Dave- I built a SOF Baidarka using Wolfgang's book. I enjoyed the project a great deal. Finding willow branches, working quietly with hand tools sewing on a skin etc. was a a very meditative experience as compared to the loud cutting of strips, sanding etc. that it takes to build a stripper. The boat that resulted was not my most succesful boat, however. I did not bend the willow branchs sharply enough and wound up with an excessive amount of V in the bottom. The boat tracks to stifly and weathercocks a bit. I don't attribute the boats short commings to the basic design, but to my execution. I would strongly encourage you to give it a shot. Steam bending oak ribs might yield more predictable results. Jay had an old email address which is now defunct. The new one is ken@kenkatz.com.
Good Luck!

Ken