: Hello everyone ! This is my first post here, since I recently
: decided to build a S&G kayak. Since this will be a pretty
: big financial effort , I would really like the kayak I build to
: fit me.
: I am 6.40 ft , 175 lbs , size 14 shoes. All I could find on the web
: were "testimonials" of guys who had built the
: Chesapeake 18,but even if they were around my height, they were
: a lot heavier and had smaller shoe size.
: The question is whether I will really fit in this kayak ?
: CLC states the kayak to be for 210-270 lbs guys, so does this mean
: i'll need some water balast to carry around ?

What this means is that you will have extra capacity for a lot more weight. For example, camping gear for a couple weeks of camping.

So it is important for you to realize what you want your boat to do. If you are not going to need all that capacity then it can be detrimental to your enjoyment of your boat. For instance, if you just want to get out on the water and have fun for a day then the high volume boat will be like driving a truck when you really want a sports car.

Also, if you are considering S&G or strip then think of lots and lots of time sanding and glassing. So you may want to consider SOF (skin on frame) construction. Some guys can knock one of these out in a week at far less expense. You may want to go to Qajak USA and check this out.

http://www.qajaqusa.org/cgi-bin/GreenlandTechniqueForum_config.pl?md=index;page=1

The easiest way to build the already easy SOF is ala Tom Yost. This is a very good bet for you as they are very easy to modify for your criteria. Put the frame together with tie wraps and sit in it. If your feet do not fit then make a new, taller cross section in the foot area. If you do not modify the hull the boat will perform as designed; you can fool around with the deck without effecting the handling. You can check out Tom's site at:

http://yostwerks.com/

Consider that for the same amount of time and money as a wooden boat you can have an SOF playboat and an expedition boat. SOF is just an easier way to get into kayaking and if you discover you really enjoy it and you then wish to create a beautiful wooden boat like you see on this forum you can go for it.

Shark