Video showing how kayaks are made

[J.A. Veil]

In October 2014, I visited the Native Watercraft factory near Asheville, NC to pick up a new kayak. I was able to get a plant tour to learn how kayaks are made. I posted a story and photos on Snaggedline at that time. http://www.snaggedline.com/showthrea...light=fletcher

Last evening I saw a video showing some of the same material that was prepared by Headwaters Kayak. Their representative toured the Native factory and shot video of many of the steps in the process.

If you are interested in how kayaks are made, check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slwQ...8N99mzSBRCbNOc and/or look back at my 2014 post.

[silvis]

To paint is the most fun part I guess

[Mark]

Very interesting video, John.

It's hard to believe that there is demand for that many kayaks. But then I have owned seven different boats myself. I imagine multiple boat ownership is pretty common among paddlers and kayak anglers.

Also, you have to be impressed with a place that allows dogs in the workspace. Great for employee morale.

[J.A. Veil]

To paint is the most fun part I guess

There is no painting involved with making a kayak. The color patterns are made by using different colors of polyethylene powder (the powder is fine, like sugar). Each color pattern has a recipe -- X lbs of black, Y lbs of green, etc. The workers have buckets of the powder that they sprinkle/dump into the mold in different patterns. Because this is always a manual process, each color pattern is slightly different. As the mold is heated, the powder melts and reforms as a hard plastic hull.

The brand and model names are not decals stuck on the outside -- they are actually molded into the plastic.

Over the past month Native installed a new oven that is considerably larger than the existing one. It should give them more production options.

[Mark]

The brand and model names are not decals stuck on the outside -- they are actually molded into the plastic.

Yes...I've wondered how the kayak makers accomplish that by molding. The lines on the brand names and logos are always crisp and clear. At first glance you might think they were decals or paint. But they're not.

[J.A. Veil]

Yes...I've wondered how the kayak makers accomplish that by molding. The lines on the brand names and logos are always crisp and clear. At first glance you might think they were decals or paint. But they're not.

These photos show employees placing the logo strips directly onto the mold before the plastic powder is added. When heat is applied the logo is incorporated directly into the plastic and will not peel off.

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[Mark]

That's interesting...I wonder of they've ever screwed up and didn't reverse the image of the letters in the mold? That would be a costly error.

[J.A. Veil]

Two weeks ago I shared a video by Headwaters Kayak that shows some of the process steps for manufacturing Native kayaks. Yesterday Headwaters released another video that focuses on how new kayak models are conceived and designed. Remarkably in today digital world, much of the detail is still done manually by skilled craftsmen. If you are interested, check out this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8iQ...oCMMVsd-iagfGs

[Mark]

Very interesting.

CNC machining has revolutionized manufacturing. But the need for human artistry will never go away.