About

About NC Kayaks

Founded in 1999 by two friends who left Boeing with the goal of building an efficient, light, strong, and fast touring kayak, NC Kayaks was born.

Using knowledge gained from years working in the aeronautical industry, NC Kayaks set out to craft a truly unique kayak—one with a distinctive hull shape and built like no other.

Today, we build them still.

The materials and processes have changed and improved over time, but we still build every fiberglass part of each kayak by hand. We spray the gel coat, then lay the glass using rollers and squeegees, along with a few specialized tools we’ve developed and built ourselves.

Over decades of building kayaks, many things have evolved, but the shape of the hull has remained the same. Paddle one and you’ll see why.

Building kayaks gave us a deep understanding of composite construction—knowledge that now informs every repair we take on. Over the years, we’ve repaired our own boats as well as many others, applying the same care for structure, materials, and real‑world use that goes into every NC Kayak.

We take on repairs we’re confident we can stand behind, based on our expertise and a clear understanding of how the boat will be used.

Boat building creates offcuts and scrap materials. Rather than discarding them, we turn select pieces into small upcycled items, including kayak ornaments made from composite scrap.

We also make stickers and small graphic pieces that reflect our sense of humor and the culture around paddling—sometimes nerdy, sometimes referential, always made by people who spend a lot of time thinking about boats and water.

We build kayaks for paddlers exploring coastal waters, island chains, and long routes typical of the Pacific Northwest—and for those who value boats made with intention, experience, and care.