For what I thought was a welcoming group there certainly a
: lot of negative comments.

Hey, Pat,

It's great that you're getting some feedback on your proposed building, but I think you may have misunderstood some of the replies. In the years that I've been lurking and posting around the KBBB, I've always found the people here to be incredibly knowledgeable and endlessly willing to help anyone who asks for their advice. There has very, very seldom if ever been any of the negativity and posturing that infects other boards. Folks here have, on several occasions, saved me from making mistakes that would have cost me a lot of time, grief and money. The posts cautioning you about the amount of work strip building involves, mine included, were not intended to discourage you, but rather to make sure you do know what's involved - there are a lot of half-finished kayaks lingering in garages out there :->)) If you're capable of doing it and have the time to devote to it, that's excellent!

You'll find that the KBBBers wiil bend over backwards to help in any way they can. There is absolutely no better resource for information and helpful advice on small paddlecraft building than you'll find here. Nick Schade's efforts in developing and maintaining this board are truly one of the best examples of how good an internet resource can be...