Re: [Paddlewise] perfect..... kit boat

William J. Oetjen wrote:

> At the risk of making an already convoluted thread even more so,
> I noticed that lots of people stated opinions about Tupperware,
> shatterglass, and  kevlar, but no one specifically commented on any of
> those glass/plywood/glass kit boats out there.  Since I am anxiously in
> the market for one of them (most likely a Pygmy Osprey HP) I'd appreciate
> hearing more about that.

I made one (Pygmy Osprey Std) and love it for day trips.  (It is a little small
for multi-day trips for me -- but would be OK for somebody 50 lbs lighter.) 
Definitely lighter and maybe stiffer (I think) than trad. FG layup.  Way cheaper
than FG or plastic, IF you do not consider your labor an "expense."   But, you
gotta love the assembly process.

Drawbacks:  the hydrodynamics can not quite approach those of hulls popped out
of molds, even though mine is a "multi-chine" design.  Winters and Broze (among
others) might be able to quantitate the difference, if enticed.

Strip-built boats avoid the chine problem, but at the addition of considerably
more work than stitch-and-glue plywood kits.  Guillemot Kayaks
(http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/) has a great Web site, complete with a
builder's Web board for trading hints and insults <g>.

Others will chime in on chines and their value as a turning edge -- Whilden,
where are you?

BTW, the Osprey HP is pretty much a straight-ahead hull.  Have you considered
the Arctic Tern or the Coho (both Pygmy Designs, if that is your preference)?

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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