Hey, Fred, I love my Shearwater Baidarka. You will love yours, too.

Have a squiz at these pages

http://www.nswseakayaker.asn.au/mag/43/baidarka.html
http://www.nswseakayaker.asn.au/mag/44/plywoodpaddlingparty.html
http://www.nswseakayaker.asn.au/mag/44/baidarka2.html
http://www.nswseakayaker.asn.au/mag/44/sydneytojervisbay.html
http://www.nswseakayaker.asn.au/mag/44/sailrig.html
http://www.nswseakayaker.asn.au/mag/46/broughton.html

for a few impressions on this design.

I don't think it has much footroom and I only have size 8 feet (Australian sizing - size 43 European, wouldn't have a clue what that equals in US sizes).

Nice small cockpit, but I moved both cockpit bulkheads right up as close to me as possible - about 90 litres floodable volume (or around 26 US gallons). Not much volume for gear - the kayak is pretty well swamped at 130 kg (290 lb) gross displacement - best below 115 kg (250 lb - that's 140 lb of me, 46 lb of kayak and 64 lb of water, food and camping gear).

The Baidarka tracks well, responds very nicely to edging, is neutral in the wind, remarkably fast (5.5 knots in a sprint and _measured_ at up to 13 knots in a good following swell). It catches waves very well, but is lethal in the surf - at a certain point, it just dives for the bottom. I've done some spectacular "enders" with three quarters of the boat standing vertically out of the water. Sorry, no photos of enders, yet. Build the bow piece _strongly_. You will need it as a pivot in the sand.

I'm having a hoot with mine. I hope yours goes well.

Andrew

: Greetings all,

: I'm seeking information from anyone who has built and/or paddled the
: Shearwater stitch & glue baidarka. I'm mainly interested in comments
: on tracking, handling, roominess (for size 12 feet), volume (for touring),
: but also any comments on how the boat goes together in construction. I
: think it looks very cool on Eric's website, and am seriously considering
: building one (probably the 19', though the 17' is a possibility).

: Any opinions/comments can be posted on the board or emailed to me. Thanks in
: advance.

: Fred