# Mirage Drive In A Plywood Yak



## Flump (Apr 17, 2006)

Someone (I can't remember who  ) was asking about putting a Mirage Drive into a plywood kayak at the AKFF lunch in Sydney. Anyways, just thought I'd post it up for anyone interested in going down this route :mrgreen: .

http://www.picturetrail.com/tx-kayak
The above link is where I first saw the idea by a guy in the US, which probably spawned the following article in Duckworks online wooden boat building magazine:
http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/05/articles/mirage/free.cfm

I'll have one oneday :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: or maybe an idea for one of Hairy's building exploits?????  Boat building is now out for me for about a year due to having no workshop anymore  , but soon I'll have a nice heated double garage   ........proper workshop here I come 8)

Cheers........Nick


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## hairymick (Oct 18, 2005)

G'day Nick,

Mate there is a discreet thread going on at another forum at the moment. The purpose is to design and build a genuine high performance fishing SOT incoorporating Mirage Drive system, outriggers, (AMAS?) sail, inboard rod storage and icebox etc. in short, the whole nine yards.

Main hull is done and discussion is now revolving around mirage drive mounting assembly. It could well be that the mounting box might be available in kit form so it would be a fairly simple matter to modify it to fit an existing wood or fibreglass yak.

The boat is being designed specifically to target large pelagics and for travelling long distances to get them. I have been very priveliged to have been invited into the discussion and I have to tell you, I am getting bloody excited about this boat. It is not quite my idea of the ideal offshore boat but it is bloody close.

Sort of picture a Howe Extasea type hull with outriggers, sail and mirage drive in addition to easy hatch access at sea, in hull road storage for the surf etc. etc. etc.

Some very smart blokes (not me) are working together on this. If done right, I believe the boat has the potential to revolutionise SOT fishing.


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## abitfishy (Sep 24, 2006)

And may I add, be out of reach for most of us $$$$$ wise no doubt.


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## ManjiMike (Jan 24, 2007)

abitfishy said:


> And may I add, be out of reach for most of us $$$$$ wise no doubt.


This will be DIY job so shouldn't be exorbitant (probably less than $1k ) and Mirage drive only costs $450 US.
Still a cheap yak.

Cheers Mike


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## abitfishy (Sep 24, 2006)

Ah yes. In that case out of reach skill wise then!!


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## ManjiMike (Jan 24, 2007)

You betta ask Hairymick to build you one - he'll run out of jobs soon :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sorry Mick :lol: :lol:

Cheers Mike


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## Flump (Apr 17, 2006)

Hi Mick, thats awesome news mate, a mirage drive in a super slick kayak with all the trimmings.....drool.......looking forward to this one  . Sounds like a very, very interesting project

abitfishy - Mike is pretty much spot on, home builds are very cheap. For the cost of a Mirage Drive, plans, epoxy, fibreglass and plywood I reckon something really special could easily be done for between $1000 and $1200 AU. For this cost I'd be looking at including basic fishing fit out, outriggers and if you are any good with a sewing machine, a set of sails and a mast. Obviously there is alot of personal time investment which isn't costed as such, but they are pretty easy to build with a only a few tools needed


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## abitfishy (Sep 24, 2006)

Hey, I can't even keep a jigsaw straight enough along a line, so doubtful I can build a kayak. Although I'm in love with one of micks kayaks (The P5) and when the plans are up I might just give it a go. At least if I give up half way in disgust (in disgust of my lack of skill) its only a bit of plywood and time I've wasted!


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## varp (Sep 12, 2005)

Great idea Flump and I want your heated garage!

Hairy - I bought the latest copy of Wooden Boat magazine today. I've resisted getting into boat building for about as long as I possibly can and I don't think my resolve can last much longer....in fact I know it has crashed as I type these words.

*I had a dream* and it lead me this to forum 18 months ago and it has resulted in me buying 2 yaks and the plans for another (still haven't done the Sabalo yet....be good a practice job)

That dream was a brief glimpse into the craft that you describe, though the outriggers idea I think I can resist. What that dream comes close to being conceptually you can see here -

http://www.adventuresofgreg.com/HPB/lab ... lding.html

Stacks of pics there as he tries to get his trans Atlantic peddle powered yak up and running. My idea is for a more domestic version, mainly wood, pedal, paddle and sail, no canopy and one you could still sleep in and is totally ocean worthy.



















