Just returned from Gulf Shores, Alabama. It was the first trip to unsheltered waters with the new kayak. I found out a few things the hard way...

1. Saltwater is a bit different from fresh. I thought the magnets holding the hatches were sealed with epoxy, but they were not as sealed as I thought. After a day of kayaking I pulled 3 magnets out of the hatch lip and 2 out of the hatch lid b/c they were rusted to their mate. Also did very minor damage to the hatch lid trying to remove it.

2. I do not have the skill for dealing with real waves. The conditions were rough and the red flags were out. Buried the bow in the sand, rolled, and was ejected (or jumped out) close to shore. Much different than my local lakes. The Guillemot was great in the waves, I just wasn't up to the task.

3. 40+ MPH gusts can cause you to unexpectedly make a 90 degree turn.

4. You never know where you will meet a fellow Kayak builder and BB regular. It was nice meeting and speaking with Jon Cissario (sorry if I got it wrong). If you are reading this get out there and finish that kayak .

All said and done, the Guilemot was great and I will work on the user/builder errors prior to the next trip.

Again, thanks to all on this board for the help and support in building. I look forward to August when I will start work on the next one. Still trying to decide what it will be.