[Paddlewise] kayak & paddle construction

Dear John,
First kayak was a Chesapeak "Yare". Great kit although it was quite a while 
before I felt stable it that hull (round bottom, no initial stability ). His 
book "The Kayak Workshop" is a great guide no matter whose kit or plans you 
buy. My only issue with most of his designs is that they have a lot of volume 
and I like a small volume boat. You can easily take one of his hull designs 
and modify it. Many of his deck designs are coned fore and aft. That is that 
it is nearly a strait line from bow to stern. This means that if you want 
volume in you bow for getting through waves then you carry that volume back 
to the center of the boat. If, however you apply the deck flat at the bow, 
you can then pull up a cone shape around the cockpit. 

Butchers wax is available at the hardware store. It is the wax you would use 
on a butchers table. It makes a nice paddle finish but there is no additional 
hardness in it, it just seals the wood.

Peter Gengler
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