I suppose if it's a private thread thingy it's a private thread thingy, but if you can keep us in the loop a bit I'd be hugely appreciative.


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## reefcheck (Jul 20, 2006)

Maybe, after a cup of tea and a lie down, I'll stick my neck out and suggest that a nice 16-18' open water rowing skiff with a pair of oars would do the job, as proven by past generaitons, is simple and cheap. There again the idea of a pedal powered techno sled has got me consigning such simple thoughts to my " senior's moments" bin. Can't wait to see these innovations on the water!


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## varp (Sep 12, 2005)

> a nice 16-18' open water rowing skiff with a pair of oars would do the job


yeah but no but..... it wouldn't. It'd just be a nice 16-18' open water rowing skiff with a pair of oars and I'd be facing the wrong way.

:lol:

Rowing has always had hairs on it, though it is the most efficient way of converting a bowl of porridge into propulsion. Paddling is probably the least efficient method, but you gain far greater control of your craft and you don't get a crick in the neck. Power of the peddle I'm new to, but I think it offers a rich seam of design challenges. Seems to be the way to go for sustained speed and the recumbent position means more grunt and less wind resistance.

This link is to an Aussie designer/enthusiast - Rick Willoughby - that has had a fair bit to do with the trans Atlantic pedal powered boat challenge (WITHIN) that I posted about before. Got some great concepts going and I wonder how some of his ideas would translate to the rec yak scene.

http://www.rickwill.bigpondhosting.com/

Should insert my usual disclaimer here - I just poke around the net a bit when I'm not digging holes for a living so if you think I'm talking through my arse you are probably right.


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## Flump (Apr 17, 2006)

Hi Varp,

Looks like a great piece of work that, low centre of gravity, long waterline, nice. Sounds like that yak is flying along with the distance record in 24 hours already broken. Doing the maths on 3000 miles in 40 days seems very doable, good luck to the guy huh.

You are going to have to get a start on that Sabalo mate. Reading that post, plus Hairy's exploits is what got my first yak done, you'll just have to make a start


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## varp (Sep 12, 2005)

I'm as keen as mustard to make a start Flump, but one thing I've learnt about myself over the years that I'd rather not be guilty of again is starting something that was a flawed idea from the start. Spent thousands of dollars, hours and stretched friendships on some seriously f###ed up schemes.....All harmless enough and as I throw them into the skip I do get a laugh, but overall it is both sad and bogus. Now I'm 50 I want to put all that behind me.

So I'm weighing up the toss between a seagull powered yak called The Seaguts or a friendly dolphin named Frupper that will be kind and helpful when I call.....though a trained posse of fairy penguins all leashed together should not be discounted either. I definitely won't rush it this time.

I saw some pics of your yak when redphoenix (the-worlds-most-helpful-yak-forum-dude) kindly posted me links to pics of Adventures on the Barlings Bash. It looked good! What is it and where did you get your plans?


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## Flump (Apr 17, 2006)

Hi Varp,

Fair enough mate, sometimes things just don't work out  . Was wondering if you'd thought about a team of friendly sharks, that way you solve two problems, propulsion and no need for a shark shield :lol: :wink:

My kayak was designed by yours truely. After looking at the many different designs of plastic yaks I just came up with a shape I liked using some boat design software. This then got transferred into a CAD programme and I designed the seating, bulkheads and everything else in 3D so I could see how to put it together. It went together pretty well, but if I was doing it again I know I could make it better (the three metre yak was rough as guts design and build). A bit of a higher seat with scupper holes would have been great. Instead I have to rely on a bilge pump to get water out of the SOT bit as I sit lower than the water level. First outing was a bit scary as I ended up with around 50 litres of water inside the hull and the same again in the seating area due to no pump and a hatch not being sealed. An extra 100 kgs in a kayak designed to hold 140kgs (i.e. me and the fishing kit) is an absolute pig to paddle. Fortunately the total capacity of the yak (to sink) was around 400 kg's so it wasn't all that bad. All fixed now though as pretty much anything is solveable with a DIY kayak  . It's bloody stable though and I haven't been off it at all even in the rough stuff.

After my experiences I would definately recommend good quality plans and a building manual though, Matts plans appear to be some of the better ones around. Makes life far easier than going it alone. 8)


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

varp said:


> All harmless enough and as I throw them into the skip I do get a laugh, but overall it is both sad and bogus. Now I'm 50 I want to put all that behind me.


