: I had to go look, they seem to make the 165 in both poly and
: fiberglass. I paddled both the 165 and the 170 last summer and
: they were to me ok boats, not doing anything really wrong but
: for me seeming awfully slow. I've gotten really picky though in
: the past few years.

: Still the warning holds true, it's easy to make shapes in poly
: and/or fiberglass that would be awfully difficult in wood. You
: can make pretty much any shape with wood strips, sometimes
: though it's not worth the effort :)

: Bill H.

Did you paddle plastic or glass? (Just curious). This will be my first build. That's why I want to stay with something that's been built before (so I can scream for help when I end up in the weeds).

Most of my paddling has been SOT, although I paddle an Elaho (with the drop skeg, not the rudder) on a semi regular basis. If my wife is along, I end up in a Carolina 13. I really don't like the Carolina. Too short, too stable, and too loose a fit for me (too big for wife, which is why I end up in it). I really liked the Elaho, until I paddled the Tempest.

I think what I may been experiencing was the first boat that actually fit me. I also paddled a Caribou, which seemed a bit stiff tracking to me. It may be that the Bou was just a bit big for me, so I don't know.

My wife paddled a Suka, which she really liked (she also liked the Tempest).

What I like about the Tempest (in addition to the fit) was that it went straight when I wanted to go straight, but when I wanted to adjust or turn, there was nothing to it. It just went right where I was thinking, like it could hear my thoughts. I dropped the skeg, just to play with it, but I didn't really need it (the wind was gusting over 20 by the time we were through, but we were in a bayou, so no waves to deal with). So, I pulled the skeg back up, and ran with just the hull.

I couldn't work my nerve up to try the Suka. The hot pink deck was just a bit much for me. (Wife sure looked good in it though, really a nice fit).