: Don't overthink this. Get a plain, cheap 2 x4 and get started
: building the boat.

Because of committments, I will not be starting this until the middle of June. In the meantime, being the engineer I am, I enjoy the armchair analysis. Believe me, my projects do not stay in Dilbert's cube. I have a roaring production area in my basement, but I like to know what I am doing once I start.

I also need to choose the kayak and have a fellow in my whitewater kayak club with a Night Heron that I want to try. We have not been able to get together yet. I would also like to try a Petrel. I know many have just jumped in, but I have a problem doing that without having some feeling for the characteristics of the kayak I will end up with. After all, 300 hours of work should result in a satisfactory result! I tried a strip built kayak the other day that was about 19 inches wide and after about 1/2 hour, my core was sore from trying to maintain stability.

By the way... The Kayak Craft book by Ted Moores talks about keeping strongback discrepencies within 1/16 inch (see pg 5-15). I know that Nick talked about a 2 X 4, but even a 2 X 4 made with good quality plywood that is TRUELY 2 X 4 inches would have some flexibility over 16 or 17 ft. If a 4 inch schedule 40 PVC pipe is marginal after 14 ft, how can a 2 X 4 be considered better?? I have had no experience with anyone using an internal strongback. A friend of mine is using an external strongback for a canoe he is building that has the structure and stability of a good workbench. Someone help me understand what appears to be some conflicts about internal strongbacks here.