By ARIELLA MONTI
Working part time, it's truly a labor of love as each kayak takes approximately 300 hours to create.
Pollock is a self-proclaimed "water person" and has been an avid fisherman for over 20 years. He picked up a book one day on how to build kayaks, and the rest is history. Woodcraft is not new to Pollock, who used to build furniture for his own and his family's private use, but he said that it takes a special talent to create a kayak.
Pollock builds these boats in an annex to his home that used to be a dental office. He gutted the room and set up shop. Each kayak is made with thin strips of wood for the frame and then fiberglassed inside and out. Pollock will head to this room after work and spend a few hours on his latest project. In these few hours he will only set four strips, two on each side. While he carefully plans each project before he starts, he says most of the time he "eye-balls it." "I'm good with my hands," he said.
Many of Pollock's kayaks include decorative strips that start out as tiny trapezoids and triangles. It can take up to 10 hours to make and lay one of these strips, but the artistry that they bring to the boats cannot be denied.
The wood frame and fiberglass coating allow the kayak to be 20 to 30 percent lighter than standard fiberglass or plastic kayaks. Pollock's boats weigh between 35 and 42 pounds for a single kayak and 50 to 65 pounds for a double. The kayaks can be considered functional art, as they are beautiful and usable. Pollock and his family have taken his vessels for trips to the ocean near Long Beach and the Hamptons, as well as the Great South Bay, the Long Island Sound, under the Throgs Neck Bridge and the Hudson River.
Compared to commercial kayaks, Pollock's aren't cheap. They range from between $7,500 to $13,750. "The biggest cost is 300 hours of labor," he said. "And that's something I've had a very hard time selling."
Pollock said he has sold a few kayaks over the last 10 years and most of his business is done via word of mouth. He understands the cost is steep but the workmanship and labor can't be compared to a commercial boat. His kayaks can be found at Main Beach Surf Shop in Amagansett and The Dingy Shop in Amityville as well as online on his Web site at customkayaksbysteve.com.
When asked how his wife feels about his taking over a part of the house, he said that before he was building kayaks he would fish 120 miles offshore all weekend. "She loves it because she knows where I am." He laughed. "She prefers me right here."
Comments about this story? AMonti@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 282
Photos by Bob Harrison/Herald
