> Kelly: Sorry I missed your request for photos. I'm half way through
> building a Great Auk. Presently I've just started working on the deck. I
> completly neglected to record progress with a camera, but I can certainly
> shoot off a roll of film of the work to date and send you prints if your
> interested. Or I can try to scan and include them here. As a first time
> builder I'm finding the construction very rewarding. Nick's right - It's
> easy to get hooked on strip kayak. What stage are you at? - Ray Lett

Ray,

I would be very happy to see some pics of your kayak.Whichever way is easier and more convenient to you would be fine-either prints or include them here. I would like to send you a SASE to cover postage should you go the prints route.

I am a rookie, too. I have done 'a little' canoeing but, to be honest, I have never even been in a kayak! So, I am a bit nervous about building one...and then the paddling! That is why I would like to see some pics, so I can get a better idea of what I should end up with! Nick's book is great, but the single photo of the 'Auk' is a bit small.

I am taking this slowly, and as Nick posted a little while ago, it is simply doing a bunch of small tasks. I took the offsets from the book and typed them into a spreadsheet to convert them into metric-I live in Japan where there are no tape rulers,graph paper etc. in inches. I am building the 14 foot version in the chapter on modifying a design because of space limitations here-Did I mention I lived in Japan?? I also scaled the endforms in the spreadsheet, with Nick's help.I am computer-technically challenged! So far, I have cut out all the forms (I actually left two of the form drawings on the plywood for an extra day so that I could take a picture of them before I cut them out-I forgot to take my camera to my workshop the first day!)I have built the stands that Nick has in the book and shaped the internal stem pieces for the end forms with a wood rasp-only cut myself in two places with the rasp!I suggested to my wife that perhaps instead of keeping a time-log of the building, I should keep track of the number of 'Band-Aids'I go thru'!! How many are you at?? I have yet to cut my strips.That is the next stage, then I can get the forms onto the 2x4, move things around to give myself some room and then the fun can begin. This is going to be one of those 'if I can do it, then anyone can' things. Thanks, kelly t