: . . . 1 what gear will i need around the house?
: 2 knowing what my woodwork skills are like is it really worth it - are the
: plans overed easy to read?
: 3 what designs do you think will suit a 100kg sea paddler who wants to paddle
: cape rienga to cape kidnappers by the end of 2003?

Start with going through as much of the old postings on this board as you can handle. And get a book or two on building kayaks or canoes. Even if the book doesn't cover specifically the boat you want to build you'll find a lot of practices and procedures are similar.

Check with your local library for any resources they may have. In the USA we have a process called "inter-library loan" which allows someone living in a small town (as I do) to borrow books from other libraries across the country. Free. If you know the title and author your librarian can find what library has the book, and then order it from them. It is a great system.

I use Amazon.com to find the titles and authors. Search for "kayak building" and you'll get a few titles. Check out each one and see the list of other books that are similar.

Elsewhere on this board are lists of links to designers. You can hit those websites for information on the boats. If something attracts your interest
come back and search the archives here, using the name of the boat design as a search term. That should get you a writeup by someone who is building, or has built that design. You could e-mail them directly to ask their opinion of the boat.

Some books include all the plans you'll need for building. And some just give you a good look at what is involved.

There are a lot of designs that would be strong enough to hold your weight and our gear, and that also have favorable handling for a trip like you propose. The two most popular (on this board) building styles are plywood construction, covered with fiberglass cloth, and wood strip construction, covered with fiberglass cloth. If you need a rugged boat, consider designs that use 4mm plywood or thicker, or those built with 1/4 inch (about 6mm) wood strips. Some desins call for covering the boat with fiberglass cloth that in the US is specified as 4 ounces per square yard. Others use a material that is 50% heavier, and somewhat stronger. If you have some very demanding conditions, you can add more layers of fibreglass fabric, or use a heavier material. either way you increase the strength (and the weight) of the boat.

Hope to hear more from you.

PGJ