: I am wanting to build Tom Yosts Nikumi 17 but I have a few
: questions. My kayaking experience is limited to plastic rec
: kayaks but I have a good amount of time in small boats. My
: questions are as follows. Will I fit in the boat? I am 6' and
: about 190lbs with a size 12 shoe. From what I've read, my weight
: won't be an issue, I am concerned with my feet and legs being
: able to shift for comfort. I do bike quite often so my thighs
: are kinda thick too. How would I go about raising the deck if I
: need to for more room? when cutting the frames, how much
: "meat" should I leave on the frame, 1.5"-2"?
: Thanks in advance for any information, and I have e-mailed Tom
: directly with no reply yet, I assume that he gets large volume
: of emails.

: Thanks

: Dave

Hi Dave,

I have built several Nikumi. I find them fun to paddle and very comfortable. I am about the same size as you and the deck is ok for me as is. My feet are angled out not stright up and down so they fit easy.

The frame should be 1" inside the stringer notches for the "meat" as you said.

Clayton Plunkett