One thing to consider is short waterline paddleboats are inferior paddlers. They are generally slow, don't offer much glide and don't track all that well. The plastic boat manufacturers really dig short hulls because their rotomolding molds cost more than a $1000 a foot and full length polyethylene hulls are so heavy they come off poorly compared to other types.
I was paddling a 9½ foot, poly, Old Town "Otter" recently. It was OK but a lot like sitting in a bathtub. They cost $299 at Cabellas. To build somthing similar in wood/epoxy would cost a lot more and it wouldn't paddle any better.

: Why can't I find any plans or anything on shorter kayaks (10'-12' range) with
: a slightly wider beam (28"-30") I am considered a larger paddler
: because I am heaveir, (a little over 200lbs and only standing about
: 5'6"). The only ones I can find are the Auk family on the Guillemot
: site, and no disrespect ment to them but I just don't like the looks of
: them.
: I really want to build a strip-built, but I am going to make a wood and
: canvas one with my 12yr old son (again the shortest one there that I could
: find was 12' (after I look at it I may try to make a smaller one for my 10
: yr old, I have several years of drafting behind me).
: I know there are smaller boats out there that are made of plastic that will
: support my wieght, so why not a strip-built? I may play with this a make a
: prototype with cheaper pine and just canvas the bottom with packcloth to
: see how it works.