I'm in the same boat (well not yet).  Very interested in the Sh Sport, but haven't found much in the the way of reviews from owner/builders.  Considering a strip deck version.

Hickory, from Seattle

I am just finishing up a SW Sport Hybrid, all that is left is the varnishing and fitting out the deck rigging. I paddled one at the Woodenboat Show, and again at a demo in Florida.  Tracks nice, but is also maneurverable.  It feels lighter than my Manitou 13 plastic boat.  It also didn't seem to have a lot of windage. I know I will be happy with it, will be used mostly in lakes. In florida, I demo-ed the Petrel.  Huge difference, but a different boat.  It is fast and exciting. That will be my next build.  It just felt good, and is a beautiful design.

In my opinion, Eric designs excellent boats. I built a Shearwater 17 from a CLC kit, but it was too tight for me. Eric is exactly my size and recommended his Merganser 17W. I built a hybrid version from plans and love it. The Merganser is basically the same hull design as the Shearwater but an inch wider and a bit roomier. It is fast, agile, stable, and responsive; tracks well and steers almost intuitively. Photos and builiding notes at http://twofootartist.com/merganser-construction-notes/ -Wes

I built a Shearwater 17H two years ago and paddle it at every opportunity.  Last summer I gotchance to try the sport at the Newport Beach Demo.  Keeping mind that this was  very quick flat water demo paddle, my reaction was not all that positive.  The boat just did not seem to have the agillity of the 17.  it just felt a little clunky.  Maybe this boat is designed for playing in rough water and will shine in that environment.  Just one guy's reaction.  Can you possibly demo one before you build?

PAG

Thank you everyone for your replies, great feedback , and wes ! that boat you built is just too damm nice, if mine turns out half as good Ill be happy. My plans arrived today , very exiting. I think I will be happy because the sport will be a versatile play yak , and I will built the 17 next for some sleek touring. No more tupperware , all wood from now on..........

cheers and thanx....

Locky

Thanks, Locky, for your kind comments. I like to say my boat looks good from ten feet away. The joints between strips are messy in places, the deck is not uniform, I didn't match the strip colors too well, the rear hatch curve does not match the deck, and there's a bit of a kink in the keel line. Nevertheless, I love the way this boat performs, and none of the cosmetic flaws affect its performance in any way. So don't be upset by minor flaws or waste a lot of time trying to make your boat perfect. Chances are it will get admiring comments wherever you take it. -Wes

Hi Locky,

This reply may be a little out of date but I am also from West Oz and recently met a fellow paddler who had just completed a Shearwater Hybrid. He was paddling 8.00am Sunday morning at Riverton Bridge. He was v ery happy to talk about the boat and offered me a paddle.

Heh thanks for posting. thats really interesting its nice to here of some fello likeminded locals building their own boats, I live down south now so Icant call myself local but I did grow up around that area so I know the old rivo bridge well, did you get to have a paddle,

Cheers Locky

No, I'm a little out of form at the moment and can only just get in and out of my Exodus, but I was sooo tempted, it looks really nice.

Wayne