First of all, I'd like to point out that many of us here on this board are the 'tinkerer' types. We just can't leave well enough alone. That's one of the things that makes keeping an eye on this board so entertaining.

Secondly, there's no guarantee that once you sell a set of plans, that the builder will do it justice. The builder has freedom to do whatever he/she wants within the guidlines of the copyrights. I once saw a poorly made Pygmy kayak with a small toilet plunger stuck on the back deck, flying a little Jolly Roger. Now, the designer of that kayak might not like that, but I think it was funny and creative.

I was at a kayak symposium and listened to a conversation between Al Anderson, owner/builder of Betsie Bay Kayaks, and a potential customer. Al was talking about someone who bought one of his boats, then installed a skeg in it. Al said, "I couldn't believe he did that to my boat!" He was genuinely very insensed about it. I got a bad impression of Al at that point. Once Al got his $3000, it was no longer 'his' boat, and the owner could do with it as he pleased. If the owner was 'lazy' enough to want to add a skeg, that was up to him. With regards to building, Al refuses to make kits or plans available. Partly what he's selling is his designs, and partly his workmanship. If you don't like the Shooting Star modifications, all you can do is build kayaks for customers and refuse to sell plans or kits.

Dean

: 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.

: Have you tried steam bending before?

: Steaming the strips for the tail piece is really quite simple and easy for a
: first time steaming experience.The key is to not rush. Steam a few pieces,
: clamp in place on the forms and let them dry. There are few here who've
: built the North Star. Perhaps they can tell you if they had problems with
: the tail piece construction.

: 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?

: And you want to change the bow too.

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

: Good Luck,
: Rob