Pinguino (Spanish for Penguin) is a 14.5 foot, stitch and glue kit kayak designed and manufactured by Pygmy Boats Inc. I built this boat - specifically the Pinguino 14.5 with 4PD - during the winter of 2011-2012 (I think 4PD means four panel deck). The kit arrived in the first week of November and I worked on it on and off through May when it was launched on its maiden voyage. The boat probably took about four weeks of steady work, but travel and visitors poked big holes in my building schedule. I was not a complete neophyte at construction, having built a small sailboat from plans and a harpsichord from a kit many years ago. Even so, building Pinguino was a challenge. I made mistakes both trivial and serious. But with some thought and help from the Pygmy folks, the boat turned out well. It looks beautiful and paddles like a dream.
I made a video record of the building of this boat. This link will connect you to my new website, Buildingpinguino.info where a complete record of the process can be found, that will take you step by step through the building of the boat. I'm hopeful that other builders and those contemplating building any stitch and glue kayak can learn from my experiences.
Building Pinguino, from Boxes to Boat
Pinguino as it arrived in November.
- Topics Covered:
- Preparations: 11/2/2011
- Getting Started: 11/8/2011
- Beveling Hull and Deck Seams: 11/9/2011
- The Hull Begins to Take Shape: 11/9/2011
- Laying the Keel: 11/18/2011
- Tightening Up! 11/19/2011
- Edge Gluing the Seams: 11/20/2011
- Do I Really Need to Make All Those Wire Staples? 12/22/2011
- Glassing the Hull-First Steps: 12/30/2011
- Glassing the Hull-Epoxy on Cloth:12/31/2011
- Assembling the Deck: 1/12/2012
- Fixing My Big Mistake: 2/1/2012
- Edge Gluing the Deck: 2/2/2012
- Reinforcing the Deck: 2/3/2012
- Glassing the Inside of the Hull: 3/11/2012
Glassing the deck.
- Topics Covered:
- Preparing the Deck for Glass: 3/12/2012
- Finishing the Shear Line & Applying the Saturation Coat: 3/12/2012
- Glassing the Deck (Another Small Error): 3/14/2012
- Cutting the Hatches from the Deck: 3/15/2012
- Calking the Inside Shear Seam: 3/21/2012
- Installing the Watertight Bulkheads: 3/23/2012
- Sealing the Watertight Bulkheads: 3/24/2012
Pinguino 14.5 with 4PD-my boat under construction. Note the lighter color from using WR-LPU.
- Topics Covered:
- Installing the hatch gaskets: 3/26/2012
- The Seat Back and Seat Back Pillars: 4/14/2012
- Finishing Pinguino - The Final Sanding: 5/7/2012
- Finishing Pinguino With WR-LPU: 5/8/2012
- Finishing Pinguino - The End Pour: 5/10/2012
- PINGUINO IS FINISHED
Installing the hatch gaskets.
- Launching Pinguino: 5/25/2012
My first paddle. May 25, 2012
- Pinguino's on the Water Review: 6/25/2012
Pinguino being paddled on the Indian River Lagoon by my daughter Liz.
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