The question about seating is a good one. I've never tried a sling type seat but the concept is worth exploring. One of my foremost requirements in a kayak, or any boat, is comfort. Comfortable seating has been elusive. Not simply because there aren't good seating designs, but sometimes the designs don't take into consideration the physical capabilities of many paddlers. Contrary to popular belief not all kayakers are young with the physical capabilites of a world class gymnast. Some of us are older and suffering the ravages of...a working life. As a result I can't do some of the things I use to do...such as drive 33 hours straight through to Florida. I now hurt after driving for less than an hour. That's just a simple fact of life. One thing I have done that helps to stay out for many hours is to develop, or try to develop, a seating system that adjusts for height from near floor level up to 8" off floor level. It is difficult to sit 8" off the floor in an 18" wide kayak, so mine are necessarily wider than that. Not the best solution, but on my fishing kayak I have been using a plastic boat seat, bought from Walmart, fitted with brackets that allow adjustable seating. I can also lean back in comfort. I believe Verlin Kruger also had an adjustable height seating system with his boats... I've never seen one. I've heard that it was a sling system, but I don't know. Verlin did spend a few hours paddling around. Anyway...the sling system looks like it has possibilities. I may eventually explore them. If you try it out, please post your results. I see no reason why slings can't be adapted to strip, or stitch and glue, boats. I also see no reason to build kayaks in a way that kayaks have always been built simply because that's the way kayaks have always been built. I say to try new things, stretch the limits, just as many people on this board , such as Tom Yost (with his folding kayaks), and many others, do. What do you think an ancient kayaker would have done with access to modern materials and understanding of the possibilities?