ch...

$79.00

Plans for the Chesapeake Sport Tandem comprise 5 pages, each ...

$25.00

173-page spiral-bound manual that walks you through Chesapeak...

$2.99

You can get printable study plans for most of your favorite ...

Chesapeake Sport Tandem Wooden Kayak Kit
Chesapeake Sport Tandem Wooden Kayak Kit

What builders are saying

Today was a very special day for us here on the “east coast” of the Mediterranean.  Steve and I both launched our brand new homemade wooden kayaks.  Steve launched his beautiful, feather-light Petrel while I launched, with my son, our handsome Chesapeake Sport Tandem. Champagne poured like water on both vessels and each of us tried the other's boat.  We had quite a gathering of wooden kayaks, which are becoming more and more popular where we we live.

Itay B | ISR
Verified Builder

Videos

Building a Stitch & Glue Kayak: Complete Video

My Chesapeake Light Craft 17LT Kayak Build

Chesapeake18 Build at Jenkins Boat Works

Chesapeake 18 Complete Build Series by Jenkins Boat Works

Frequently Asked Questions

I want to install my Chesapeake deck with no ring nails. Will the epoxy be strong enough? How can I keep the deck down while it cures?

MAS and System3 epoxies will certainly hold the deck down without the ring nails.  Here at the shop we like to use packing tape for jobs like this.  It's quite easy to manage.

How do I order this kit?

Click on the Buying Options tab the top left of this page and follow the directions.

If I buy one of your boat kits, what else will I need?

Chesapeake Light Craft kits contain all the parts and materials you need to build the boat. The kit includes pre-cut parts, hardware, epoxy, fiberglass, plans and instructions. Our standard kayak kits also have the seats, hatches, bulkheads, footbraces, and the deck-rigging. About the only thing kits don't include is the final finish: paint or varnish. Your boat's color scheme is entirely up to you.

You'll need a few ordinary tools, like a cordless drill, a decent 5-inch sander, and for most boats a wood plane. You'll need disposables such as sandpaper and paint brushes and mixing cups.

You need a workspace a couple of feet bigger all the way around than the boat you want to build, and you'll need to be able to maintain temperatures between about 55 degrees F and 95 degrees F during steps when epoxy is being applied or curing. Since a lot of boatbuilding gets done during winter, we've written up some tips on how to heat a cold space cheaply, easily, and safely.

How much does this boat weigh and how much can it carry?

The weight and payload of this boat, along with other statistics such length and beam, can be found under Specs in the Specifications section, which is just below the lead image seen at the top of this page.

Can you send me the plans digitally?

Sorry, but until digital rights management technology for marine architectural work catches up to that used for books and music, we are unable to transmit digital plans. Currently, only study plans and manuals can be sent digitally.

The Chesapeake Sport Tandem kayak can Take You Almost Anywhere

John R. and teammate (#354) competing in the Tully Lake Race in their Chesapeake Sport Tandem wooden kayak

Covers Miles Fast

The Chesapeake Sport Tandem kayak is intended to paddling pairs who want to move quickly through the water, whether it be in a race, such as is seen here, or on a multi-day adventure, such as the length of Chesapeake Bay or down the ICW.

Two men competing in the Everglades Challenge in a Chesapeake Sport Tandem wooden kayak

Room to Store Your Gear

Ed E. and Joe M. paddled a Chesapeake Sport Tandem in WaterTribe's Everglades Challenge a few years ago. The route runs down the west coast of Florida from Tampa Bay to Key Largo, much of it going through Everglades National Park. The deck compartments provided ample room to store what they needed for the multiday trip.

Add the CLC Sail Rig

If paddling just doesn't get you the speed you crave, attach one of our CLC Sail Rig kits. The video on this was taken in Christchurch Harbour on England's south coast shows a Chesapeake Sport Tandem kayak sailing at about 7 knots in a light breeze. GO FAST!

Classes

Take One of our Boatbuilding Classes

We offer classes for many of the boats we sell. Teaching sites stretch from Maryland to Washington State and from Maine to California. Click here to find out more.

View Classes

Need Help Building it?

We’re here to help with any questions you might have during the build process.

Phone

Available Mon – Fri, 9am–5pm EST

410.267.0137

Email

We answer emails 7 days a week and within 24 hours

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