The Instructables web site has a series on How to Build a Greenland Kayak by Nativewalker. (this is the link to part 7 http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Greenland-Kayak-Part-7/) Presently it's about minus 20 celcius here but in a few months we'll begin to warm up and I intend to build this kayak. The Instructables are excellent but I'm don't know what width to make the gunwales! They will be 16' long, 3/4" thick and made out of clear pine. The instructables suggest 2" width all the way to 3.5". I want the kayak as light as possible but I don't want it flimsy. I plan on using it almost entirely on our local creeks, streams and rivers. I will never be on an ocean and if I'm on a lake it will be a small one on a calm day.....

My question to all you great folks is....what width do I make the gunwales? I was thinking 2.75".....:)

A secondary question would be....should I build a different kayak?

Thanks for you input,
Bill