: Aside from Newfound Woodworks, Classic Boat Kits, and Noah's Marine, are
: there any other strip-built kayak kit manufacturers out there? I suppose I
: should limit the request to North America, for shipping to Maine.

Considering the nature of the beast a lot of strip built boats are just as easy to construct with parts purchased from separate sources, rather than buying a kit. and, until a few companies started assembling kits, that is how most of these boats were built.

For example, get the wood parts -- forms, and strips -- from a supplier who specializes in wood for boats, but get the wood for the strongback from the local home center, saving on shipping costs. Get the design straght from the designer, and in so doing you can give them some feed back on how well their designs ar seling, and maybe get a few questions answered. Same way, if you get your glass cloth and epoxy resin from a fiberglass supplier you are dealing with an authority, and have a reference to contact should questions arise.

People who put together these kits do a great job and provide a fine service, but this is like ordering at a restaurant: You cna choose between the blue plate special, or ordering a la carte. Remember that you have lots of choices.

: Has anyone had any particularly bad experiences with any of them?

Actually, one of the nice things about "kits" is that the people who assemble the components are knowlegable, and try to make the process as simple for the builder as it can be. Anybody can buy just the parts. Beyond that the "added value" that the kit sellers are selling is their skills at selection and organization. People who buy kits are generally happy with what they receive.

hope this helps.

Are you looking at any particular design or kit?

PGJ