: Thanks Etienne !
: I will take into consideration your advices about the plywood, they
: come in great ! Unfortunately I cannot choose the source of the
: plywood, since there is only one company that sells it in
: Romania.
: Also, the West River got my attention earlier, but CLC only sells
: "Wood Parts Only Kit", not just plans , so this would
: be around 1000$ only for shipping it here via US mail. So that's
: not really an option :(
: Thanks for the pic, it is fabulous ;)

: Dan.

Dan, I built a Ch18 for 250-325lb guys when I was teaching sea kayaking. If you want lots of stability, room and carrying capacity it'll do but I wouldn't pick it if your river trip requires maneuverability. If you're 6'6" and 250lbs I could see it being a better choice than the 17. I have heard of someone making a Ch17 in 6mm but it weighed about 75lbs. With 6mm ply you could simply glass the exterior of the hull and 4oz on the deck to reduce water staining. You really don't need anything bigger than the Ch17 but if you built the 18 you could easily carry an extra 175lbs, it's design is simply a consequence of making a 18' Chesapeake, not that there was a demand from 275lb paddlers.