There's a lot of labor in building a boat.  That can be pretty expensive.  Have you considered buying an already-constructed CLC kayak?  You might want to check out this link.

Don't sell yourself short, anybody that has a bit of spare time and can follow directions can build a nice boat.  CLC kits are first class and the manuals are written for a first time builder with no wood experience.  The videos under the "Tips for Boatbuilders" tab are a great resouce and any questions that you have can be quickly answered either by calling CLC or posting here.  The Wood Ducks and Shearwaters are the easiest to build but a Chesapeake is also ok for a first build.

I tell you this from experience.  In Feb 2013, I started my first build having never built anything out of wood.  Today I put the first coat of varnish on my 6th build.   

I second the sage advice of MarkN. The issue is, not whether you can build a CLC kit, but can you stop yourself from building another......

Mark F.

Rafter,

I would also second Mark N's advice.  The saisfaction gained from building one's own boat is priceless and a CLC kit provides the materials and detailed instructions with photos.

I was responding to your statement: "I have zero carpentry skills so would not be able to build one myself from any of the available plans and would need to pay somebody to build it for me. How much should I expect to pay for such a service?"  You would be amazed at what a beginner can accomplish with a CLC kit.

Regards,

Dick

http://cumulus.aunt-mary.net/images/peeler/

Thanks for the encouragement folks. It's certainly made me reconsider the whole affair and given me the confidence to consider building my own. I have a suitable space at my home tocarry out the construction so if it is so there is no reason for me to crack on and have a go I suppose. I'll give it some more thought and get back to you.

Are these the two kits you were reffering to by the way Mark N?

[url=http://www.clcboats.com/shop/stitch-and-glue-kayaks/wood-duck-kayaks/]Wood Ducks[/url]

[url=http://www.clcboats.com/shop/stitch-and-glue-kayaks/shearwater-kayaks/]Shearwaters[/url]

   Sorry. Links didn't work. 

Lets try again:

Wood Ducks

Shearwaters

Rafter, Glad you are rethinking the possibility of a build.  As part of that process, recommend that you watch the series of videos "Building a S&G Kayak" found under the "Tips for Boatbuilders" tab.  The series shows start to finish construction of a Chesapeake and is very informative regardless of which design you end up choosing. 

For me, chossing which design to build is a fun part of the process.  For a first build with no prior wood experience, I would stick to one of the easier S&G designs to build.  The Shearwater and Wood Duck lines are probably the easiest followed by the Chesapeake and Mill Creek. 

The first question is how will you use the boat?  The WD and MC are better for fishing, photography, protected water and short distances.  The SW and CH are better for open water and longer distances.

The second question is how big are you?  Each line has boats of various sizes that are best for paddlers in certain weight ranges and with certain foot sizes.

Lastly, do you want a single or a tandem? 

Take some time to study the designs/kits that CLC offers.  If you have questions, post here or call one CLC and talk to one of their experts.     

Mark N, thanks again for the advice. I've answered each of your questions below: 

1. How will you use the boat? - I'm a rank beginner so protected water and short distances for the time being. I'm also an avid photographer so that can also be taken into account. So WD would probably be the way forward for me?
2. How big are you? - 6ft, 210lbs, Size 11 feet. I also had an inured my right angle earlier this year. It is much better now but still somewhat stiff and weak. Should I take this into account?
3. Do you want a single or a tandem? - Single! Most definitely. I'll be using this for 'me' time.

Is this a good example of what I can expect a finished Wood Duck to look like?

By the way DICKDOWDELL, thanks for your initial advice, but I think I am going to give the self-build a try. If I change my mind for any reason I've noticed that there is the CLC Used Boats For Sale section so that should prove a good starting point. Thanks again.

Rafter, Sounds like either the Wood Duck 12 or 14 would be a good choice for you.  I would also take a hard look at the Shearwater Sport because it will give you a bit more performance without sacrificing too much comfort and stability. 

Those do look like Wood Ducks.  There are also scores of pictures of each boat in the galleries located on each boat's page.  As a first time builder you can pretty easily build a boat that looks great from 10' away but will have some cometic character (flaws) when viewed closely.  Somewhere on this site, I read a suggestion from John Harris that first time builders paint the hull.  You are most likely to make any cosmetic bobos on the hull and it is easy to hide them with paint.  I found that to be good advise because I crewed up one of the puzzle joints on the hull of my first build.  This was my first build.  Looks pretty good but there are defects if you look closely.

Thanks for the tip Mark. I can pretty much guarantee that there will be plenty of flaws and imperfections in my first build. I'll let you know how I get on and post photos in due course. Thanks again for or your help.