Small Rowing Craft

[jonwatson]

After recently going to my local Regatta, for some strange reason I have decided to build a small rowing craft. I had a design idea in mind, and at first thought the design may be somewhat unique but have now found several similar ideas already available. I haven't been able to find anything exactly the same, but this may be for good reasons, however I am still going to proceed with my idea for the time being at least.

My original brief, so to speak, was a rowing boat similar to the ones used by teams in races such as the Oxford/Cambridge rowing race, that would be suitable for use in open water and more stable. I need the craft to be light enough and small enough to literally, through on the roof of my car and launch easily from the beach. I want to be able to take it out on rougher days, just to have more fun with it.

I will be building this from foam and fibreglass, and this is my first stumbling block, from once trying to build a windsurfing board for a collage project, I was told to make the block of foam myself out of, I think, polyurethane. This was simple enough apart from I was not told to use any type of releasing agent so was unable to get the foam block out of the wooden box I had made as a cast (Science teachers don't know everything). I was then told that using polystyrene would be a better option, however this then changed the type of fibreglass I could use.

So, firstly can anyone suggest what type of foam I should use and what type of fibreglass I can then use with it? I will then probably add questions as I go along.

[Bergalia]

Jon - it sounds as though a kayak would meet your purpose well - but braced to take 'skiff' rowlocks (set forward - back of your cockpit) instead of paddle power. There are examples over here in Australia which are used in quite heavy surf.