: I'm sorry to hear you want to make changes before even trying the building
: methods I call for. The Shooting Star is a great boat. You may never know.

I'm going to build the Shooting Star because I'm ASSUMING it's a great boat. I haven't had the pleasure of paddling one, yet. I'm planning on investing 300-500 irreplaceable hours of my life building a Shooting Star based solely on your assurances, reputation and killer website photos. A different approach to constructing the stern won't change the boat, just the way the stern is assembled. I don't plan to modify the "design" of the stern.

: Have you tried steam bending before?

Sure. I also have a StewMac bending iron used for guitar construction that would lend itself nicely to the job.

: Why do you say after reading Dyson and the other guy you don't want to strip
: the tail piece? They build SOF boats of course. You're going to graft a
: SOF tail on the Shooting Star?

Nope. I'm not going to graft a piece of hypalon-covered canvas onto the Shooting Star. I just may not use strips. I'm going to try a different stern assembly approach and will be happy to share its success...or failure with the group. I'll be posting my progress via my website.

: And you want to change the bow too.

After looking at several dozen pictures and drawings of baidarkas, it's clear that variety existed in the way the bow was constructed although they all share the fine entry cut-water and the high volume upper bow. I wonder if some baidarka builders used the bow design as a builder's or tribal "signature" or trademark?
I'm not going to graft a Greenland-style bow onto the Shooting Star, but I am considering the contemporary looks of the cutwater/bulb on the baidarka that was built by the Australian couple on the Shearwater website. Eric Schade did not think the mod changes the handling of that particular boat since the fine cutwater and high volume upper bow were preserved.

: The saying "Too many cooks spoil the stew", could fit your results.

Thanks for the cautionary statement. I understand that you know your building approach works and that following your instructions exactly will result in a fine boat. It's also possible that I just might build a great looking AND performing boat incorporating some of the building techniques with which I'm familiar. I'm no stranger to woodworking and regularly deal in .001" tolerances. See the website link posted below.

If you look at the SOF heritage of the kayaks everyone is building, you have to agree that a strip-built kayak is a modern interpretation of excellent ancient designs. I don't see a problem using a couple of different and valid approaches to achieve a satisfying result. Hey, I'm not re-engineering your design or your boat, just "personalizing" my Shooting Star a bit. Heck, Rob, if YOU don't like the way I build your design I'll rename it Shooting Asteroid or something.

: Good Luck,
: Rob

Thanks - best regards
Jim Kozel