Re: Kayak Size Question

Posted by Karl on Sep 7, 2006

James, I am 6 ' 8" tall, and substantially heavier than you. I built a Chesapeake 18 and it fits me very well (size 14 -15 foot depending on shoemaker). I have a friend who built a chessie 17 which he is very happy with. He's roughly 6' 4" tall about 210# and has size 13.5 feet. It comes down to usage. Either would be a decent choice, the 18 would probably be well suited for you if your intention is to pack for trips etc. The 17 would be more approprite for day use, with occasional loading.

Other manufacturers/designers also have some good boats, for instance Nick Schade's Great Auk design. I looked at all of them, Pygmy, Waters Dancing, Roy Folland, and ended up here because of the fantastic support available from CLC. I've never regretted the decision. By the way, CLC typically offers a range of cockpit opening sizes and configurations available for their kits. If you roll your own, obviously you have near infinite options as to configurations. It comes down to how much personal design you want to incorporate into your build.

In Response to: Re: Kayak Size Question by LeeG on Sep 7, 2006

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