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Mill Creek 16.5 kayak
Sale
Mill Creek 16.5
Sale
Mill Creek 16.5
Sale
Mill Creek 16.5
Sale
Mill Creek 16.5
Mill Creek 16.5 kayak Thumbnail
Mill Creek 16.5 Thumbnail
Mill Creek 16.5 Thumbnail
Mill Creek 16.5 Thumbnail
Mill Creek 16.5 Thumbnail

Mill Creek 16.5

Builder Testimonials

Designed as a tandem kayak, the Mill Creek 16.5 also excels as a sailing canoe, or even as a sliding-seat wherry.

  • Skill Level Beginner
  • Estimated Build Time 100 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.

This kit features pre-drilled wire holes, puzzle joints, and computer-indicated bulkhead locations, that all simplify the construction process. The extensive manual will make the construction process extremely accessible to first-time builders.

Build this boat if...

  • You are looking for a truly versatile kayak
  • You plan to regularly paddle solo or tandem
  • You need flexible seating for family or pets

  • Classic Appeal

    Traditional looks that will never age

  • Versatile

    A design that does everything well

  • #1 Seller

    Thousands of kits shipped

  • Quality Materials

    Only the best professional-grade materials

Classic Appeal

Some might argue that small craft design reached the zenith of looks and performance in the 19th century. We wouldn't disagree. Designs like this one will still look good in a hundred years.

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

As the old Packard ad goes, "Ask the Man Who Owns One." You'll find examples of this popular design on every continent except Antarctica. And we're working on Antarctica.

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.
Mill Creek 16.5 kayak

Mill Creek 16.5 kayak

Mill Creek 16.5
Mill Creek 16.5
Mill Creek 16.5
Mill Creek 16.5
Mill Creek 16.5 kayak Thumbnail
Mill Creek 16.5 Thumbnail
Mill Creek 16.5 Thumbnail
Mill Creek 16.5 Thumbnail
Mill Creek 16.5 Thumbnail

Specifications

Length
16'6"
Beam
33"
Cockpit Size
88" x 21"
Hull Weight
62 lbs.
Paddler Weight
230 - 400 lbs. (combined)
Max Payload
450 lbs.
Knee Height
Open
Max. Men's Shoe Size
Open

Performance

Stability

5 out of 5
Very Tippy
Very Stable

Speed

3 out of 5
Cruiser
Racer

Cockpit Room

5 out of 5
Close Fit
Huge Cockpit

Payload

4 out of 5
Day Tripper
Freight Hauler

Ease of Construction

4 out of 5
Requires Patience
Very Easy
Mill Creek 16.5 built by Steven L, Colorado Springs, CO.
Mill Creek 16.5 built by Steven L, Colorado Springs, CO.

Overview

Ever since WoodenBoat Magazine featured the Mill Creek 13 in a two-issue spread in 1997, the Mill Creek models have been built in the thousands. And why not? They look good, they're easy to build, and even though they are more stable than most kayaks, the Mill Creeks offer good speed and handling that you'll never get tired of.

The Mill Creek was designed as a wider, shorter, and more stable alternative to the typical sea kayak. It offers the stability sought by nature photographers, fly fishermen, and birders. The most versatile paddling designs in our lineup, the Mill Creeks are true high-performance boats. That is, if high performance is defined as comfort, good handling, rewarding speed, stability, and classic good looks. Originally drawn as stable and compact complements to our more traditional sea kayaks, the Mill Creeks have found fans among paddlers of all skill levels because they offer so much boat in such a light and easy-to-manage package.

Mill Creeks are built using the stitch-and-glue method.  In the kits, BS1088-grade okoume marine plywood is cut on our CNC machine.  Builders stitch the hulls together with twists of copper wire, then add epoxy and fiberglass to stiffen and waterproof the hull.  Mahogany trim on cockpits and rails, cambered plywood decks, and contoured slatted seats add grace notes, while the fiberglassed 6mm bottom panel will absorb years of groundings in shoal water. All materials included in the kit are varnish-grade, and most builders varnish the entire hull and deck.

