1. Kits & Plans
  2. Kayak Kits
  3. Stitch-and-Glue Kayaks
Sale
Sale
Io Child's Kayak
Sale
Io Child's Kayak
Sale
Io Child's Kayak
Sale
Io Child's Kayak
Sale
Io Child's Kayak
Io Child's Kayak Thumbnail
Io Child's Kayak Thumbnail
Io Child's Kayak Thumbnail
Io Child's Kayak Thumbnail
Io Child's Kayak Thumbnail

Io Child's Kayak

Builder Testimonials

Iois 7-foot-long child's kayak built in a weekend or two from a single sheet of plywood.

  • Skill Level Beginner
  • Estimated Build Time 40 Hours

This project was designed with the beginner in mind. Assembly manuals and documentation are calibrated for builders who are using epoxy and fiberglass for the first time. In kits, little or no trimming and fitting of parts is required.

It takes about 15 or 20 hours to assemble the hull. The boat wires together in a single day, so the bulk of this time is for epoxy and fiberglass work. Depending on your degree of fussiness, add another 20 hours for sanding, painting, and varnishing.

Build this boat if...

Build a Ganymede or Io if:

  • You want the quickest and easiest kayak building project in our catalog
  • You need a kid's kayak that looks great but can stand some real bashing around
  • Your intended crew weighs under 120 pounds (Ganymede) or under 75 pounds (Io)

  • Easy to Build

    Your first boatbuilding project!

  • Versatile

    A design that does everything well

  • Quality Materials

    Only the best professional-grade materials

If this is your first go at mixing epoxy and assembling pre-cut wooden parts, here's a good design for starting out!

Fast but comfortable, comfortable but sleek, sophisticated but easy to build, elegant but straightforward. If you're going to have just one boat...

Quality Materials

Our kits ship with the same first-class marine plywood, timber, epoxy, and fiberglass that we use in our own boatbuilding shop. It's not cheap, but these boats are meant to last forever!

 Build Your Kit
Shipping & Returns

Builders also looked at...

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.
Io Child's Kayak
Io Child's Kayak
Io Child's Kayak
Io Child's Kayak
Io Child's Kayak
Io Child's Kayak Thumbnail
Io Child's Kayak Thumbnail
Io Child's Kayak Thumbnail
Io Child's Kayak Thumbnail
Io Child's Kayak Thumbnail

Specifications

Length
7'0"
Beam
19"
Cockpit Size
29-1/2" x 17"
Hull Weight
12.5 lbs.
Paddler Weight
50 - 75 lbs.
Max Payload
75 lbs.
Knee Height
6.75"
Max. Child's Shoe Size
5

Performance

Stability

4 out of 5
Very Tippy
Very Stable

Speed

3 out of 5
Cruiser
Racer

Cockpit Room

2 out of 5
Close Fit
Huge Cockpit

Payload

1 out of 5
Day Tripper
Freight Hauler

Ease of Construction

4 out of 5
Requires Patience
Very Easy
Introducing your child to kayaking in a pool minimizes risks. Ella H. is practicing the proper paddle grip.
Introducing your child to kayaking in a pool minimizes risks. Ella H. is practicing the proper paddle grip.

Overview

Io is a 7-foot-long child's kayak built in a weekend or two from a single sheet of plywood. The payload for the Io is a maximum of around 75 pounds. The prototype Io weighs an astonishing 12.5 pounds (5.7kg). Io is light enough that if you are in a kayak or other boat alongside your child, you can pick up and empty Io and help the child climb back in after a capsize. Construction is extremely simple, but rugged enough for real use. The small components make for an unusually economical kit (especially when it comes to shipping!).  

Ganymede is a 13-foot recreational kayak built from just 3 sheets of plywood. The Ganymede design is ideal for smaller women or children under 120 pounds. They will find the Ganymede nimble, stable, and comfortable. Larger paddlers—over 120 pounds—fit easily in the large cockpit but will sacrifice some of the stability that a kayak designed specifically for their weight would have.

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 for easy assembly, including slot-together frames, pre-drilled holes for stitching-and-gluing, puzzle joints, and precision in the fitting of parts.

Standard Configuration

Sale
$545.00 $475.00

The Io Kayak Kit includes all computer-cut and -drilled mari...

The Io Kayak Kit includes all computer-cut and -drilled marine okoume plywood parts, hardware, seat, footbraces, epoxy, fiberglass, and a 50-page instruction manual. See construction photos here.

 

Alternative Configurations

$360.00

The Io Child's Kayak Kit includes all computer-cut and -dril...

The Io Child's Kayak Kit includes all computer-cut and -drilled okoume marine plywood parts, and a 50-page manual.  See construction photos here.

Kayak Interior

Videos

Building a Stitch & Glue Kayak: Complete Video

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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

Related Products

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

Contact Support

Chat

Available Mon – Fri, 9am–5pm EST

Start Chat