I have paddled Nick's Night Heron and Jay's Outer Island as well as Outer Island boats built by others. Both boats are excellent, compared to my Skin on Frame based on Eastern Greenland, they are both very spacious for my 220# 5'10" size 10. I am building a Low Deck Night Heron for my wife, who likes the larger cockpit. I prefer the smaller cockpit of the Outer Island. Neither the OI nor the NH track as well as my skin boat in wind (it has very low freeboard) but in quatering waves they both track as well or possibly even better. Rolling and bracing in the round bilge boats is smoother. My hull fits so closely that shifting seating position is not an option for bracing that is avilable in the OI and the NH. I have noticed that Jay's brother, Phil, will shift in the seat before a balance brace in fresh water. The nice thing about Greenland paddling in the Outer Island and the Night Heron is that the transitions are smooth and can be done very gracefully with little effort.

Both are excellent boats and you will get excellent builder support from the designers, follow your heart.

Pete Strand