Hey G New,
Six years ago I was exactly where you are now. (I'm now just nigh 55)
Halfway through my build, I learned later, most of the people around me thought I'd finally lost my mind.

Good news, it'll work out better than you can now possibly imagine.

After 8 months of building (it doesn't have to take that long), and 5 years of paddling it is even better. How can better get even better?

I think in my life I've seen with my eyes three other strip kayaks. One a couple of years ago, and two about 17 years ago on a truck near Mendocino--50 yards away, just a glimpse, but I never forgot them. Long, dark, sleek, serious looking. Clearly something way out of my league, so I thought at the time......

Will

: Thanks for the encouraging words Bill.

: BTW, I am 53, have never owned a kayak, in fact I have only been in
: a kayak 3 or 4 times in my life. As for a wood strip kayak, I
: have never seen one in the flesh. When I build mine, it will
: probably be he first one that I have ever seen and most
: definitely the first one that I have ever paddled. I can hardly
: wait, it will be just like Christmas.