> I built an Artic Tern this spring and I love it except for one thing. I
> never get to paddle it because my wife always want to use it. Of the three
> boats mentioned, it is the easiest to build, because it has a hard chined
> hull. The others will be easy to build too, but will take just a little
> bit longer. In my opinion it is the best looking of the three. It turns
> the easiest but still tracks very straight. It is slower than the others,
> but is as fast as most boats out there. It has quite good stability, both
> initial and secondary. It responds VERY well to leaned turns. The Ospry HP
> doesn't like to turn, but is very fast. It tracks VERY straight. The Coho
> is in between the two others on most performance aspects. I have only
> paddled the Arctic Tern, but have studied the others before making my
> decision to get the Arctic Tern. I hope to paddle the others the weekend
> of the 21st.

> Mike

I have built two wooden boats but no kayaks and am thinking about building the Osprey Standard, the Artic Turn or the Mill Creek 13. I have paddled canoes but have never been in a kayak. At this point, I have not made up my mind to build a kayak since I am 61 years old and have not acquired any skills in this area. It is not the building that I am worried about, it is the using the finished product. I read that you have to learn the Eskimo Roll and practice it. I will be paddling on lakes in Kansas for the exercise and enjoyment. Can one have an Osprey Standard or the Artic Turn and not learn the Eskimo Roll? Maybe I should build the Mill Creek 13 with a 29 inch beam it should be fairly stable? Any advice would be appreciated.

Jerry from the Flatlands of Kansas