[Paddlewise] building a boat

Hi Folks,

For at least six months I'd been considering getting a kit from
Pygmy.  Two of their designs really appealed to me (Arctic Tern and the
Osprey HP) and I'd heard such good things about their designs and kits.
Luckily, one of friends here in Vermont just ordered and built their
Arctic Tern kit and I have had lots of chances to padle it on Lake
Champlain (which comes pretty close to big sea conditions pretty
often).  Every thing about the boat is as they say, but it just wasn't
right for me.  Too beamy and too much volume:  I felt like I was too high
up out of the water, and it was too stable for my level of
experience.  Esthetically, it is an exquisite boat.

So, I'm searching for the right boat again.  This time, I bought the book
by the builder from Guillemot, "The Strip Built Sea Kayak."
I guess I am going to go all the way and build a cedar strip boat.  The
one that appeals to me (from description and specs) is the Guillemot.
It's only draw back for me is the length (only 17 feet) and lack of cargo
space.  However, I believe that almost all of my kayaking will be day
paddles and short camping trips.  This could be the perfect boat.
	Any suggestions out there?

Bill Oetjen
woetjen_at_zoo.uvm.edu

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