Not sure if I can help with letting you see one; mine is in MA.  I finished it earlier this summer.  It was my first strip build.  It was far more time consuming than S&G.  It came out just under 40 lbs.  The boat is awesome in the ocean, the best I have ever paddled.

Yeah, Maine is a bit far. Thanks. I need a small kayak (110-115 lb. and 5' 3"). I am concerned the Petrel would be too big for me. I want to be sure I would get the kayak into the water so that it will track as it is supposed to.

What is your size, and do you know of any paddlers in your area about my size that could try the Petrel?

I'v had a bad experience with buying a kayak without getting into it first.

Cheers 

I'm just finishing up my Petrel build. I documented the build in a Flickr site

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jandjflkr

if your interested. FYI, it was a very difficult build for me. I have built 2 S&G Chesapeakes , and 2 Shearwater hybrids, but the Petrel was much harder. You are welcome to try mine when it is done, but I live in central Florida.Soon after it is finished, I will be delivering it to Glastonbury CT; it's a gift for my niece. Maybe you could try it there. (?) Where are you anyway?

Jim

I just completed a Petrel , I'm 5' 11" and 170 pounds. I am on a small body of water in Michigan. The Petrel is more of a challenge to paddle than the S&G Merganser that I built. I have a hard time keeping the Petrel tracking straight. I will take both kayaks to Lake Superior and see how they paddle in a little surf. Good Luck Rod

Thanks everyone for your input.

Lowe: The Petrel is more challanging to paddle: would you tell me more about that? I realize tracking is an issue.

Jim: I am in SC, near Charlotte, NC. I assume you are driving the kayak u. I frequently travel t Charleston, SC, but is about as far as I can get this time of year. Your niece is a lucky girl! 

Cheers 

It does not track very well; I don't think it was supposed to.  It is meant to go out in waves where the ability to maneuver is the key.  That said, it is perfectly balanced (for me) and does not tend to weathercock.  It can be pointed in almost any direction relative to the wind and waves and head that way with minimal correction.  I am 5-10/160 and located the cockpit as shown on the plans.  I sit with my back about 4" fwd of the aft end of the coaming.  I have seen several builders include a retractable skeg, though I don't think it is necessary.

BTW, Jim the boat is beautiful!  Nice pictures too.

well, i am no expert

but paddle in the iowa great lakes

daily and lake superior once or twice a year

for a week at a time...

my youngest daughter build a petrel last winter.

the single fleet includes a current designs solstice gts

and two other clc boats, a chesapeake 16 and a west river 18.

several of my daughters 5' and under friends have paddles

the petrel with a variety of paddling experience...

...without question...

by far...

the petrel is the nicest handling boat we have in the fleet!