Very nice, you will enjoy, once you get past the audience that forms every time you launch. For the same reasons I am doing a Petrel. Gotta feed the addiction. 

Beautiful design.  I'm trying to finish a petrel.  Wish I had taken more time onthe design. 

PS: 3rd boat. first two were chessie lt 16 and 17 but all stitch and glue.  I'm addicted. 

Looks great!!!  For your wife , right?  Looking forward to the reviews of her launch.

My sport hybrid has taken a break from the build while I relocated down to Monterey Bay.  Hoping to get back into my box of supplies pretty soon.

Enjoy.

Hickory

Hickory, I hope you'll get back to it before too long.

I am itching to give our Shearwater Sport a preview whirl. Today - first day of spring - and we are having a windy, blustery 28 degrees. brrrrr.

Patience is getting quite a work out.  

Wow Chris, just wow!  Gorgeous design job.  Can't wait to get started on my project now that I'm recently re-adicted and committed to getting on the water this Summer.  No rush yet though.  Maine is still the big chill zone atm.  

Chris- thanks for the encouragement.  Got enough toolds unpacked and space in the garage to get back to work- cutting first hatch.  Went easy with a slow moving jigsaw and the right blade.  Rigging and varnish this month.

Lookin' Good, Hickory!!!

Yesterday I finally had the chance to take my SWSH out for its first "sea trial"... on the Allegheny River by Downtown Pittsburgh. We finally had nice weather after a month of miserable weather! (Sorry, no pix) She took to the river like a duck to water. This is a fun boat for sure... nimble but stable, easily staying on track and looking for the smallest waves to surf on.

Obviously she is quite different from the Night Heron I am accustomed to paddling this past season. Even so, she tracks well and is a joy to paddle. At one point, a 12 barge tug came churning upstream the Ohio River toward downtown... (oh goody!) I headed toward the powerful backwash of this monster tug... just to see how she'd handled in the confused water.  I was delighted!

I can see opting for this chariot just to ride the surf and dealing with big water. In the meantime, I have no doubt that Iris will be happy with her new ride... safe, secure and stable :)

CLC nailed it in how they characterized the SWS. It is a great kayak design!

Great feedback on the performance- just what I was hoping to hear.  I'll be having 'Water Moccasin' out in the swells and surf of the Monterey Bay when she ready.

Cheers!

Yesterday we had (here in Western PA) sunny winds puffing up to 33 knots in gusts - all day long. My opportunity to see what the Shearwater Sport could do!

I got her out to Moraine State Park. While white caps started to froth, the boat was ready for fun. She tracked a steady course on all points, held her ground (as it were) and small course corrections could almost always be manage with a little "knee action".

She picked up surfing waves with ease and provided a solid footing at all times. In short, I was totally delighted with how she handled in these conditions.

Cheers!

Chris

Great report.  Doesn't hurt that she is so well built, and great looking.

Hmmm. SWS or Petrel play, it's a tough call. Those Schade boys don't make it easy.

Yeah... that's what we might call a dynamic duo or a winning combination...

I suspect that the Shearwater Sport has more inherent stability than the Petrel Play which has 2" less beam and more rocker.  Without a doubt either one will be great fun... and for my wife the SWS is most likely the more appropriate pick... for now.

BTW - without a dry suit or even neoprene, I will not let Iris out on the water right now - where less than a month ago the ice-age ruled... even if air temps are close to 70 degrees. We are looking for some neoprene wear for her so that she can go out in reasonable safety before too long. 

When I paddled yesterday I saw two women in jeans and zero protection get into their 8' or 10' plastic tubbie kayaks. "Insane" (or Suicidal) if you ask me! - especially in the 30 knot conditions we had yesterday.

Every year a number of people die on this lake of "drowning" - I'd say more likely that they die of ignorance and / or stupidity. Sadly, advance warnings are simply not heeded.