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Petrel built by Larry W.
Sale
Petrel
Sale
Petrel
Sale
Petrel during Schoodic Sea-Kayak Retreat, ME
Petrel built by Larry W. Thumbnail
Petrel Thumbnail
Petrel Thumbnail
Petrel during Schoodic Sea-Kayak Retreat, ME Thumbnail

Petrel

Builder Testimonials

The ultimate in sea kayak performance, the culmination of decades of kayak design by Nick Schade.

  • Skill Level Advanced
  • Estimated Build Time 250 Hours

Builders undertaking this kit should be comfortable reading traditional boat plans, and have at their disposal stationary tools such as a tablesaw and a bandsaw. The drawings and documentation assume a good working knowledge of woodworking, epoxy, and fiberglass techniques. The Petrel series kayaks are demanding of joinery skills. Cabinetmakers will feel right at home; wood-butchers less so.

This time estimate assumes builders have already built a couple of stitch-and-glue boats.

Build this boat if...

  • You are a kayak performance enthusiast, looking for speed and refined handling
  • You are looking for a Greenland-style kayak that excels in surfing conditions
  • You can't find a kit for a kayak with recessed hatches, recessed cockpit, and a retractable skeg

  • For Woodcrafters

    Boatbuilders, sharpen your block planes! 

  • Sophisticated Design

    Nothing else like it to buy or build

  • Need for Speed

    For racers seeking escape velocity

If you love woodworking, this is a project where you get to make wood shavings. You'll need to be comfortable with a sharp plane and a Japanese pull-saw, but the reward is a work of craftsmanship that's all your own.

This is a design with qualities and features that are unique in the marketplace, both among DIY projects and production boats. Refined, tested, uncompromised, outstanding, and unique!

It's hard to find designs like this in the production world. Combining the strength and light weight of wood-epoxy composites with simplified construction, this one's designed to be fast and fun.

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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.
Petrel built by Larry W.

Petrel built by Larry W.

Petrel
Petrel
Petrel during Schoodic Sea-Kayak Retreat, ME

Petrel during Schoodic Sea-Kayak Retreat, ME

Petrel built by Larry W. Thumbnail
Petrel Thumbnail
Petrel Thumbnail
Petrel during Schoodic Sea-Kayak Retreat, ME Thumbnail

Specifications

Length
17'0"
Beam
20"
Cockpit Size
31" x 16"
Hull Weight
40 lbs.
Paddler Weight
120 - 200 lbs.
Max Payload
280 lbs.
Knee Height
10-3/4"
Max. Men's Shoe Size
11

Performance

Stability

2 out of 5
Very Tippy
Very Stable

Speed

5 out of 5
Cruiser
Racer

Cockpit Room

1 out of 5
Close Fit
Huge Cockpit

Payload

2 out of 5
Day Tripper
Freight Hauler

Ease of Construction

1 out of 5
Requires Patience
Very Easy
Petrel during Schoodic Sea-Kayak Retreat, ME
Petrel during Schoodic Sea-Kayak Retreat, ME

Overview

Early sailors thought the Storm Petrel could walk on water. Named after Saint Peter, petrels are small birds that feed at sea by fluttering just above the swell with their feet tip-toeing across the water. Like its bird namesake, the Petrel kayak is at home at waters where it can dance among the waves.

Designed as a responsive, lightweight kayak suitable for day trips in rough water, it is equally at home poking into sheltered estuaries or exploring the shores of isolated coves. This design will carry a large paddler through rough conditions yet it is small enough to be easily handled by petite kayakers. With a form inspired by the ancient Inuit inventors of kayaking, the Petrel will appeal to devoted Greenland-style paddlers without being intimidating to novice sea kayakers.

This boat is derived from Nick Schade's Night Heron designs, but it is shorter, has more rocker, and more reserve buoyancy in the ends. The moderately hard chine of the strip-planked Night Heron has been softened forward of the cockpit and transitions into a hard chine behind the cockpit. The result is a lively boat that maneuvers easily and accelerates quickly to catch waves or carve down wave faces.

The "transitioning" chine varies from a quite rounded, soft chine forward to a hard chine aft of the cockpit. The forward section provides smooth performance pushing out into waves and reduces the tendency to broach while surfing. The hard chine aft provides some shape that facilitates carving and leaned turns.


The deck shape takes its cue from Greenlandic Inuit skin-on-frame designs with a sharp chine-like feature line on either side. This provides height where you need it for knee room, while keeping the deck low overall. The side of the deck slopes in quickly so it is out of the way for close-to-the-hull strokes.

This design was developed to carry a 200-pound, six-foot-tall paddler on day trips, but it is small enough in volume that it would also work well for lighter paddlers. It is meant as a day tripping boat for larger paddlers, and would not have the capacity for extended trips, but if you are a smaller paddler there is enough interior volume to carry a fair amount of gear.

Nick's book Building Strip Planked Boats contains very detailed instructions on building the Petrel and it is a must-have for anyone contemplating this build. It is included with the complete kit.

Our strip-built and hybrid kits ship with 50% Western Red and 50% Alaskan Yellow cedar bead-and-cove strips. Photos on our website and printed materials may show patterns and accent strips with walnut or other materials. Optional walnut strips are available and can be shipped with kit orders. 

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 our Plans & Manual.
    Build From a Wood Parts Only Kit:
    For those who have their own supply of epoxy, fiberglass, and hardware.
    Forms and Strongback Only Kit:
    Just the computer-cut stuff: the forms and strongback.
    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:
    You can choose colors for your strips! Also add rudders, hatch options, spray skirts, and more. 

