I don't know of any shops in Charlotte, but the Whitewater Center is a neat place to visit. If you can find someone to rent you a kayak, Lake Norman offers good paddling although it can be crowded (with speed boats, jet skis, etc) when the weather is nice.

: Hi all,
: I am vacationing near charlotte, NC for this week. I am from upper Michigan
: and my hands on resources for researching and building a strip built kayak
: are limited. Does anyone know of any good shops, stores, etc. that I could
: check out while I am here? I am only here until the 3rd of Jan. Happy New
: Year to all!!