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A Merganser 15W my son built.

The Merganser is designed for the paddler who wants the performance and light weight of a boat with the beauty of wood at economical prices. These boats are built from Okoume mahogany plywood for strength and natural good looks. The Merganser tracks well yet maneuvers easily with leaning. This boat is stable enough for the novice yet will perform for the expert. It has a relatively high forward deck to provide leg room and dry ride and a low rear deck for easy rolling. The Merganser is very fun to surf of wind blown waves, accelerating quickly to catch waves and zooming along in a comfortable and controllable way. The waterline is 20 inches wide on the merganser for efficient paddling. Flared sides provide comfortable secondary stability. The multi panel deck and recessed cockpit provide leg and foot room as well as an ergonomic fit in a sleek, low profile kayak.
Available instock or custom built with foam seat, footbraces, flush deck fittings and knob closed hatches standard. Custom built prices.
Available in four sizes;
MEGANSER 15w: 15-1/2 feet by 23 inches for paddlers wanting a smaller boat Stitch and glue kits available
MERGANSER 16: 16-1/2 feet by 21 inches for paddlers up to 5'-10" Stitch and glue kits available
MERGANSER 17: 17 feet by 22 inches for paddlers up to 6'-2" Stitch and glue kits available
MERGANSER 17w: 17 feet by 23 inches for those who want more room and stability. Stitch and glue kits available
MERGANSER 18: 18 feet by 22 inches for those who want more room in a sleek boat. Stitch and glue kits available
MERGANSER 18w: 18 feet by 23 inches the largest of the fleet.
How do I choose which version?
Custom sizes can be built upon request, including child sizes.


The merganser hybrid, combining the unsurpassed looks of strip built wooden kayaks with the great looking, high performance and lightweight plywood Merganser hull. Home builders will find the hybrid the ideal way to build a beautiful boat with much less effort and complexity than a strip built kayak. Plans and kits are now available.
Merganser plans include full size templates (tape the sheets together and mark your plywood by punching through the paper) and simple instructions. This boat uses stitch and glue construction and can be assembled in about 80 hour of work; the hybrid will take about 110 hours. The stitch and glue requires three sheets of Occume plywood. The hybrid requires 2 sheets plus 30-40 1/4"x3/4" full length cedar strips. Plans available for $85.00
For more building detail purchase The KAYAK SHOP by Chris Kulsczyki, Ragged Mountain Press)
NEW!! The New Kayak Shop: More Elegant Wooden Kayaks Anyone Can Build, by Chris Kulczycki Mcgraw Hill, Up dated book with new boats, techniques and information.
Updated on February 2, 2010
by Shearwater Boats
Please send questions or comments to:
or call (207) 386 - 0129 or write to us at:
83
Captain Perry Drive
Phippsburg, Maine 04562
All Rights Reserved No part of this page may be used without the permission of Shearwater Boats