: The first time you drag this boat, half loaded up a rocky slope you'll forget
: about the sanding imperfections. You might worry about how may layers of
: glass you put on it, but the sanding imperfections will be a forgotten
: memory.

I give the same advice you did to every new builder so that they won’t let small imperfections distract them from enjoying their build.

While all this is true I must clarify my position a little. This is the sixth kayak I've built and I’ve been scraping my wooden boats over logs and such for the past eight years. At any rate, I already have kayaks to paddle so building new ones need not be rushed. I've let the build process become a hobby to occupy my time (rather than watching TV or something normal) and like anyone I try to learn with experience and to better my last attempt with each new project. The Night Heron I'm building now got a lot of attention during the stripping process. It is my first attempt without B&C and it is built without staples and every joint is perfect. It required zero filler. Because of that I knew it was going to outshine all my previous works. It was really a huge disappointment to see my best work not come out as expected.

--KT--