> Hi I'm wondering if anyone is building Jay Babina's design seakayak, and
> also if anyone has paddled his boats. Hi- I paddle with Jay frequently and paddled his boat a number of times last summer while considering building another boat. I also attended the Newfound Boatworks Strip Built Rendezvous last fall and paddled some similar designs, notably the Guillemot designed by Nick. Both boats were very similar in primary and secondary stability (both being excellent- a very comfortable and confidence inspiring feeling) and fun to paddle. The main difference I found was in tracking. the Guillemot is a quick-turning boat that seemed to require continual corrections if paddled on a stright course. This struck me as being an ideal boat for exploring small rivers and estuaries and shoreline exploring. However, as my paddling is more usually in more open water where more directional stability would be desireable, I found the Outer Island to be more to my taste in that respect. I am currently in the finishing stages of building the boat. Feel free to contact me if you want more chatting. This goes for anyone out there, too.