I feel that I should expand on my previous post.

I consider this first boat of my to be a learning experience. I never went into this project expecting this to be the only kayak I would ever build. I expected to have problems (and I do), and I expect to work my way through these problems and learn as I go. I also plan on building at least 2 more stitch and glue, and at least 2 strip build kayaks down the road. I have never worked with epoxy or fiberglass before, and was/am somewhat skeptical of my own abilities to successfully complete this project. Knowing that this was an OJT project, I was less concerned with a boat that would last me 10 - 20 years, and more concerned with "Can I do this?"

Now, with the deck and hull about to go together, I am much more confident in my abilities, and already thinking about what my next yak will be.(Actually I'll do one for my wife next.)

I'm still not sure how my exterior glass job will come out, or how the final finish will look, but I have been learning a lot along the way. I know that my next boat will be 100x better than this one in every aspect of quality, beauty and durability. Even so, I'm sure I will get years of use out of this first boat on the small lake on which I live (500 acres). If I do decide to go down to the L.I. Sound and paddle, I will most likely do so in a stripper, as I'm not sure how the hard chines of a stitch and glue would handle the rolling water.

Therefore, when I first set out to start this project, I set down rule number one: Build the first one as cheaply as possible. If I succeed and continue building, then number 2 through ??? will be progressively higher quality and standards, and if I had abandoned the project halfway through, (I'm not) I would have minimized my losses.

Only time will tell if my standard grade Lauan is of sufficent quality for building a stitch and glue kayak. I believe it is. I believe that the sheathing of 6oz. glass will be more than enough to handle the stress that will be put on this boat. But only time will tell.

Larry