George I think your response illustrates my point precisely.

When asking a question, I look for a balanced response:

This thread started out as a question by a novice asking for help on how to get started, and here we are with a multi-paragraph dialog on one single topic - composite testing and failures. Where is the balance here?

I look for an unbiased response. Your bias towards fighting some "old" battle is clear, and chosing this question as the forum for fighting it shows enormous bias. Very unfortunate.

I also get very skeptical when responses have emotional and personal attacks embedded in them. I have copied two of your statements from this thread that demonstrate unsupported personal attacks:

>>I would not trust any "engineering" or "technique" statements in Nick's book. What is left out is more important than what is included.

>>With all due respect for Nick, the other "professional" builder's, or these who sell plans or instructions --- If you ask one of them the above question, almost no one is going to give you one

George, I can only surmise from the intensity of your posts on this topic, that you would like be included in my (or perhaps others on this board) thoughts, when looking for that elusive "well thought out, non-emotional, balanced answer to a technical question on kayak design or construction".

If that is the case, you have some work ahead of you.