Mike,

I always appreciate your comments on kayakbuilding.

If a book that gives instructions and adequate, if minimum, plans for THREE
: boats isn't a good deal at $19.95, then I don't know what is.

I agree. The three books to which I referred are exceptional bargains.Included are designs and the information to build them.

At $6.67 for
: Cape Charles plans maybe you should expect to scratch your head a little
: and figure out a few things yourself. I've said this before and I'll say
: it again here--Boatbuilding is about solving problems.

I do not disagree. However, the plans in the book for the Cape Charles do not include the information that a novice needs to create the bow and stern ends. That is fairly important information,I think. I contacted several builders of this kayak and at least two felt as I do.Yes, you can come up with the solution and, yes, it is great to overcome challenges in creating something with your own hands. Therein lies the satisfaction of what all here do.

But, my point was, and still is, I felt that the book does not give all the information that it claims to up front, and that the comments to which I referred on p.19 do not suggest, but recommend that full-size plans should be purchased to save one many hours and doubts. Well, I thought that was why I purchased the book with "complete plans".

If the $6.67 plans are not complete
: enough, go for the full set at $50-$75.

As I stated in my post to Russ, there are no degrees of the word and concept 'complete'.

: Only a slight tangent--
: The whole process of lofting a hull from a table of offsets is designed to
: catch the designers errors, because there are always SOME. It's the
: boatbuilders art to spot the unfair line and correct it.

: As you might guess I feel strongly about this topic. It always irks me when
: someone blasts one of the kit manufacturers because they bought a kit and
: a panel was cut backwards or the deck beam was for a different boat. In
: 99% of the cases they wound up getting the right part shipped to them as
: soon as they called about the error. We've got a lot of first-class people
: in this, both as businessmen and hobbiests.

I understand your position on this very well. I have no experience with any kit makers, but most people seem quite happy with the service.As I replied to Russ'
post, please do not misunderstand my post as an attack in general on designers, boatbuilders, paddlers or their dogs

Kelly