The Mill Creek 16.5 is enormously popular because it can be used in so many ways. You can paddle it as a single or a double, you can sail it, or add a sliding-seat rowing unit, or even adapt an electric outboard. The Mill Creek 16.5's stability will reassure the most nervous paddlers, while the low freeboard and light weight yield better speed and handling in wind than the average canoe. There's enough capacity for camping gear (with optional deck hatches), and the boat can be easily trimmed by sliding the seats fore and aft on their mounts.

Make the Mill Creek 16.5 into a great sliding-seat rower with our Drop-in Rowing Unit installed. Check out the installation drawings.

Read what WaterCraft magazine said about the Mill Creek 16.5 in a review in their Nov/Dec 2001 issue. 

In 2008 we introduced our Hybrid Mill Creek 16.5. In this model, the okoume plywood deck is replaced with hand-fitted cedar strips. It's a hybrid because it combines construction techniques of stitch-and-glue plywood kayaks and cedar-strip kayaks.

Do you fit in this kayak?  Study our kayak fit chart.

Buying Options

Choose Your Boatbuilding Experience

Select the components that are the best fit for your strip-planking project.

  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 pre-drilled holes for stitching-and-gluing, puzzle joints, and precision in the fitting of parts.

Standard Configuration

Sale
$1,569.00 $1,310.00

Mill Creek kits include plans and a lavishly illustrated 218-...

Mill Creek kits include plans and a lavishly illustrated 218-page step-by-step instruction manual, computer-cut and -drilled okoume marine plywood hull and deck parts, bulkheads, adjustable footbraces, epoxy kit, fiberglass for hull and deck, slat-style seat, and rubrails.

Alternative Configurations

$998.00

This Mill Creek "wood parts only" kit includes plans and a la...

This Mill Creek "wood parts only" kit includes plans and a lavishly illustrated 218-page instruction manual, pre-cut parts, bulkheads, slat-style seats, and rubrails. Typical "wood parts only" kit buyers have an existing or ready supply of their own epoxy, fiberglass, and hardware.
$119.00

This Mill Creek kit includes plans and instructions.

This Mill Creek kit includes plans and instructions.
$25.00

This Mill Creek kit includes instructions. NOTE: CLC instruc...

This Mill Creek kit includes instructions.

NOTE: CLC instruction manuals walk you through construction step by step with photos and drawings, and are a good way to get acquainted with the process in advance of a kit purchase. (Manual purchase refundable with kit purchase.) There is not enough information in the manual to build a boat from scratch---you will need the complete Plans & Manual Only package for that.
$2.99

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

You can get printable study plans for most of your favorite kits and plans by return email --- for just a few dollars! 

When you order a set, you'll receive the study plans emailed in the form of PDFs at 8.5" x 11" (216x280mm).  

These printable drawings (most are two pages) help give a sense of the construction process and a feel for what the full-size plans or kit contain. Please note that a boat can not be built from Study Plans; they are to preview a project in print media; the Study Plans are an excellent broad-strokes look at the process. The subsequent escalation for more information is to order the boat's print instruction manual (where available), which will walk you through the project step-by-step.   

Upon placing the order, you'll receive an email with a link to the PDF.  Be sure to use the correct email address! If you have filters in place, ensure emails from "admin@clcboats.com" are not blocked.

Additional Options

$470.00

Please allow 4-8 weeks for CLC stock sails due to high demand...

Please allow 4-8 weeks for CLC stock sails due to high demand and epidemic-related delays.

Balanced lug sail for the Mill Creek 16 or a standing lug for the Eastport Pram MKI. 39 square feet; grommets for lacing on head and foot. Handmade from the highest-quality 4-ounce Dacron sailcloth. Special order a reef for $95 additional.

Sail bag included.


Note: Tanbark sails and reefs are manufactured on-demand and may take up to 3-4 weeks for delivery. Dye lots may vary in color.



About our Sails

Sail Color Options: Egyptian Cream, Tanbark, White
$640.00

This Mill Creek SailRig kit includes leeboard, mast step and ...

