BUZZBAIT [BOATS]


MODERN MANUFACTURING MAKES KAYAKS BETTER THAN EVER BY RIC BURNLEY


HOW IT’S MADE


B O A T S | T A C K L E | G E A R | CL O W N F IS H | P R O FI LE | S E C R E T L I F E O F | C ON S E R V A T I ON


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ndestructible, beautiful, functional, repairable and recyclable—these are just a few words that describe modern fishing kayaks. But how do manu-


facturers make a do-it-all kayak that costs so little? One word: plastics. We went to master manufacturers to find out how they make their kayaks and how they make them better. Most plastic fishing kayaks are made one of three ways: rotational mold-


ing, blow molding or thermoforming. Rotational or roto-molding is the most common way to make a plastic canoe or kayak. As the name implies, this process uses a giant machine that rotates, shakes, twists, turns and spins the mold to distribute the molten plastic like an industrial-sized Shake ‘N Bake. “Kayak manufacturers are taking the process to the next level,” says Da-


vid Hadden, brand director at Old Town Canoes and Kayaks. Getting the plastic to the perfect thickness and forming the pointed ends and hard angles is the toughest part of the process. “Ninety percent of roto-molding is science,” says Hadden, “but 10 percent depends on the skill and experi- ence of the workers.” While a roto kayak can cook for up to 40 minutes, blow molding pro- duces a kayak in a few seconds. “The mold looks like a giant cookie cutter


22…KAYAK ANGLER


on the inside,” explains Candace Weaver, marketing manager for Emotion Kayaks. Liquid plastic is dropped down from the top of the machine, the mold closes around the plastic, and then compressed air blasts the plastic into the hot mold to achieve its shape. Weaver adds that one advantage of blow molding is that the plastic can be recycled. “The whole process saves time and money so we can get more kayaks to more people,” she says. Thermoformed kayaks are shinier and slicker than other plastic boats,


but the advantages of this process go more than skin deep. “ABS plastic has higher rigidity than other plastics,” explains Thomas Flemons, owner of Diablo Paddlesports, “so we can produce a lighter boat that is still strong.” Also, the slick plastic creates less drag and makes the kayak faster. “And you can attach accessories with a suction cup,” Flemons adds. The process starts with a heated sheet of ABS plastic that is compressed


between two sides of a mold, like squishing a slice of white bread between your hands. The deck and hull are molded separately and then glued to- gether to produce a complete kayak. “The glue chemically bonds the two halves so they never come apart,” Flemons says. The result is a superlight boat that is really stiff.


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