# First Launch... Finally! **URL:** \ **Category:** Builder's Forum\ **Created:** [October 11, 2010, 1:07pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761 "2010-10-11T13:07:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frank\_Jeffers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Frank\_Jeffers](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Frank_Jeffers)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 1:07pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761/1 "2010-10-11T13:07:35Z")
After nearly two years of stop and go effort I finally just said heck with it and decided to put it in the water. All i really have left to do is finish sanding and varnishing ;( A couple of things about the CH16 I noticed were it seems a bit "tippy", that is it seems to want to rest on either of its "flat" bottoms, keeping it in the middle was a bit of a challenge. I didnt manage to tip it over yet though :) Very little Kayak experience so maybe that is it? Though i have been in a canoe quite a bit. I am 5'6" and 150lbs. and the steering seemed a bit more difficult then i would have thought, but it does glide very easily through the water.  my 8 yr old son now wants one after being in mine, what would be a good choice for him?  No matter what i do i CAN NOT get rid of the epoxy "fish eyeing" especially on the top!!  will this also be the same with varnish? I resanded with brand new paper, wash with a bit of soap and water, then denatured alcohol and its still doing it?? All in all a very fun experience and i get loads of compliments on how it looks... just dont get too close!   Frank   ![CH16]() ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Jeffers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Frank\_Jeffers](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Frank_Jeffers)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 1:19pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761/2 "2010-10-11T13:19:39Z")
![]() ![CH16]() ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Jeffers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Frank\_Jeffers](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Frank_Jeffers)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 1:21pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761/3 "2010-10-11T13:21:31Z")
![CH16]() ---
**Author:** ![M\_Cordrey](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/forum.clcboats.com/m_cordrey/32/5_2.png) [@M\_Cordrey](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/M_Cordrey)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 2:14pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761/4 "2010-10-11T14:14:22Z")
Frank, We’d love to see the photo, but you need to have it hosted somewhere on the web in order to produce it in your post.  We have put together a brief tutorial over here: [How to Post Photos on the CLC Forum](http://www.clcboats.com/various/posting-photos-forums.html) Feel free to email me if you have any trouble: _[matt@clcboats.com](mailto:matt@clcboats.com)_ Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Nathan\_Brandt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/57b2e6/32.png) [@Nathan\_Brandt](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Nathan_Brandt)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 2:16pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761/5 "2010-10-11T14:16:50Z")
I feel your pain! I had the same problem with fisheyes on my deck.  I never did find the cause.  I was able to sand and scrape most of them out, and the varnish turned out great.  I thinned it with penetrol and a little thinner and I had no problems.  Good Luck ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Ewell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8797f3/32.png) [@Wesley\_Ewell](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Wesley_Ewell)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761/6 "2010-10-11T15:27:04Z")
Frank, Don't be frightened by that tippiness. Use it to track and steer your boat. When you paddle on the right, lean to the right; when you paddle on the left, lean left. You will find your boat tracking straight as an arrow. If you learn to lean even further as you turn, you will find this boat turns easily. Practice in warm water with somebody watching until you get the feel of it. -Wes ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Jeffers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Frank\_Jeffers](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Frank_Jeffers)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761/7 "2010-10-11T16:55:10Z")
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo161/wyowolf69/CH16-1.jpg   hmmm I have tried all the Photobuckets links, neither of them seems to produce an image?? so i just posted the above link...   Wes, thanks, that does help somewhat... I figured there was a trick to it...   I really dont understand the fisheye thing, but i guess i will just sand it smooth and varnish... :)   Thanks to all of you for your replies :) ---
**Author:** ![Daniel\_Thaler](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/forum.clcboats.com/daniel_thaler/32/313_2.png) [@Daniel\_Thaler](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Daniel_Thaler)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761/8 "2010-10-11T17:11:53Z")
![](http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo161/wyowolf69/CH16-1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Daniel\_Thaler](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex007/user_avatar/forum.clcboats.com/daniel_thaler/32/313_2.png) [@Daniel\_Thaler](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Daniel_Thaler)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 5:16pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761/9 "2010-10-11T17:16:37Z")
I'm thinking of building one for my 8 year old grandson, but he doesn't live nearby and by the time he comes here and it's done he'll be a foot taller... I'll just have to build another 'adult' size boat  bummer (not) ;-) Dan  ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Jeffers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Frank\_Jeffers](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Frank_Jeffers)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 7:31am UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761/10 "2010-10-12T07:31:15Z")
I see a couple choices for children on here and curious as to what others have done. The Ch14 or the Wood Duck? He is 8 yrs about 55lbs... and tons of energy!! I want something that will be easy for him to learn but that he wont outgrow too soon... i dont think that will be the case though... mostly stablity is what i am concerned with. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Ewell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8797f3/32.png) [@Wesley\_Ewell](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Wesley_Ewell)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 9:23am UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761/11 "2010-10-12T09:23:06Z")
Take a look at Nick Schade’s Ganymede. It’s super stable, but performs very well. It’s also very easy to build. You can see photos and building log of my daughter’s Ganymede at [http://twofootartist.com/ganymede-construction-notes/](http://twofootartist.com/ganymede-construction-notes/) -Wes ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Jeffers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Frank\_Jeffers](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Frank_Jeffers)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761/12 "2010-10-12T12:35:11Z")
I saw that yesterday.. nice job! isnt that a little big for a kid though? ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_Yackovetsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8491ac/32.png) [@Andrew\_Yackovetsky](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Andrew_Yackovetsky)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 9:37pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761/13 "2010-10-12T21:37:03Z")
I built a ch 14 for my 8 yr old daughter. She loves it. We tryed a wood duck at the Mystic Wooden boat show, however the beam is too wide, she kept hitting her hands on the deck. The ch14 is only 21.5". My wife also padddles a 14. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Jeffers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Frank\_Jeffers](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Frank_Jeffers)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 9:56am UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761/14 "2010-10-13T09:56:49Z")
thats kinda what i was thinking also... can it be strip built? i need an excuse to build another :) ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_Yackovetsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8491ac/32.png) [@Andrew\_Yackovetsky](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Andrew_Yackovetsky)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 10:21am UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761/15 "2010-10-13T10:21:57Z")
the deck can be striped but i don'r know about the hull ---
**Author:** ![Eric\_Ogata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@Eric\_Ogata](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Eric_Ogata)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/first-launch-finally/37761/16 "2010-10-13T17:51:36Z")
Take a look at:  [http://yostwerks.com/DesignsMenu.html](http://yostwerks.com/DesignsMenu.html "yostwerks") Particularly, the Sea Flea, Sea Pup or Kidarka designs for children. Don't be put off by the appearance of the vinyl skin on many of the folder and inflatable pics. These kayaks can be built with beautiful, lashed, wooden frames and polyester, or nylon skins to be very light, strong and inexpensive. Kids can paint their own designs on the fabric. Very fast build too. Could be put together in a week or two easily. -- Ogata