: John,
: Thats just what I'm doing now. I drew up the plans for the Guillemot in
: Nick's book in a Cad program then scaled up ~6% to get a size similar to
: the L version and spaced the forms accordingly to get the 18' length.
: I gotta agree having never been in the boat it looked like it may be a little
: tippy for my skills.

It's a very subjective decision. A beginner cannot tell what is tippy, and what is not, just by looking at it. No way to guess how a boat will handle just by looking at it--that's a difficult proposition for very advanced paddlers with lots of experience in different boats and a more objective opinion.

: But after spending this summer paddling my Cape
: Charles I have gotten a lot more comfortable in a kayak.

I think it's a good idea to borrow/beg/rent boats for quite awhile before committing a lot of your precious time to building a boat. It seems senseless to me to build a boat that fits you as a beginner, but that you quickly grow out of. Then again, if you truly love the building process, and are eager to build a second boat, then go for it!!

: I probablly don't
: need the extra stability or the extra volume but it will be a stable boat
: that I think any one would feel right at home in.

Just to play devils advocate here...I wouldn't feel right at home in it!! The boat has so much volume that it really doesn't sink down in the water properly, and a lighter paddler would get blown around a lot by the wind. Now a bigger person, of course, who usually feels way too big for a normal boat, would feel right at home.

: I think it might be
: harder to keep fair lines by laminating material on to the standard size
: forms but it surely can be done.

I definitely agree!

It would probably be easier to start over and build new larger forms.

I still only recommend it for larger folks.

Shawn