> I'm a first time builder interested in a fast lightweight tandem boat.
> Does anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone out there built a CLC
> Pokomoke? Any feedback?

There are two things here, the boat and the type (tandem).

I'd suggest hiring/borrowing a tandem and checking whether you like paddling one if you haven't already done so, they do not suit everyone. Personally I don't mind paddling one, the longest trip was just over a month, about 540 km.

The Pokomoke is tortured ply and personally I'd prefer hard chine for a double though I have paddled a narrow strip, round bilge double that was very good. My own double I designed as a narrow, hard chine, low windage, reasonably light, 1/4 inch ply on the bottom, 3/16 on the sides and deck. I put the cockpits apart to negate paddle clash.

My reservation about the tortured ply is stability. My kayak of preference is tortured ply, similar to a stretched (lengthened ? Yare). Very tippy but not something I notice too much now that I'm used to it, rather like it in the small surf that I've so far played in. Not much volume (doubles can have less versus two singles) so my partner carries the bulky things, I carry the heavy, on multiday trips. Also she does not like doubles so I designed and we built her her own kayak (she wasn't on the long trip mentioned before).

Construction, there are little tricks, would be very fast if you were building a few and set up jigs. Having build a few hard chine S&T kayaks, I'm glad the tortured was not the first one.

Recommendation - find a Pokomoke and paddle it to see whether it is what you like and can handle.

Alex