: This practically sounds like a CHALLENGE to skin boat builders.

The Outer Island is a beautiful design. It is possible to reproduce it as
a multi-chine SOF hull in either traditional or non-traditional methods.

Eric has mentioned that many traditional Arctic designs were produced with
multi chines and do closely approximate rounded hull cross sections. There
are several Aleut designs that have as many as 5 chines per side.

I agree with Jay that a hard-chine would not be the same cross section shape,
and therefore would posess different handling characterictics. Even a multi-
chine rendition, though closer in shape, would be quite different in the water
due to the concave skin, distinct chines, and flexible frame. However, perhaps
Erez isn't concerned about that, but rather simply likes the hull profile, and
deck design.

The only problem I see is in determining the correct chine locations on the
rounded sections of the Outer Island. For non-traditional construction, an
easier method would be to select one of the single-chine or multi-chine S&G's
such as the Osprey by Pygmy, North Bay or Arctic Hawk by CLC, or the Cirrus by
One-Ocean kayaks. These designs have distinct chines and would be easier
to reproduce in SOF.

A multi-chine folder would not be especially difficult to make, but would be
heavier, more complicated, and require greater assembly time. Non of which
appeals much to me. Besides, single-chine kayaks have excellent performance
characteristics in their own right. Just look at traditional Greenland designs.

I converted two traditional Aleut SOF's and one Dyson SOF to rounded cross
sections and made them as strippers. They paddled just fine, so I can see no
reason why the reverse of that would not produce a good paddling kayak also.

Tom