Varp
Some blokes never make mistakes, but primarily because they don't have a go mate...the mistakes are what make the wins so pleasurable.
I am still making blunders at 67 and when I do, I just move onto the next project :lol: theres more learning in mistakes than wins I reckon


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

have to agree with Richo here Varp , the bloke who has never made a mistake has never made anything


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## varp (Sep 12, 2005)

Flump - Did It All Yourself! I am impressed! and yes Matt from JEMCRAFT is a thorough gentleman and his site is just the ticket for getting the job done.

Dodge and Baz - I hope I've not given youse the impression I'm being all poor-me-sooky-I-can't-do-a-thing-properly. I'm actually pretty confident in my craft skills and not afraid to tackle pretty much anything. I just want to keep the dickhead factor to a minimum this time so I'm going to do STACKS of preparation!

Just dunno what to prepare for.

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Your a bad influance Varp :shock: :shock: , after all this reading about having a bit of a GO , regarding building our dream boat , i have just sent to the states for 2 books on building strip kayaks, this project has been on my mind for nearly 206 years now, so , after my wise words to you ., i thought , " hey barry , get off your own arse and start something ", it needs to be sleek , fast and mildly stable , i will sacrifice a bit of stability for speed , ohh and it has to be light, think i better ring Hairy and get him down here with his tools :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## hairymick (Oct 18, 2005)

G'day Guys,

I will try to keep you in the loop as much as possible and ethical. The thread concerned is a private one for a custom order that the customer is paying a lot of money for. I was just lucky enough to be invited into it .

Varp, that Mirage Drive Sabalo really is a work of art. the guy who built it is having significant input into the design of the kit for the Mirage Drive on this one.

Baz, If you are thinking of building a stripper, I would recommend you check out this site.

http://www.westcoastpaddler.com/communi ... file=index

There are some builders there who are true masters of the game. Check out some of their builds mate. There are a lot of brilliant tips to be had. Dan Milsop, the forum Admin is a heck of a good bloke and a wealth of knowledge - as are the rest of the experienced builders there.


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Mick , thanks for that link , i am going through several ideas in my mind , i would like to build a yak that is approx 17 ft , light and not too beamy , and sit on top, i dont want it to fish off , just for pleasure paddling, and moving quickly through the water, were your boats stitch and glue?, i will probably Pm you when the ideas come closer together , i would also like to have a sail on it at times, aaarrrggghhhh so many bloody ideas :? :? :?


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## hairymick (Oct 18, 2005)

Baz,

I reckon my Southwind Hull set up with a SOT cockpit and deck of your design would probably suit you well. Coupled with a Mirage drive, (if that is your thing) I think it would leave all behind. - bar none.

As she is, she has hull speed approaching that of a good sea kayak.

re the weight thing, with a wood SOT your are really buildint 2 boats only more when you takeinto consdration bulkheads abd cockpit support frames etc. it would be a real feat to build a SOT 17 feet long that weighs under around 25 kgs. My boat, at 17'9" long, without hatches or bulkheads weighs about 20 - 21kgs.

All my builds are Stitch and glue ply. it is much quicker and cheaper than strip plank building (unless you have access to a really good supply of 6mm cedar strips)


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## varp (Sep 12, 2005)

Here's another drive system Flump - the Z Drive -

http://www.ftlauderdaleyakfishingclub.o ... f=8;t=1182

From my reading things are hotting up in regard to human powered craft. Peak oil will soon be upon us and the average boat fisho will be mightily screwed when that happens. All sorts of contraptions are on the go it seems and I'm keen to see what will eventuate and what winds up getting the nod from industry. Interesting times!

I notice AlohaDan is working with Matt on some hush-hush project called the 'Pelagic' Hairy......I wonder if that's whats on the boil. :wink: :wink: I look forward to seeing the result. His criteria come awful close to what mine would be as I'm leaning now towards the easily deployed sponsons idea.

Here ya go Baz - for when a little bit of sail is barely enough -


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Hogans Ghost Varp, that is bloody amazing ., all that sail, i'm surprised in view of the canvas he has up , he didn't fit a mistress and fore top gallants, "all sheets to the wind Mr Christian" :shock: :shock: :shock:


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