okoume and red wine

Posted by Andr� Enegren on May 17, 2004

No real woodworking skills, no kayak experience (3 hours), not much english (I am from France). Never in a web forum before. Had never imagined something like the SG technique existed.Why then did I buy a CH LT 17 kit from Fyneboat kits in England last july? I don�t really know, I wanted to surprise myself, and to surprise the fish. After innumerable misunderstandings (a running bevel???), many mistakes (bow, stern, all this is very confusing), some mishaps (frozen resin), the CH LT 17 is ready, and very pleasant looking. It even came down smoothly from a third floor window. �Form is emptiness� said somebody. At least this is a perfect balance between both. The first paddling was Saturday in the Somme river estuary : perfect, the boat made me forget my clumsiness.

I bought a bottle of californian red wine. I raise my glass to CLC and Fyneboatkits : excellent quality materials, and, surprisingly, everything is in the manual (I deciphered it word after word). The two distressing moments : decking (two persons and many straps make it much easier I think); and spelling my address in english to order a sprayskirt from CLC. An invaluable help came from the forum. How to hold a plane, to squeege with playing cards, to lightly heat the varnish : without you there would be definitely more emptiness than form in my kayak. In short, many many thanks to the forum participants : for your experience or your questions, your readiness to help even an invisible audience, your seemingly limitless indulgence. I wish I could someday develop a tip worth posting, worth being discussed, or even reduced to ashes. In the meantime, �� votre sant�.

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