Great stories.
I didn't even get my kayak built before the comments started! I had the kayak in my driveway, sanding down a coat of varnish, so there I was, ugly sanded wood, sludgy mess all over, me covered in water and sludge... and a guy driving past my house parked and walked up and wanted to ask me all about it. Nice guy, but after about 20 minutes I was getting pretty tired of this interruption of my work!

I did have to smile to myself though later, when I took the finished kayak out for the first time. On my way to the lake I parked in front of the local kayak specialty shop where I wanted to buy some Croakies. You know the kind of store, the one with the $3000 kayaks. And I overheard one sales clerk say to the other, "Do you see that kayak out there? That thing's AWESOME!" Made me feel good.

: Hello all,

: I went to dinner last night and still had the kayak on the racks.
: Someone saw the car and the boat and apparently went and told
: the bartender to come look, who apparently told another customer
: who told another... next thing I knew the entire place emptied
: out- chef, bartender, waitress, patrons and all- all of them
: asking questions and looking at the kayak and the car (my hotrod
: VW). As they all milled around the car I went in the restaurant
: just to see and sure enough there was not a single person there!

: I promise it's not ego- it's actually just cool to see people
: admiring something you built, and I love all the questions about
: the kayak, the Greenland paddles, the car and the wood surfboard
: and all the other stuff that resides atop my car. No matter how
: much of a rush I'm in I always try to give a little time to
: answer their questions. Living on an island that is a cruise
: ship destination I often get tourists taking pictures and asking
: questions, sometimes even as I am stopped at redlights. It does
: look funny because the kayak is about four feet longer than the
: VW. I have to be careful when making turns not to whack stuff
: with one end or the other of the kayak. One thing for sure, I
: never have to worry about anyone stealing my car. It would take
: about two seconds to find it.

: I only post it here because I know you guys get a lot of the same
: and you won't think I'm bragging, but rather just passing on a
: funny story! Feel free to post your funny story of the attention
: your wood kayak gets.