You said 'fast'. Outer Island, no question about it.

I'm 5'-4" x 160 lbs, an aggressive paddler who enjoys covering lots of miles at a good clip; I paddle everything from glassy-surface backwaters to open ocean. It's my favorite boat ever, exceedingly well-behaved and confidence-inspiring in any sea condition. I'm fixin' to build a second one, as I've pretty much trashed the first.

: Like so many others, I have caught the kayak building bug, and am collecting
: wood for my second stripper, picking through the cedar at HD and Lowes. I
: finished a Redfish Silver this past Spring, and have been enjoying it very
: much. If I built a second stripper I could paddle with my wife or a
: friend. I would like to build a second boat with a higher potential top
: speed, so longer waterline and narrower would fit the bill. Manuverability
: is not as important as tracking. The Outer Island and Night Heron both
: look appealing, but I am of a smaller stature that those boats seem to be
: optimized for. I would appreciate any thoughts on the characteristics of
: those boats or other options, especially with a 145lbs 5'8" paddler
: in mind.

: Thanks,
: Ken F