I built my first SOF Kayak many years ago, and have built several since. Until last August I lived in PA with only access to rivers and one nice little canal. Hardly great waters for sea kayaking, although I did have great fun on our yearly vacation to Lewes DE. Last August we moved to the Maryland shore. It was a rough transition, and all of us have had a hard winter. Today though I realized why I build Kayaks.

Last year two needed re-skinning due to a combination of cheaping out on the plywood on the coamings, and being stored outside under our deck... When I recovered them I realized my son was old enough to ride with us, so I opened the up like a Gentry Chuckanut, and put a little seating plate forward for him. We did a test run on a pond with some friends last week with great success. Today I took him out to Assateague, and we paddled out to find our own private island. Well we did have to share it with another family two hundred yards away...

The seabee was a little overloaded weight wise, and with the more open cockpit we did take on a bit more water than I anticipated. On the paddle back the wind picked up, and we had some quarter waves from behind wash right in occasionally. My other boat shouldn't have the same problem, but it's initial stability isn't as nice when you have a three year old along. That one also likes to bear port, since it was my first boat ever, and the keel has a slight S curve to it. ooops.

Anyway this is why I built Kayaks I realized. It isnt to go lose myself, but to reconnect with my family after a rough year. Thank you Tom Yost for the designs, and the board members who have answered my questions in years past.

A few more pics:

Out for the first time in his Kidarka. He'll grow into it, but I figured last summer when I built my niece one why not build two?

Loading up the boat. My son was trying to launch it himself.