: Allan,
: Thanks for the performance report. I've been watching for it, as I
: have the plans, forms, and all materials on hand to build a
: Storm. I currently paddle a 17' x 23" Merganser 17W hybrid
: and love the way it fits and handles, so have not been in a rush
: to build another boat. I expect the 17'-6" x 22"
: Storm, with its rounded chines, however, might be better in the
: choppy waters of Buzzard Bay, where I usually paddle.
: The initial tenderness you mention might be due to your light
: weight. Valclav says this design is best for a 190 pound
: paddler.
: I'm also interested in how you kept the boat weight so low. What
: size strips and what weight cloth did you use?
: Beautiful boat, by the way.
: -Wes

Actually the Storm SLT is designed for 140 pounds, paddler and gear (http://www.oneoceankayaks.com/kayakpro/kayakmodels.htm#SLTanch). I built one for my wife a few years back. I'm about 165# and have tried the boat a couple of times on flat water, and it responds like a river kayak with the extra weight on board: super lively. My wife is a very conservative paddler, weighs about 120#, yet finds the boat quite stable and easy to manage. It's a high performance design, however, and probably takes some getting used to. I just revarnished the boat last week and weighed it, with seat in place, and it came in at 30 pounds, built with 3/16" strips and using multiple layers of 3.2 and 3.6 oz cloth. I think it's a great design--kinda sneaky fast. Here's Vaclav's description, for the record:

"Just as in the StormLT, most of the design features are derived from the Cape Ann Storm, In this case, however, I have sharpened the bow entry and extended the stern keel in order to balance the maneuverability of the 14 foot waterline hull. I believe this 'touch up' will enhance directional stability significantly. The Storm SLT has the lowest calculated resistance of all One Ocean Kayaks models across the entire speed range. This means very fast acceleration and speed retention especially for the paddlers with lesser physical strength.

Front cockpit depth of 11.5" (29,2cm) provides snug knee bracing and also allows unhindered 'close to the kayak' paddle stroke with a short paddle. The rear cockpit depth of 8 7/8" (22,5cm) will make leaning back and rolling a snap.

Optimal performance @140 LB (64 kg) paddler and gear weight.

Average kayak weight 37 to 45lb ( 16,8- 20,47 kg)"

As may be evident from the above, Vaclav did not build an SLT prototype, rather just offered plans for it as a way of providing a downsized-and-tweaked version of an existing design, for smaller folks. It remains one of the only strip designs out there for really light-weight paddlers. Several have been built since by us guinea pigs who have taken the plunge, and the resulting boats seem to have found favor with their (properly sized) owners--and their pets. (Btw, I'm not sure what it would take to build one as heavy as he indicates!)

--S