Strip-Planked Kayaks » Petrels |
The original Nick Schade Petrel design, a slippery 17-foot by 20-inch sea kayak equally at home as a fast cruiser or surfing in the break zone, is not a project for the timid boatbuilder. In that design, cedar strips enclose an undulating shape with functional "chines" that allow carved turns like a classic West Greenland kayak. "Great looks and handling, but requires an advanced builder," Nick Schade says.
The new stitch-and-glue version of the Petrel eliminates the fussy strip-planking procedure, which involves cutting and fitting scores of individual cedar strips over a mold. Instead, computer-cut plywood panels for the hull and deck are stitched together with wire, then reinforced with epoxy and fiberglass. The simplified plywood hull has its own sculptural qualities, and gives up none of the performance of the original.
Acknowledging the market demand for stable recreational kayaks but unable to resist the urge to play in big water, Schade came up with a second new design, the Petrel Play. The shorter, wider kayak will suit a beginner for exploring lakes, or an expert surfing big waves.
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...
Kits from $2049.00
Plans from $129.00
Nick Schade’s line of strip-planked Greenland-style sea kayaks are renowned for sophisticated performance on the water, beautiful lines, and sculptural hull details. But strip-planked boatbuilding is not for everyone. Novice woodworkers and...
from $1899.00
When Nick Schade built the Petrel "Play" SG several years ago, he really wanted to build the strip built version. Now it's available. The Petrel Play fits in a cross-over space between recreational kayaks and sea kayaks. It is stable and...
Kits from $1889.00
Plans from $129.00
Paddlers are demanding versatility AND performance from their sea kayaks these days. Little by little, designers like Nick Schade are squeezing huge performance out of compact dimensions. Watch the Petrel Play in surfing action...
from $1569.00
It can be hard to find the right boat if you don’t fit in the middle of the bell curve. If your stats run towards the larger end of the spectrum there are not many choices available for performance sea kayaks. The Petrel Play SGL is...
Kits from $1685.00
Plans from $149.00
