: I am inclined toward
: the Pygmy construction. Should I reconsider?

I've not yet built a CLC, only the Pygmy, so I can't really say. If you look in the archives of this list, there is a long thread on "Pygmy or Chesapeake?" or something like that, which has some comments from people who have built both.

: I'm in Worcester (ie, central) Massachussets. Pygmy has given me some names.
: A couple numbers were no longer good, and I'm a little shy about calling
: up to ask if I can come sit in s.o.'s boat for a few minutes.

Woostah?? I spent a winter at Fort Devens back in '87 ...

I empathize with your shyness. Does Pygmy get people's permission before giving out names, though? If so, at least the people have indicated that they don't mind strangers calling them up for tryouts ... The other option might be to post another message to the board with a subject like "Pygmy owners near Worcester Mass" and see if anyone pipes up. You might offer to buy someone dinner/beers, etc., in exchange for a decent-length test paddle.

I'm sort of in the opposite position: I'd love to try out a CLC North Bay XL, but I live 45 miles from Pygmy's headquarters: not many Chesapeakes here ...

: (that Alto was fine for the first hour, but
: was killing my knees for the second!), so I think I may be better off with
: opinions of someone with time in the cockpit.

Once again, the Alto cockpit is absolutely tiny even compared to an Osprey Std. Also note that the standard Pygmy seat is just an inflatable seat cushion and backband. This generally means that you're sitting about .5" to 1" lower in the boat: more vertical legroom.

: Thanks for the help- any other thoughts on these choices?

Regarding your concerns about the knuckle-rapping: I must admit that I've not actually paddled the boat I'm about to finish! Pygmy didn't have a test model, and since the Osprey hull is identical, I paddled an Osprey to get a feel for the Goldeneye hull. I chose to build the GE-HI because I wanted a high-volume camping boat, knowing that I'll also build a narrow Greenland-style boat later this winter for fun day trips.

This is a rough decision, made more difficult by your not having easy access to test boats. I wish we lived nearby, so I could let you paddle my GE-HI once it's done (expect launch this Saturday). Wish I could help more ...

Good Luck!
Bill Graham