: Greetings all, progress on the Walrus is going well. This week I will be
: installing the gunwales which is why Im posting.

: I need to know if any body has opinions on the locations for the gunwales
: given as standard in Putz's book. Im 5'9" tall and wear a 9.5"
: shoe. I expect they are fine for somebody like me but what about the
: people who invariably will borrow the boat who wear a size 11? Im thinking
: perhaps I should raise the height slightly but am not sure. Its more
: complicated also as I plan to make the cockpit of the keyhole type. I also
: would like to use the boat for camping occasionally. I know that the
: gunwale height is not the end of the story since the deck beams can be
: made higher or lower as well.

: So if anybody has any good insight as to how the standard gunwale height
: works out in practice please let me know.

: Thanks in advance. Im really enjoying this project even working outside in
: the 107 degree weather it is great. Ive had no major mishaps yet and am
: learning so much. The first few joints I did were probably more epoxy than
: wood but Im getting the hang of it now.

: Kirk

Your're well within the shoe size realm of a Walrus. I on the other hand sport a size 14 shoe, so I installed a dropped floor for my feet. I'd keep the gunwale height the same or drop it an inch.

Roger