: John, your post is encouraging. I too am trying to modify the plans for a
: boat for my wife. When you say you reduced the width of the side panels by
: 1/2 inch, was that a uniform 1/2 inch across the entire top of the panel
: length? Also did you make any width modifications to the bottom panels? If
: you didn't, I am assuming that the max beam is the same as your CH17.
: Thanks.

: Ray, I removed half an inch on the top of side panels, I didn`t touch the bottom panels, but I suspect I could have reduced them, as well, by an inch or so, but I wanted to stay with the original width, since , my wife is a debutant, .I must say also, that this boat is so pleasant to ride , being smaller, for day paddling, that most of the time, I end up taking this one , instead of my 17f.Last summer, we had the chance to go on the mighty Saguenay river for our vacations, and we were pleased by the way these boats (chesapeake) handled, we did appreciate the wide beam (23 n half in.), for the stability.To add to the strory, we encountered a school of belugas and a 60 feet long whale , fantastic, the belugas passed under our boats, so close, we could have plunge our hands in the water, and touch them, magic moments,

don`t be shy, and go ahead with the modifications, John, Montreal