DRAGONFLY Trimarans User Forum

Plastic Cobras or Hobies don't fit the 26" (widest point) hatch.

We have been sailing around with two kayaks for three seasons now. Both are touring kayaks, not seagoing kayaks. One is a Coastrunner the other is a Neumann carbon kayak. The Coastrunner is 54cm wide and is easy to paddle; the other is 51cm wide so you need a little experience to use it. None of them can be used in more than 20-30 cm waves.

The advantage with a carbon kayak is the weight, the disadvantage is you have to be a little more careful when handling it, but this has been no problem so far. To avoid too much humidity inside the hulls I let the kayaks dry by putting them halfway into the hull, the Neumann is dark green and dries up much quicker than the other which is red and white.

I didn’t like the idea of having the kayaks loose inside the hull in big waves. To solve this I have fastened two semicircular rings to the inside of the hull with glass fiber and polyester, and use a strapping band between the rings to secure the kayak. Also, I have bend and bonded a plate of polyetylen foam (60x30x5cm) underneath the rings so that the kayak rests on this. To avoid scratches on the forward end of the kayak and distribute the forces I have attached a small piece of polyetylen foam (20x5x5cm) on the underside of the bottom of the storeroom in the ama. The advantage with polyetylen is that it is soft and is inert to water. It’s also called PE or polythene.

Thanks. Both look very nice. Coastrunner not available in the US, although there are other nice fiberglass designs. I started looking for a plastic tandem kayak that can take the beating inside the ama, but now I realize that plastic means novice/recreational, so also means wider beam. Can't even find a single plastic kayak with that beam.

Are you able to store/remove them without scratches from being on the ama/trampoline, not standing in the water like in the Quorning video?

I am beginning to fantasize about Huki outriggers now... Need to find a rotomoulded beater, quick.

I always stand to one side of the ama platform when moving the kayak in or out of the ama. When it’s inside I turn it a little so the rudder is protected and pushes it with my foot until it is stuck underneath the PE foam under the store room. When doing this the kayak slides on the bigger PE foam. I have positioned this piece of foam so that it is a little forward of the rudder when the kayak is all the way in. This keeps the rudder away from the hull of the ama.
I don't have a bathing ladder on my amas (I have a bathing platform on the main hull), but the ladder could cause scratches. Else, it’s just a matter of being a little careful and bond some foam in the correct places.
To enter the kayak, I do this from the back of the ama.
The Huki seems to have a high gloss surface; totally avoid marks on that surface could be difficult. Interesting kayaks by the way.

Swimming platform on the main hull? Is it made of a ladder attached to the open transom, or is there actually a platform? Does the backrest not interfere? Do you have pictures?

I have three pretty destructive boys, will pursue the rotomolded plastic option - there has to be a solution. So far I only found Finnkayaks Multisport, but it seems to be only available in Australia.

It's an actual platform. I'll find a picture and put it in a separate post. It's a standard platform from a Swedish company, see this link:
http://www.batsystem.se/databas/ShowGal ... s-Sjpg.jpg
Quorning modified it a little I think. It makes it much easier to get in and out of the water.

What about buying a used glassfiber kayak, then scratches doesn't matter so much. That's what I did. Kids should be 10-12 years before using a normal sized kayak. Glassfiber kayaks for small children do exist but are rare. I don't know your childrens age but here is a Norwegian plastic kayak (PE sandwich construction):
http://www.arnehasle.no/informasjon/kaj ... 0-for-barn
Unfortunately only Norwegian text, price is approximately $800, email address is post@hasleboats.no.

Thanks. Nice platform, and doesn't make the boat longer when folded. Need to think about it -- I always liked the DF 1000's transom...

Think I found what I was looking for: http://www.wildernesssystems.com/produc ... 0_seakayak

There is a used one for $800 here, and also there is a second option, older fiberglass Northwest Esprit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_mQIoKD9_Y

Bought a Current Designs Squamish
http://www.cdkayak.com/products/templat ... hp?IID=150
Fits in the ama really well and I don't need to worry about scratches because it's plastic.

Also bought the older fiberglass NW Kayaks Esprit. No foam padding for this one either because it's old and came cheap.

Have fun with the new kayaks. Foam is most likely not necessary for plastic kayaks. Consider to make some way to fasten the kayak if the front of the kayak is not clamped in a fixed position underneath the store room floor.