: My boat will be an 18 ft modification for seakayaking of a 'new rules' 17ft
: sprint kayak. Along the lines of a Scorpion for those familiar. The boat
: will have a 16.5" max beam My forms are ready, but as yet I have not
: the strips to go ahead.

: else exotic that's light? I'm a little intimidated by the pospect of
: working with wood....but I'll get over it. Hoping to have this in the
: water by the end of July, if not, then New Years Day 2004.... Once under
: way, a website will follow.

: Thanks in advance for any replies!

: Jeff H

How fascinating ! My old "Lancer" sprint hull sounds downright fat compared to
the 16.5" max beam you mention. Tell us more about the "new" rules.

Have you considered cold-molding in lieu of stripping ? I used to see many of
the European "sprint" boats built this way. I mention it, as I'd like to give
it a go myself. I don't believe it requires any fiberglassing as the veneers
make for a very strong layup. I guess it's really like tortured plywood
without the "torture". Ha.

I've got an old British Canoe Union manual that describes the technique as it
relates to kayaks. If interested, I'll make a copy for you. Though, with your
sprint boat background, you probably know more about the technique than I do.

Roland Mullen of Cincinatti competed in the 68 or 72 Olympics in C-2 (6th
place ?) with a stripper. I believe his was the first such sprint canoe built
using this North American technique. My first introduction to stripping was
when my brother and I helped him sand a "plug" for a mold that he was making
for a K-1 Marathon design (RPM). I was hooked !

Best,

Tom