MATARIKI is a concept boat to meet the needs of folk who want to kayak and row and I guess own a double sea kayak without having to bear the burden of having a permanent #2 paddler on call. She is constructed on a Ron Augustin designed kevlar hull. Purchased without any bulkheads etc. I hung 10kg off each end to pull a bit of rocker out and bring her beam in. A for'd and aft bulkhead are joined by two fore and aft bulkheads to form a long open cockpit. She is decked with 3mm Hoop Pine and 6oz glass cloth. She is as close as God will allow use of the word 'unsinkable' and if capsized will flip back with perhaps a litre of water in the bottom. You can sit with your legs dangling over the side quite safely. I designed her rowing rig so that it can be fitted or removed on the water. In the beached photograph and one where Grant Stone is rowing the arms are at 90 deg to the water. This was just a 'have I got it right' day out. In the finished version the arms have been lifted 15 degrees so that you can row successfully with a beam sea. There is ample stowage fore and aft. When rowing there is a footplate with rudder pedals so that you can trim for crossbreeze and run like hell down the waves. This assembly lifts out and drops in midships for single or double kayak configuration. She can be paddled like a Canadian with a single bladed paddle too. The pole carries a mirror to ensure safe passage amongst the power boats. Matariki effortlessly covers the ground at 60 strokes pm at about 5kts plus and handles a wide range of sea conditions very well.

Part 1 Concept Part 2 Design Basics Part 3 Rowing Rig Part 4 The Steering Rig Part 5