: Hi,

: I am 6'4" at 185-190lb with 36" inseam and size 15 feet.
: I managed to sqeeze barefooted in Nick's Petrel last summer and
: had a chance to paddle it for about 20 minutes in calm
: conditions. It felt surprisingly stable and was very easy to
: roll. Foot room was very tight for me, size 11 on a 2"
: shorter legs will probably feel just right barefoot.

: The kayak seemed to have loose bow (good, IMO) and was very
: maneuverable (almost to a point some may consider it does not
: track well). I also thought it was relatively fast but the top
: speed was a little lower than the Night Heron. Surfed the small
: boat wakes very well. The Heron HV that I tried back to back
: with the Petrel felt much larger with unnecessary volume in the
: cockpit, a bit harder to roll too. The Petrel was a little too
: low in the knee brace area to my liking. Cockpit dimensions can
: be modified during build though.

: Compared to the other CLC boats on tap, the Petrel was by far the
: most fun. I will very likely paddle it again during Okume Fest
: in a couple of weeks and can report back here for you. I am
: seriously considering that boat so this time I will paddle it
: more carefully.

: http://www.clcboats.com/shop/new/okoumefest2010/

Thanks for the feed back. If you not mind I would like to here back from you after Okoume fest.
I cannot locate a Petrel close to me in Michigan. I am planning on going to the Holland gathering in June,maybe I will get luck and there will be one there.
If not I may just build it and hope for the best. From what I have read I should fit. For now I should be ready to clear coat the Merganser that I am working on next week.
I have been wonting to try clear coat to see if it will be more durable.