Old Nick wrote:

On Thu, 13 May 2004 14:04:30 GMT, Brian Nystrom
vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:
uncap my header address to reply via email

I agree with the fact that the end product is far more important than
ease of building, especially as stitch and glue is only minimally
woodworking. Bt I know that there are some kits that are lot tougher
than others.

I also agree with the possibility of someone growing out of a boat.
But there are many who do not.

That's fair.

I have tried narrow boats, and although
I have done quite a bit of kayaking, includiung sea (although not
much), I still prefer a more comfortable, stable craft over that extra
1/4 knot.

It's not just about speed. In fact, it's not necessarily about speed at all.

I feel that the gains of narrowness are often overcome by
the need to be more alert all the time against "tippiness", unless you
do a lot of paddling.

I admit I am not a "serious" kayaker, in that I'm not out there every
weekend going miles. I also have a big rear end! G. Seriously, I
cannot fit into some of the narrower cockpits.

Sorry to "talk behind your back" Pagaie G.

Not at all, as you raise valid points. However, it seems much more
common for someone to outgrow their first wide, stable boat than not.
Narrower, less stable boats offer higher performance not only in terms
of speed, but also in terms of handling rough water and wind. Large,
stable boats are harder to control. They can be very difficult to edge
and lean and they get blown around more due to their higher freeboard.
Many of them also track so strongly that they can be difficult for a
beginner to turn, especially in wind and chop.

The majority of kit boats fall into the "expedition size" category,
which is not what most people actually need. Unfortunately, most
builders don't discover this until they've already built a boat that's
not what they really need or want.

Yes, it takes time to adjust to a higher performance boat, but most
people will do so easily if they spend any significant time on the
water. For occasional recreational paddling, a wider more stable boat is
more suitable.

I think that on this topic, you should try a few boats of different
styles, widths etc first, maybe at a local club, or some other
organisation, even if it means hiring.

Agreed.

Are you sure you want to build? I firmly believe that bulding a kayak
should be done _only_ because you want to _build_ a kayak. If you want
a kayak, buy one secondhand. You may pay a couple of hundred more,
but....

Actually, you can get a lot of good used boats for less than the price
of a complete kit and the other supplies you need to build (typically
~$1000). Even used fiberglass boats are available at that price.

...If you build a kayak, I doubt you will be able to sell it for much,
even if it's well built. You will certainly not get paid for your
time. So if you get the wrong type, you've lost the whole effort.

Yup.