> Hi, Folks,

> I'm pretty bewildered with all the possibilities out there.

> I want to get a kit for a high performance, touring kayak. I am not very
> concerned with difficulty of construction or with stability.

> I want speed, low lateral wind effects and esthetics.

> Help me out please, I'm listening.

> Thanks, Bill

Sea Kayaker gave rave reviews of the Pygmy Coho, with comments like " top of my ratings for expedition-style kayak" and "Of all of the boats I have reviewed, the Coho is my hands down favorite". I haven't paddled the Coho yet, I built an Arctic Tern and just love paddling it. I like it's lines and manuverability. The Coho is faster and tracks straighter from what I have read. Pygmy also makes the Ospry HP that is very fast and very hard to turn. I paddled Jo Greenley's Redfiish Silver at the Wooden Boat Show in Seattle, it is a beautiful boat that is extreemly light, tracks very straight and is quite fast, but it is hard to turn, compared to my Arctic Tern. If you can test boats before you build, I would highly recommend it.

I hope this helps, Mike