: Thanks to all for your thoughts.

: I'll build the deck flush and see how it looks.

: A greenland style ocean cockpit could be a good option, although whether
: it'll be a bit much to ask to slide my 6'2" frame through a small
: hole and into an already shallow boat will remain to be seen. My thoughts
: behind the hard skirt were to gain the benefit of an ocean cockpit, but
: while retaining some of the convenience (for my long legs) of a larger
: keyhole or touring cockpit.

: I do not have a perfect roll by any stretch - in fact I have never managed to
: roll the plastic sea kayaks I have access to at all (but then neither
: could another more accomplished roller who tried them). That's part of the
: reason behind building this boat, so I can learn to roll properly in
: something that will also handle the 3-4m swells we get here with a little
: more class and panache than just bashing and crashing over them.

: Sea conditions here are usually pretty rough (at least, those are the fun
: days!) hence my enthusiasm for minimising the cockpit opening.

: I am still keen to fit a flush coaming, and this will no doubt mean
: incorporating some kind of drain from behind the cockpit to empty the rear
: deck where it is recessed for rolling.

: 16 strips and counting..

I'm 6' tall and pushing 60 and I fit, sometimes takes a lil while to get myself back out though, those more limber likely won't have that problem

Bill H.