Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 18:03:20 -0600
From: Chris & Leslie Arceneaux 
Subject: [Paddlewise] Wooden Kayaks - Which to choose?

Help me out here. I'm sure this has been debated before, so bare with me, I
recently signed on.
Which is better? Pigmy or Chesapeake? Multi chine ar hard chine? Golden Eye
or or Chesapeake-17' Kit or plans? All options sound good, but some of you
guys must have experience here.
I'm an intermediate paddler on the Louisiana Gulf Coast who ventures into
Texas, Miss, Ala, and Fla. waters. I fish from my boat, so most of my
paddling is coastline and open bay. Customizing is an attractive
opportunity with a home built. We have a baby due in 2 weeks and I need to
trade on-the-water time with stay-at-home. Thanks in advance, Chris



Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 22:47:22 EST
From: Gratytshrk
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Wooden Kayaks - Which to choose?

Chris,
Another option you may want to check out are the relatively free plans you can
get from sea kayaker magazines Fall '94 issue.  The article was written by
editor Chris Cunningham and is for a hard chined greenland stitch and glue
18.5' x 21".  The instructions are very well written and you could probably
complete it for 200-300 bucks if you use luaun plywood.  I built it this past
summer in about 4 weeks.  Trust me, its worth looking into.  You can back
order the issue for 5.95 from sea kayaker by calling (206) 789-9536.  I also
did alot of investigating on kits and plans and finally decided on this one.
Good luck,
Robin Lovelock
Mobile Al.



Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 22:59:32 EST
From: JCMARTIN43@aol.com
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Wooden Kayaks - Which to choose?


Don't know that an awful lot of people will have enough experience with both
the Pygmy and CLC boats to give you a fair answer, Chris.  The Pygmy boats
I've seen are beautiful craft, but I chose a CLC kit because I have easy
access to CLC and their boats, and I can paddle them to get a sense of what I
like all summer.  Easy choice --- the new CLC North Bay, which is still in the
process of getting a deck on it.  At least as soon as I can stop fiddling with
the internal structure.  As to kits vs. plans, Chris Kulczycki's "Shop Notes"
indicate that you can save about 20% on the total investment by buying plans
- --- depending a lot on your area and your access to good grades of marine
plywood --- but a kit will be far easier to build.

Without any implied disparagement to Pygmy, I'm really happy with my CLC kit
and with the easy access I have to Chris, to John Harris, the shop manager,
and to all the other folks who work there for their pleasant handling of my
dumb and dumber questions.  They like what they're doing, and it shows.

And they do have a Cape Charlie plan set for your new kayaker!  Good luck with
the decision, and enjoy the process of building.

Jack Martin



Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 11:08:37 -0500
From: Nick Schade 
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Wooden Kayaks - Which to choose?

At 6:03 PM -0600 1/19/99, Chris & Leslie Arceneaux wrote:
>Help me out here. I'm sure this has been debated before, so bare with me, I
>recently signed on.
>Which is better? Pigmy or Chesapeake? Multi chine ar hard chine? Golden Eye
>or or Chesapeake-17' Kit or plans? All options sound good, but some of you
>guys must have experience here.

There is no right answer for which boat is "better". Both companies design
good boats. Each of their boats has certain virtues in certain situations.
The boat which is best for you depends as much on you as it does on the
boat or the number of chines it has. If you can find someone locally who
has built one of the designs, a test paddle would be the best way to make
up your mind.

You may want to look at my kayak building bulletin board.
 There are people there
who have built and tried both.


Nick Schade
Guillemot Kayaks
10 Ash Swamp Rd
Glastonbury, CT 06033
(860) 659-8847

http://www.guillemot-kayaks.com/

>>>>"It's not just Art, It's a Craft!"<<<<