  3. Get Building!

    Kits feature all of the latest tweaks to ease assembly, including slot-together molds, CNC-cut marine plywood cockpit recesses, and precision-milled strips.

Standard Configuration

Sale
$2,049.00 $1,740.00

This Petrel kit includes Building Strip-Planked Boats, drawin...

This Petrel kit includes Building Strip-Planked Boats, drawings, CNC-cut forms & strongback, hatch blanks, epoxy kit, fiberglass, precision-milled bead-and-cove Western Red & Alaskan Yellow cedar strips, foam "tractor" seat, Rapid Pulse backband, Keepers footbraces, and hardware.

Alternative Configurations

$440.00

This Petrel kit includes drawings, and CNC-cut forms & st...

This Petrel kit includes drawings, and CNC-cut forms & strongback.
$280.00

This Petrel kit includes drawings, and CNC-cut forms.

This Petrel kit includes drawings, and CNC-cut forms.
$129.00

$1,449.00

This Petrel kit includes drawings, CNC-cut forms & strong...

This Petrel kit includes drawings, CNC-cut forms & strongback, hatch blanks, and precision-milled bead-and-cove Western Red & Alaskan Yellow cedar strips.

Additional Options

$85.00

Both the Petrel 4mm Okoume Cockpit Apron and the Cockpit Rece...

Both the Petrel 4mm Okoume Cockpit Apron and the Cockpit Recess, for plans builders. These items are included in the complete kit option. 
$195.00

Many kayaks can benefit from a retractable skeg. There will b...

Many kayaks can benefit from a retractable skeg. There will be conditions in which no skeg is needed at all, other occasions when just a little skeg will help, and days in smooth water with a strong breeze over the aft quarter when a skeg is essential.

The Skeg Kit is comprised of three basic components: the skeg itself, the skeg box where the skeg lives in the boat, and the control slider. The skeg is a fin that can be retracted in and out. The skeg box is just big enough and wide enough to hold the skeg. The control slider is mounted up near the cockpit where it is convenient to the paddler.
$75.00

Nick Schade suggests MiniCel Foam for bulkheads in his boats....

Nick Schade suggests MiniCel Foam for bulkheads in his boats. Two 3-inch blocks ready for fitting.
$24.95

A kit for flush hatch hold-downs, requiring no deck hardware ...

A kit for flush hatch hold-downs, requiring no deck hardware to sully your strip-planked deck. Internally mounted bungies hook to hatches. Includes machined wooden parts, hardware, and instructions. Read the instructions here.

Kit includes enough material for two hatches. Specifically: eight wooden blocks, bungie cord, stainless steel hooks, and hatch cover reinforcements.

Almost any hatch system, flush or otherwise, will work with the Invisible Hatch Hold Down scheme. These kayak kits include flush hatch kits: Shearwaters, Arctic Hawk, Sea Island Sport, Night Heron S&G and all Guillemot strip-planked kayaks.

 
$24.95

By Nick Schade. 280 pages, 2009. Tens of thousands of hobbyi...

By Nick Schade. 280 pages, 2009.

Tens of thousands of hobbyists and professionals have turned out rugged, beautiful wooden kayaks with Nick Schade's classic guide, The Strip-Built Sea Kayak. In his newest book, Nick shows you how to strip-build dinghies, canoes, and other small boats as well as kayaks. Inside Building Strip-Planked Boats you will find:

  • Complete plans for a canoe (Nymph), a kayak (Petrel), and a dinghy (Coot)
  • Step-by-step instructions for any strip-built boat
  • Everything you need to know about materials, tools, and safety
  • Tips on how to adapt your favorite boat design to strip construction
  • Photos and ideas for decorative treatments to inspire you
Frank S. wrapped his Petrel with "aluminized" fiberglass, giving it a Moire appearance.
Frank S. wrapped his Petrel with "aluminized" fiberglass, giving it a Moire appearance.

What builders are saying

Today was a very special day for us here on the “east coast” of the Mediterranean.  Steve and myself both had our launch of 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 boat. We had quite a gathering of wooden kayaks, which are becoming more and more popular where we paddle.

Itay B. | ISR
Verified Builder

Many thanks to all your staff for the expert advice given to me during my seven-month build. This was my first strip boat and I could not be more happy with the way the Petrel turned out.  I installed a skeg with some pointers from Joey. I also built this boat with two layers of 4-oz. cloth on the hull for added abrasion resistance. I launched it today and I'm just as happy with the way it handles as the way it looks. It is stable, fast, and nimble. Oh, and it is a rolling machine for those people who like to do Greenland-style rolls. Thanks again for a great boat!

Larry W. | WA
Verified Builder

Hi to everyone at CLC, Clyde R. here. I got a strip-planked Petrel kit a while back that I picked up at Canoecopia. I just finished my boat last week, and had it up in northern Minnesota all this past week. I took a photo of my wife, Bridget, paddling this new kayak. This is noteworthy, since she has not let go of our stitch-and-glue Petrel Play since the first time she paddled it, other than for this run with the new boat.

The kayak is more than beautiful, it’s fast, quick to steer and easy to keep straight, and just a lot of fun to paddle. We’re happy to be done with pure glass boats, and look forward to getting a lot of use from these boats.Thanks for advice during the build!

Clyde R. | MN
Verified Builder

Videos

Building the Petrel -- A Strip-Built Sea Kayak

Petrel Kayak Build - Cove and Bead Strips - E1

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Setting up Forms - Petrel Build - E2

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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