> Any recommendations for a QUALITY kit to build. I have a Kevlar kayak and
> want to build a kayak for my wife. Some kits are $1400 + while most are in
> the $600 range. What's the differance? Will be paddling mostly quiet
> lakes. I know that a lot depends on the size of the paddler and storage
> needs, but right now I am concerned about quality (read.. no missing parts
> and good manual), reliable, and caring company. Also,I have heard some
> poor publicity about Chesapeake Light (actually a WEB site downing the
> company and providing resources to "quality" companies).
> Anything to that? How about Pygmy, they seem reliable. Any help would be
> appreciated. Thanks.

Don't rely on that web site downing CLC. There was an incident a few months ago where the CLC site was plagerized (sp?) in what appeared to be an attempt at fraud. I think that site is an offshoot of that incident.

I am now building my second CLC boat. My experience with the company has been nothing but positive. I built the first boat was from plans, and CLC was always prompt to answer any question that I had. This second boat is a kit, and is complete with all pieces accurately cut.

I went with CLC because I wanted to build from plans, and Pygmy does not offer plans for the design that I was interested in. I went with the kit boat for my wife because 1) I want a quicker build, and I was already familier with this design, and 2) the kit was on sale when I got bought it.

The only knock (if you could call it that ) I have about either company is that both seem to be at each other throats. From what I have read, Pygmy appears to be as supportive of it's customers as CLC is. There are some differences in design and construction philosophies between the companies, but nothing , IMHO, that really makes a boat from one company infinitly better than one from the other. It's a matter of what you want, and are comfortable building.

hth

Don