: Try to 'grab a ride' in an Outer Island before you commit to
: building one .
: There is a commercial version of the OI on the market; I don't know
: if it differs from the strip version.

: I've got an OI - it is 'strong tracking' IMO, but I'm not sure it
: would meet some of your other criteria - for me, it doesn't have
: a very strong secondary stability characteristic compared to
: other boats I've paddled like the NDK Romany or any of the
: Mariners. With the latter boats, I can feel a definite area
: where the boat 'wants to edge' and can hang there easily. With
: the OI, it's a pretty smooth transition 'all the way over', so I
: have to pay attention a lot more.
: A look at the lines of a boat like the Romany (flat, 90 deg side
: chines) or the Siskiwit (flat chines with flare) vs the OI
: (curvy) seems to explain some of the paddling feel.

I had the good luck & pleasure of meeting Jay Babina by chance in Stony Creek today! I paddled with him & his friends for a while, then he let me try the OI. I LOVE it! Tracks great, and I find the secondary stability comfortable. I want to increase the knee height slightly, and go for a longer cockpit, however.
: (BTW, the SeaKayaker magazine lines tend to 'round over' chine
: transitions, so keep that in mind if you are looking there...).
: The OI is a beautiful looking boat, fast as well. Rolls easily.
: All boats are compromises- if you want a fast, strong tracking
: boat, it's unlikely to be a lot of fun when you are navigating a
: twisty area or practicing maneuvering strokes.
: (That's why we need a 'fleet' of boats, I guess.... ;-) )