Paul,

If I can get some decent 1x4 cedar boards I believe that is the way we will go. As you say, all we will have to do is build up the shaft a little for a comfortable grip. They have already been trained on the bandsaw so we can start anytime.

: Who DOES get that boat when it is finished? It would bre nice to do one a
: year and build up a small fleet for use in PE classes or for semester
: break trips.

The boat will become property of Lou MacNarin School and School District 2. The primary use of the kayak will be at end of year field trip to my camp on the Saint John River. My grandmother left me a 20 acre woodlot with 500 feet fronting on the river. It is one of my favorite places. I love it there and enjoy sharing it with my students. I have been taking my classes there for six years now. We canoe, kayak, swim, hike, rock climb, play capture the flag, orienteer, study nature, practise survival techniques, do archery and have a whole lot of fun. It is the best four days of the entire year. I have a small sailboat, three canoes, and two kayaks. Last year we borrowed 10 canoes from a local high school. We can always use boats. With over 30 people involved we do need lots. So adding this double certainly helps. I would like to build at least one a year. Next year I would like to add a skin on frame to the mix.

I also lead an Outdoor Pursuits Club at the school, where we do the same type of activities as above. Every spring we do a kayak trip so the one we are building can also be used for that.

One of my former students built a website showing the camp and the kayak. If you want to take a look, check the link below. If that does not work (that annoying about blank thing always attaches itself to the url) here is the url:

http://mr_hughes_camp_trips.tripod.com/

Thanks again for your help Paul. It is much appreciated.

Greg Hughes