I wouldn't necessarily say that Greenland kayaks are made for smaller people, they're just smaller, regardless of the paddler's size. The advantage is that they are almost all one-offs built to the dimensions of the builder- in both cases- you. If you're still in the thinking stages, see if you can pick up a copy of Mark Starr's book on building a Greenland-style kayak.

Other than that- there are a lot of designs out there. Pick your poison. Make a realistic evaluation of how you intend to use the boat, and look at designs that fit that criteria. Don't build a barge because someday you hope to do a solo circumnavigation of Lake Superior while toting your Viking stove to cook on if you're going to be paddling near shore in nice weather most of the time, and don't build a puddle toy if you're going to be using it on Lake Superior.

And also very important to consider, especially if you're building a boat and will have a lot of labor invested in the project, you will only be a beginner for a very short time. Less than a season. If you build a "beginner" boat, you'll have to build another boat or be saddled with one that no longer fits your needs and abilities.

Lastly- if you're having shoulder problems it may be best to start thinking of a Greenland-type paddle from the start. They are used differently, and put very little stress on the shoulders. You can find more information on use and technique as well as a set of instructions for building a custom fitted paddle on the Qajaq USA web site.

Good luck-

m