> Has anybody tried to build the Guillemot Expedition single. It looks like
> a wonderful kayak but as I am completely new to kayaking and kayak
> construction, I don't even know whether it would be suitable for river and
> lake useage here in Wales, United Kingdom. Any thoughts welcome.

Marc,

I am two thirds through building a Guillemot expedition that I started in August as my first attempt at building a kayak. I have completed all the cedar strips and sanded the outside of the boat. I will be fiberglassing it this winter for a spring launch.

It is probably not the simplest boat to construct for a first attempt. Here are some thoughts about building it as a beginner.

- Buy Nick's book on building the Guillemot. Lots of tips and ideas

- If you can afford it, buy a kit with the strips and the forms pre-cut. It saves time and ensures better alignment of the the forms

- Take your time. Each step is straight forward and not too dificult but there are thousands of them. Your scarfs or joints suffer if you rush to make progress

- Do the hull first to perfect your skills but make sure to save the best strips for the deck as it will be much more noticable.

Good Luck