Kayarchy - the sea kayaker's online handbook and reference

 

Retail Outlets (4)

Clothing, accessories, magazine & book publishers, parts & materials, sailing kayaks, sailing canoes

Pile of kayaking kit

Most of these suppliers are in the US or Canada. For the UK see www.kayarchy.co.uk. Continued from previous page about:
• Sea kayak stores
• Sea kayak suppliers
• Surf kayak suppliers
• Paddle suppliers

 

Sea kayak clothing

 

Jackets, sprayskirts, PFDs, etc

Manufacturers or importers who sell direct to the public:

The big boys, who we think sell only through retailers:

 

Roof racks

See Transporting Your Kayak.

Other accessories, parts & materials

 

 

Woodworking tools

For all woodworking hand tools, power tools, machine tools, abrasives, adhesives and books:

Boatbuilding wood

Timber for paddles, and cedar strips for strip-plank construction:

Marine plywood:

Polyester resin & glassfiber reinforcement suppliers

Epoxy resin suppliers

To buy boatbuilding epoxies by mail order - Noah's Marine again. See also Biocomposites. For technical information about epoxies from the big boys:

Skin materials for skin-on-frame boats

Metric fabric weights are given in grammes per square metre, abbreviated to gsm or g/m2. US suppliers prefer to use ounces per square yard, abbreviated to oz/yd2 or just oz. Most suppliers of heavy uncoated fabrics exist to sell 100-yard rolls to industrial customers and they're unwilling to supply small quantities to private purchasers. These suppliers know exactly what kayakers need:

  • George Dyson. Polyester and nylon fabrics from 8 oz to an amazing 29 oz (270 gsm to 985 gsm). As far as we know he does not have a website. Dyson, Baidarka & Co, 435 West Holly St, Bellingham WA 98225. Tel: 360-734-9226 FAX: 360-671-9736.
  • Corey Freedman's Skin Boat School a.k.a. Spirit Line. Nylon fabrics from 7 oz to 14 oz (240 gsm to 475 gsm). www.skinboats.org

There is also an industrial supplier that's happy to supply small quantities to kayakers:

  • Kavon Filter Company of Wall, NJ. Heavyweight polyester, nylon and cotton canvas. www.kavonfilter.com

Sealants for skin-on-frame boats

Major suppliers in North America are Corey Freedman's Skin Boat School a.k.a. Spirit Line for two-part zero solvents urethane coatings (www.skinboats.org) and Gaco Western (www.gaco.com) for urethane, neoprene and hypalon.

Materials for inflatable and dry bags

Neoprene for wetsuits

See Wetsuit Material. Want to make a tuiliq or similar accessories? The quality of foam neoprene is very variable, and a cheap material from an unknown Chinese manufacturer may quickly wear through or delaminate.

  • For British suppliers of sheet neoprene, go to Kayarchy's UK site.
  • Macro International in California will sell single sheets of clearance stock. www.macrointlco.com
  • Brooks Paddle Gear in Vancouver, Canada, advertize a wide range of neoprene sheet material from unstated manufacturers. They ship worldwide. www.brookspaddlegear.com
  • Elios Sub in Italy will supply single sheets of neoprene foam by reputable manufacturers to a huge range of specifications. www.eliossub.com

Online marine supply stores (fittings, rope & paint)

Online camping and rock-climbing supplies

 

Waterproof and insulating fabrics, webbing, buckles etc

  • Seattle Fabrics (mail order, huge range of fabrics and accessories, no minimum order). www.seattlefabrics.com

Metals & plastics

  • Online Metals, Seattle (mail order in USA and Canada, no minimum order, they sell sheet, bar, rod and tube stainless steel, aluminum, polycarbonate, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW), nylon and much more. www.onlinemetals.com

Books & magazines


Kayaking publishers & bookstores

  • Le Canotier. A Paris bookstore for kayakers. Their stock and their website are in both French and English. www.canotier.com
  • Pesda Press, www.pesdapress.com. Wales. Publishers of British Canoe Union kayaking books and others.
  • For "Instruction in Kayak Building", H C Petersen, published by the Greenland Provincial Museum & Viking Ship Museum, 1982, order online from www.atuagkat.com or www.qajaqusa.org.
  • Qajaq USA sells some sea kayaking books and publications including "The Little Kayak Book" by John Brand.

Sea kayaking magazines

Sea kayak booklist

Paul Caffyn, kayak circumnavigator and writer, has kindly provided us with his list of books about kayaking and canoeing. Who knew there were so many? Click here to view.

Sailing kayaks & canoes

 

Add-on sailing rigs

Kite power

Sailing canoes (plans and boats)

 

 

 

Go to next page for:
• Paul Caffyn's booklist

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