: Thanks for the info on your web site. I had planned on using wooden strips
: for my seat, but noticed the camping sleeping pads on your site. How has
: this worked for you?

It's very comfortable, as long as you round off the keel stringer.

It keeps you low in the boat. I tried wood slats, but if you put them on top of the ribs, you're too high and if you put them under the ribs, they hit the skin when the boat is in the water.

: I'm thinking about using a bomber gear backband.

You can, but a simple pad on the coaming and backrest will do the trick. I have some minicel foam that's a bit more resilient than the typical gray minicel and I may fabricate a new backrest with it.

: Also, after reviewing the shape of my kayak, I've concluded that I need to
: add an inch to my rear stem.

Add in what direction? 1" in length won't matter, but 1" in depth can make a difference.

: I'm going to leave the front as is. Also with
: the curve of the ribs, I'm going to add 3/4 inch to the chine stringers at
: their centers and add in spacers to make them fit to the ribs. This will
: give me a much flater bottom than the deep V it currently has.

That seems like an easier solution than making new ribs. It should make the boat more stable, but it will also increase the volume significantly. I discovered this on my third boat, which ended up with a bit more freeboard than I wanted.