The Wood Duck 10 Hybrid substitutes cedar strips for the standard plywood deck, while the stitch-and-glue hull and underbody is identical to the standard version. Thus it's a "hybrid" of a strip-planking and stitch-and-glue building techniques. Wood Duck Hybrids offer builders with more woodworking skill the opportunity to customize their kayaks with creative strip patterns and designs. As a curious historical note, "hybrid" as a term describing a plywood kayak with a cedar-stripped deck actually predates the rise of of the hybrid automobile. We still get a lot of email wondering if the Wood Duck Hybrids are electric-powered (they are not).
The Wood Duck 10 is a beautiful, easy-to-use recreational kayak. With a big cockpit and ample stability, the emphasis is on comfort. But the Wood Duck 10 really paddles well! Ultralight and easy to manage on shore, the Wood Duck 10 is a great point-and-shoot paddler, substantial enough to handle choppy conditions but perfect for idling into quiet marshes.
Compact, easy-to-launch boats like the Wood Ducks just seem to get used the most. In a tenth of the time it takes to launch a heavy boat on a trailer or drag the big canoe down the lawn, you can slide one of these little kayaks into the water and be on your way. Keep your Wood Duck on top of the car, ready to toss into all the interesting creeks in your county.
Capacity is ample and meant to accommodate a broad range of paddlers. Cockpits are 38 inches long, for easy in and out, and your legs and knees will not be confined. The Wood Duck 10 will carry paddlers up to 200 pounds, and the Wood Duck 12 will easily handle a 275-pounder, plus gear. A flush hatch for the rear compartment is standard in all kits; an airtight oval VCP hatch is an option. In either case, both boats can carry a heavy payload in the fore and aft compartments, enough for picnicking, camping or a whole lot of fishing gear.
The Wood Duck Hybrid’s hull is identical to the standard Wood Duck’s, with computer-cut BS 1088 Okoume panels assembled with “puzzle joints” so it goes together very, very quickly. Computer-cut molds are set into the hull with temporary hot glue. These molds shape and support the deck during construction. With the kit, we include precision-milled bead-and-cove Western Red and Alaskan Yellow cedar strips. The strips are milled with a “bead and cove” joint so that one slides into the next for perfect joinery.
Once the deck pattern has been established and glued together, the entire deck is gently taken off the hull and the underside fiberglassed. The molds are removed from the hull, then the deck epoxied back in place. Finally, the top of the strip deck is fiberglassed and the cockpit and hatches are added.
CLC commissioned designer Eric Schade to draw and prototype the Wood Duck series of kayaks to our specifications. Eric had a huge hit with his Shearwater kayak designs, also designed for CLC as fast sea kayaks. He has another huge hit on his hands with these fun, good-looking recreational kayaks that anyone from age 8 to age 80 can enjoy on the water.
Do you fit in this kayak? Study our kayak fit chart.
Build this boat if:
- You want an ultra-versatile recreational kayak with a beautiful cedar-strip deck
- You need an extremely light, easy-to-carry, compact kayak
- You need a kayak usable both by adults and children
- Ease of construction is important
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