: First off, I hope I'm posting this in the right section of the
: forum, if not I apologize. I'm posting this on behalf of my Dad,
: who's not the most computer savvy, and also needs a little nudge
: on getting this project going. He's wanting to make his own
: kayak and loves the look of the strip builts, but is having
: trouble deciding on what model and design to use. Here's a
: little background information. He's 5'8" and 150 pounds and
: here in NE Iowa we have small rivers (20-50 yards wide and 2'-5'
: deep) but there are some fallen trees and such that one may need
: to maneuver, so it needs to be small enough to handle this
: water. He's also taken a kayaking trip to the Appostle Islands
: on Lake Superior and loved it, so it needs to be big enough to
: handle that water too. Some things he's also unsure about is
: S&G hull vs. strip hull on which one is easier, functions
: better, and is easier to keep straight (he's worried about
: getting the strips out of square or twisted somehow). This boat
: doens't have to be a heavy hauler because most trips will be
: short day trips. He's been looking at the Guillmot 17' or the
: Chesapeake 16'. One concern he has is not wanting to have such a
: wide beam that it's hard for him to paddle, or too narrow that
: it's too tippy.

: Does this magical boat exist? I have no idea, but any experiences
: and insight that you can give would be greatly appreciated.

I've been on Chequamegon Bay and it's big water. Even day trips on water like that require a fairly long straight keel. That's because once you get away from shore you'll want a hull that will track along your desired course and will not be easily driven off course if an unfavorable wind blows. Unfortunately hulls that track are usually slower to turn so they aren't real good at dodging rocks etc.
Stippers take longer to build. Even an experienced builder will take about 3 times longer than for a similar S&G.
Most of the common recreational boats are between 22" -24".
At 150 lb. your dad is on the light side. He could even fit in the lower volume version of the Chessy 16 if his feet aren't too big.