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Thanks to all for nice words..
By:Tom Bastiansen
Date: 12/9/2002, 3:45 pm

Hey Charles

: Looks like you've got a beautiful place to use your kayak . . and a beauty
: she is! I really enjoyed the pics.

Yes, it's a lot of exiting and nice places around here... and thank you for nice words.

: I'm getting ready to start building my Guillemot L and was wondering if
: stretching your yak out to 19' is something you would do again or would
: you go with 18'? Any regrets?
: I am about 6' and 250 pounds and was thinking about stretching mine out
: another foot.

I have nothing to compare with, so I really don't know. Too me, as a completely novice, it feels good as it is, but that might change next year when I get more experience?? I am 6,1' and when I started to build the kayak my weight was 266,5 pounds. Before that I had worked too much and got a breakdown, stayed into the hospital bleeding in 3 weeks before I got back on my feet, but I couldn't do any work for over a year. Then I started to build the kayak, and I came "alive" again. At the launching day I was down in 242 pounds, and now, after 950 km (about 590 miles) into the kayak, my weight is 215,8 pounds. I will feel good around 209 pounds, I'm soon there ... :) and the paddling and outdoor life makes me feel more happy and satisfied than for many years.

I don't think it's important if you stretch the yak or not. The most important is to use it, and use it a lot. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico... siiighh... sounds wonderful to me up here in Norway. Today it is 1 degree F, and the fjord where I came in yesterday is frozen today... (pic #6 on trip page). No more paddling before springtime.. :(

Best regards
Tom

Messages In This Thread

Seeking: Has anyone built the Guillemot "L"?
Gordon Snapp -- 12/8/2002, 12:35 am
Re: Seeking: Has anyone built the Guillemot "L"?
Bill Bacheler -- 12/8/2002, 11:35 pm
Re: Seeking: Has anyone built the Guillemot "L"? *LINK* *Pic*
Tom Bastiansen -- 12/8/2002, 2:31 pm
Re: Seeking: Has anyone built the Guillemot "L"? *LINK*
Charles Leach -- 12/8/2002, 5:51 pm
Thanks to all for nice words..
Tom Bastiansen -- 12/9/2002, 3:45 pm
Re: Seeking: Has anyone built the Guillemot "L"?
Tony W. -- 12/8/2002, 4:48 pm
Re: What's a Sletter? :) Nice site! *NM*
Steve Frederick -- 12/8/2002, 4:01 pm
Re: Name of a spesial group of islands..
Tom Bastiansen -- 12/8/2002, 4:37 pm
Lots of great photos! *NM*
Mark Kopp -- 12/8/2002, 3:54 pm
Re: Seeking: Has anyone built the Guillemot "L"? *LINK*
Charles Leach -- 12/8/2002, 10:09 am