Linda is turning 50 this weekend and wanted a really nice birthday gift...so I bought her a Solace 16EX kit. I have a fairly quiet August coming up so I figured that I'd get back to building and try something I have lusted after for some time. No really, the gift IS for Linda...it's just really convenient that I happen to have yearned to paddle one of these Waters Dancing designs. That said, I will be using only 4-oz glass on the outside and tapes on the inside with no major fillets anywhere except the extreme ends. I will be adding brass stem bands to avoid the inevitable wear-and-tear on the keel. I am going to try to get this build done by September 03...that gives me one month, assuming Donnie provides me with the kit on August 03. I won't be able to work on the kayak during the weekends since I spend my time with Linda then so my weekday mornings are going to be busy. I have to wonder how Linda will reciprocate: I am turning 50 this October...a new paddle perhaps? Hmmmm!

Robert N Pruden