I have decided to build a s&g boat this winter as my first building project. I really like the looks of the Pygmy boats and had narrowed my choice down to either a Coho or Artic Tern, leaning slightly towards the Coho. I am a little concerned about the deck height as the people at Pygmy told me both boats would be comfortable for up to size 12 feet and might be a little tight for my size 13s. Unfortunately, there are not any Pygmy boat owners close to me here in Central Illinois so I can't try either of the boat without driving at least 3 hours, which I will probably do just to be sure of my choice.

Now, to confound the issue, I received a new Pygmy catalog and they now offer an Artic Tern Hi, which is 1.5" deeper than the Artic Tern. This would solve the big feet issue but I wonder if the Hi model would be more prone to weathercocking and might have more volumne than I really need. I will use the boat mainly for day paddling on small, inland, flatwater lakes and maybe a couple of 3-4 day Great Lake trips each year. Since the Artic Tern Hi is new, I'm sure there is not one within hundreds of miles of me to try. Oh, I am 6'1" and 225 lbs. Anyone wish to share their opinions and thoughts?

Harry