The Cirrus

For anyone considering building a stich and glue kayak I have some thoughts. First the Cirrus is a great boat. However, it is an advanced build, and very costly. Consider that you have 3-4 sheets of marine plywood, $150. 2-3 allons of epoxy/hardner at least $250. Fiberglass and carbon fiber, $220. And don't forget about sandpaper, paintbrushes, tape, station wood, and strongback setup. This willl easily add another $100 or more.

I do have to say you will be building a beautiful kayak, that most likely will last forever. It will become your pride and joy.

There are other plans out there, CLC makes some, Point Bennett has a great kayak, Guillimont has a few. I am familiar with CLC's designs, they use a compltetly different setup that uses less epoxy, fiberglass and much less time. Although, CLC has introduced a new kayak named the Sheerwater, which to me looks very similiar to the Cirrus, and has similiar construction methods. As they both utilize stations, a strongback and a lot of seperate pieces.

So, before you begin your project do some research. Choose a difficulty level and a cost that is suitable to your budget and time constraints. Email some poeple who are in the 'know' and try to learn as much as you can from them.