: Now I want to build another one
: suitable for coastal Florida.

: is it mostly a matter of a compromise between the two widths?

Oh it's much more than width. I use two boats of 53 cm beam. Both are
hard-chined and superficially similar. One is remarkably stable, while
the other is not. The Cormorant doesn't have a lot of rocker, and is
quite low volume. Whilst its fun to paddle, it is not very relaxing
for taking photos in the sort of conditions where I would like to get
good photos. The Anas, on the other hand, is longer (which adds a bit
of stability) and much more rockered (which adds a lot of stability,
but takes away from tracking and hull speed - no free lunches:). Whilst
the Anas is not totally relaxing when empty and stopped, it is a lot
better than the Cormorant. When loaded, it both feels stable (doesn't
wobble when you have no paddle in the water) and can be tipped a long
way before it will capsize (which is more about what you can do with it
than about how it feels to sit in).

I have another boat, 60cm beam, and bigger volume. I have no doubt you
could land a plane on the deck - it's an aircraft carrier... This boat is
now very dull to use in anything but the roughest conditions and I find that
everyone else wants to find shelter rather than play ... I have to build a
wooden boat more like the Anas :-)

When looking at S+G boats, consider not only the beam, but also the length,
the deadrise (a narrower V-keel will be less stable), the width across the
bottom pair of panels (narrower will give lower primary stability, but the
secondary stability goes up to compensate), rocker (more rocker sits your
centre section lower in the water, increasing the waterline beam relative
to the overall beam, increasing primary stability).

The bottom line ? Go paddle lots of boats and see for yourself...

Andy