This Mill Creek SailRig kit includes leeboard, mast step and partner, thwart, 10-foot aluminum mast tube (in sections), and hardware. You'll need our Double Rudder and a sail to complete this sailing kit.

NOTE: Mill Creek Sailing Component Kits are easily packed and shipped with the Mill Creek kayak kits for minimal additional expense.  Shipping rates will be significantly higher when the Sailing Component Kit is shipped separately.  Step-by-step instructions are included in the lavishly illustrated 218-page Mill Creek manual that comes with the boat kit.

Canoe or Kayak Sailing Rig with Leeboard

What builders are saying

My son and I built a Mill Creek 16.5 kayak and enjoy paddling and fishing on the intercoastal waterway around Swansboro, NC, but my little girl loves to put up the sail! Part of the draw was having a project to do together with my kids. I hoped that they would experience deep satisfaction and some happy memories from building something with their own hands. Midway through the process my son was gently running the hand plan along the rub rail and watching the dainty curls of wood shavings cascade around his feet. He looked up at me and said, "Dad, I don't know why but doing this just makes me feel happy". I knew he got it! 

Joel A. | NC
Verified Builder

I have finally finished and am a proud owner of your Mill Creek 16.5 design. I have been taking it all week long to the beach and I must say it turns a lot of heads. The surf has been a little choppy but it handles very well , I love it!!! I

Aurelio M. | FL
Verified Builder

Had a great time building the Mill Creek 16.5 kayak from the complete kit. Easy to load on top of the car and carry to the water. Super stable. Every time I take it out it draws a crowd. Thanks for your attention to design and quality.

Mark B | CO
Verified Builder

We just took the newly completed Mill Creek 16.5 out this past weekend for its maiden voyage – it was awesome!  The boat was by far the nicest one out on the water.  We use it at the Harvey Creek Reservoir located in Silt, Colorado.

This is the fourth boat of yours that I have completed – two Wood Ducks, one  Chesapeake 17LT, and the Mill Creek 16.5.  My next project hopes to be your stand-up paddleboard. 

Thanks for your amazing kits – they are a blast to build and even more fun out on the water.

Richard C. | CO
Verified Builder

You might not typically think of seeing a kayak in Canyonlands National Park unless you’re familiar with the floats down the Green or Colorado Rivers. During the first week of June this year my group took three canoes, my Mill Creek 16.5 and a Mill Creek 13 down the Green River from Mineral Bottom to the confluence with the Colorado River. It was a great trip, and the Mill Creeks were loved by whomever was lucky enough to paddle them! The smooth, flat hulls makes them perfect for skimming over sandbars in mere inches of shallow water while the low profile makes them easy to paddle on windy days... especially the tandem.

Steven L. | CO
Verified Builder

I must say that I was greatly surprised at the speed and efficiency with which the Mill Creek 16.5 paddles. There was no way that the solo kayakers could keep up with us. It tracks well, the draft remains shallow, it's very quiet, the hatches are a waterproof seal, and it is quite rigid. My expectations were exceeded in all respects. Thanks for the design and for your help by phone. We will enjoy this boat. You have a satisfied customer.

David M | NC
Verified Builder

My husband, Andy, and I bought a Mill Creek 16.5 Kayak Kit back in October 2007.  Andy began work on the kayak that October and we enjoyed kayaking during the spring and summer of 2008.  We then purchased the sail rig for our kayak and he completed that this summer.  We also bought a kit to make our own sail.  It turned out great!  Attached are pictures of our completed trimaran kayak with its sail.  We took the B MARIE out last week.  The wind was light, but we were still thrilled to test her out.  It is a great boat.  I know that we will have many years of kayaking fun on our B MARIE.  I can’t be more proud of Andy’s handy work!

Barbara and Andy W. | MI
Verified Builder

Videos

Building a Stitch & Glue Kayak: Complete Video

Mill Creek Sea Kayak.

Mill Creek 13 and sail rig build

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

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