: Been reading this bulletin board and many of the old ones for the last week.
: I am extremely interested in building a kayak. I took the first step and
: ordered the book and it should be here this week. The Expedition Single
: fits what I will be planning on using a kayak for. I have know experience
: in a kayak, but have had some time in a canoe. My question is.... Is this
: kayak a good kayak to learn on? Plus, I am 5'10" and 195lbs. 21"
: doesnt seem like it leaves much room on the side of my butt. Hard to put
: in words, but maybe I have too wide of a load for this kayak. How much
: room on either side of my butt is enough? Enough for now, Thanks in
: advance for any answers you supply.

I'm a kayaking neophyte myself so take it for what it's worth. Before investing the money and esp. time in building one you should really try to test paddle a few designs. That said, I can tell you that a narrower beam can feel a little tender (tippy) for a novice - although the exp. single felt surprisingly stable for a 21" beam when I tested it at the Newfound Rendezvous. I suppose the 19' length helps in this regard. I'm 5'10 185 lbs and butt space wasn't a problem. I have heard that the Expedition Single can be a little challenging to build, though. The Great Auk and the Georgian Bay by Laughing Loon also felt very comfortable to me.

HTH
Jim