scott,

My initial comment was humour and not critical and I’m kind of sorry it was a springboard to the more critical comments. I really appreciate your trying to do various things and your forethought in making mockups. I don’t mind so much about making design comments about the big boys boats(say nick, rob, russ, grant, eric, joe) as their next one will be both soon and interesting in different ways and they have good comebacks. And they have practice and knowledge and judgement that most of us don’t have.

But some questions have been sprung from my attempt at humour and I’d like to back you up a bit.

The majority of boats and yaks have clear distinctions between deck and hull and your fundamental approach of one basic material/colour for hull and a different one for deck simply follows these historic and accepted themes. It is a sound, universal, typical approach and works for your yak. However, there are some moves that you made that weakened this demarkation a MINOR amount. The first is form – it is slightly unfortunate that this yak has a less distinct sheer line than most – a better choice would have been one that has a sharp form bend at the dark/light juncture – say a hybrid, redfish, or a moores. The second is the light football in the centre bottom – it’s large and competes w/ the light deck somewhat and conflicts with the idea of a one approach hull- but it’ll be mostly underwater and not seen. The third is that the light/dark demarkation line is diffused/muted by several semi-thin lines rather than abrupt or emphasized or say intentionally diffused one to another over a larger distance. These are my small comments. The issue is that I think what you are doing is fine, and the next one will be better and the next … and the ..

So comments on the next step:
For your intended pattern on the deck, you have a wonderful plain backdrop to work against. Thinking about the overall form of this pattern, how will it move up/down the yak? How will the basic shape deal w/ the major constaint of the cockpit? I can think of say 5 ways.

1/ the pattern can be unrelated one side to the other (this is what you’ve shown and I think should reconsider)
2/ the pattern can flow thru the cockpit stopping and picking up on the other side as if continuous(the pattern should not be busy near the cockpit on either side or the connection flow will be lessened)
3/ the pattern can flow around the cockpit one side or the other and continue on
4/ the pattern can encompass/enfold the cockpit and then continue on
5/ the pattern can intertwine with the cockpit, one coming off one side, the other off the other(like a yingyang or opposing hooks)

That this pattern is jagged or curvatious or linear or stepped or whatever is quite immaterial so don’t worry about the ‘broken’ comment. As a simplistic easy way to keep intent and coherence, make the complete pattern using the same stylistic approach whatever it is. If the pattern/trunk is jagged, make jagged flowers, leaves, bark (as the yak is long and linear make the jags more linear and mostly in the long direction.

Are you going to have a theme to the pattern:

Is it going to be light one side dark on the other? or bow and stern. Is the bow summer, the bottom winter? Is the top the air, the stern the earth?(blossoms and roots)

Is the stern the genesis and the pattern grows to the bow?

Is the paddler the genesis?

will the pattern go in either direction from the paddler? like is the bow pattern the trees and the stern pattern the sea(like the same pattern for a tree to the bow and say a sea plant to the rear)? is the paddler/cockpit the rock from which the entwined roots generate the tree/life in either direction? up or down, light or dark, sea or air, winter or summer?

some pats, some patter, on yer pattern

gotta pitter.