Preface: Dear Uncle Nick, we need a "Hybrid" subject classification, as this project is half strip, and half S&G....

Totally inspired by Sean Dawe, I finally got started on a little job I have been "thinking about" for way too long: (yet) a(nother) rebuild of my beloved old Squeedunk Kayaks Cormorant. Please see Sean's blog entry for the general scope of this project since he puts it so exceedingly eloquently:
http://justyakkin2.blogspot.com/2012/09/point-bennett-project-first-cut-is.html

And here is his happy ending:
http://www.kayakforum.com/cgi-bin/Building/index.cgi/md/read/id/221654/sbj/s-g-point-bennett-chop-end-of-the-road/

So ... I'm probably halfway through my Cormy chop job, just wanted to pipe up and say how well it's going, how fun & exciting to be back working on a homemade kayak once again, and how utterly possible it is to turn an old boat around instead of scrapping it and starting from scratch on a new one. I already know this job is successful, no question about it at this point.

I am doing this because the Cormy is a very typical medium-to-high volume kayak, and my Outer Island love affair has spoiled me for sporty low sheer lines for easy laybacks for rolling and Greenland style paddle techniques in genreral. I have always been particularly excited about how this boat handles and performs, it just needs to have the deck lowered ... a good bit ... otherwise it just won't really get used much ... if at all. So this project is officially regarded by me as The Cormorant Chop Job. I am lowering the sheer 2" amidships, and leaving full height at bow & stern.

Still thinking about the "end pour" thing, though not losing any sleep over it. If anyone wants to offer up a lightweight-but-strong solution that seems pretty darn good, I'm all ears. I guess I'm done with wood blocks...