I'm hoping to build a boat (or two) in which our two kids, six and nine, could paddle by themselves to accompany my wife and me on trips in relatively protected water. I'd like the kids' boat(s) to be light, stable, and capable of being paddled with a double paddle.

Who's had actual experience on the water with kids? What sorts of boats have worked for you?

Pygmy's Goldeneye 13 looks like a good bet among the kayaks. CLC's Cape Charlie would be a contender, but isn't available as a kit. CLC's Sassafras 12' canoe also looks like a possibility.

There seem to be lots of variations on the Wee Lassie, though it's hard to get a clear idea of what each variation represents and why the costs vary so widely. Clarkcraft has a Wee Lassie stripper kit which seems to sell for under $600 total. Newfound Woodworks' Wee Lassie, by contrast, sells for $925 as a standard kit, $1050 as a deluxe. Noah's has three Wees, though none are Lassies. All seem to be based on the Wee Lassie design. I couldn't find kit prices on their web site.

I'm particularly interested in anybody's experience with the kit boats. I'm thinking I'd like to build from a kit, though I'm open to building a stripper from plans.

I'd love to hear people's experiences. Thanks. Mike