: 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

Hello Fred,

I spent about 15 minutes test-paddling the 17' baidarka last week. Here are my impressions:
The tracking was not as stiff as I'd have expected. A gentle lean was enough to make the boat turn nicely. I am 5'7" - 165lbs and the cockpit fit just right. The forward coaming height seemed around 11" (just an eyeball estimate). If you're bigger than I or don't like a snug cockpit fit the standard design will probably be too tight for you. My feet are size 8 and there was plenty of room. It's hard to tell if your size 12's would fit. The boat seemed very fast to accelerate and held speed easily. There seemed to be plenty of volume for packing gear. I didn't care for the peaked decks. If I build one, I will install a CLC-style cambered deck fore and aft. Of course, that's just personal preference.

Bottom line: This is a beautiful boat that handled very well. I'll probably build one this coming Winter.

Cheers,

- Greg Jones