> 1) Stitch & Glue vs Strip? I’ve seen both Stitch & Glue and Strip
> kayaks available in kit forms. What’s the difference? Which would be
> easier to assemble? Is there a difference in quality or performance in the
> final product?

Of the two, Stitch & Glue would be easier to assemble - many fewer parts, and also less expensive. The difference in quality depends on the builder. If you take your time and pay attention to all the little details, you will end up with a quality finish, regardless of which type you build. And performance depends on the design, not the construction. If you get a boat designed for your intended use, the performance will be good.

So it basically comes down to how much time you have to dedicate to the project, and personal preference.

> 2) There are several different styles of kayak (Greenland, etc) and I was
> wondering what model you would recommend for a novice kayaker? What
> length? I've been kayaking a couple of times, my most recent trip was to
> and around the San Juan Islands in Washington so I've been on the open
> ocean. But, I'm still relatively new to the sport but would like to have a
> kayak that I'm not going to outgrow in one or two seasons.

After one season, you'll be ready to build another boat, so don't worry about it.

Seriously, most kits, especially stitch-and-glue are of the hard-chined Greenland design, which, in my opinion, is a good thing. The exact length of boat depends on your size - height and weight. Also on your intended use - day trips or week-long camping trips. For long trips, you have to worry about having space to carry all that gear, size of hatch openings, etc.

> 3) In looking on the web, I've so far been most impressed with the Pygmy
> kits. Any thoughts on this? Or any other manufacturers someone would
> recommend?

I also looked at Pygmy before deciding on my CLC Patuxent. They look like good quality boats, but they are all high volume boats. Great for camping trips, but bigger than what I was looking for. Don't forget about CLC - their Chesapeake LT series are a good group of lower volume boats. And also San Javier Kayaks - their Single is a good high volume boat.

Personally, I would go with CLC - only because I just built one, and it went together very easily. Someone who just finished a Pygmy would probably disagree with me. These are all good boats, just pick one that suits your purposes. Honestly, I don't think there are any bad choices.

> 4) Anything else???
> A couple pieces of information which should help in answering my
> questions: I have very limited woodworking experience but am interested in
> giving it a shot.

Personally, I prefer the looks of a stip kayak. The stitch & glue boats look sort of plain - a large piece all one color. I just think the variation in strip colors make a better looking boat. I chose to build a stitch & glue boat because I also had limited woodworking experience, and wasn't sure if I could build a boat. I figured if I really screwed it up, I would have less time and money invested in the plywood boat. My plan was to build the CLC, and if it came out OK, build a stip kayak next. I am very much looking forward to building the strip boat next fall. But, since I really wanted a strip boat, I now wish I had just gone ahead and done that first. I have no doubts (now) that an inexperienced woodworker can build a strip kayak - it just takes time and confidence.

So find the boat you want, and build it. And if you later decide you want something different, build that too.

Good Luck,

Ken